sardines – SoraNews24 —Japan News— https://soranews24.com Bringing you yesterday's news from Japan and Asia, today. Sun, 28 Apr 2024 12:04:24 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.1.4 https://soranews24.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2020/05/en_rocket_1024.png?w=32 sardines – SoraNews24 —Japan News— https://soranews24.com 32 32 176746664 Which Japanese conveyor belt sushi chain has the best iwashi sardine sushi?【Taste test】 https://soranews24.com/2022/03/23/which-japanese-conveyor-belt-sushi-chain-has-the-best-iwashi-sardine-sushi%e3%80%90taste-test%e3%80%91/ https://soranews24.com/2022/03/23/which-japanese-conveyor-belt-sushi-chain-has-the-best-iwashi-sardine-sushi%e3%80%90taste-test%e3%80%91/#comments Tue, 22 Mar 2022 15:00:57 +0000 https://soranews24.com/?p=581270 
Popular blue-backed fish go head-to-head at Japan’s top sushi chains.
In Japan, “blue-backed fish”, like sardine, mackerel, herring, perch and anchovy, are known for their rich and fatty flavour, and our reporter P.K. Sanjun is such a fan of them he reckons he might’ve been a seal or penguin in a previous life.
So when it came time for him to continue his taste-test duties at Japan’s top four conveyor belt sushi restaurants, this time pitting their iwashi (sardine) sushi against each other, P.K. was incredibly excited.
Sardines are one of P.K.’s all-time favourites, and he likes them in their fully grown fish state (above) and their baby “shirasu” form (below).
So let’s get to it and see how the sardine sushi stacked up for P.K. at the four chains.
▼ Clockwise from top left: Kappa Sushi, Kura Sushi, Sushiro, and Hama Sushi
● Kappa Sushi (110 yen [US$0.95])
“The first thing I noticed with these is they’re pretty big. In terms of volume, the sardine sushi is better here compared to the other chains. The fattiness is perfect, and although it had a slight bitterness in the aftertaste, that’s not a negative point for lovers of blue-backed fish. It was excellent.”
● Kura Sushi (110 yen)
“Like Kappa Sushi’s, these were also quite big. They were was very similar to Kappa Sushi’s in terms of both the umami and the slight bitterness in the aftertaste, so I got a sense of déjà vu while eating them. It was one of the strongest in terms of value-for-money, and it was delicious!”
● Hama Sushi (110 yen)
“Compared to Kappa Sushi and Kura Sushi, these were a little smaller. Perhaps because of that, I didn’t sense any bitterness in the aftertaste. However, I got the impression that the fattiness didn’t reach its full potential here, so, like the others, it was delicious but it wasn’t flawless.”
● Sushiro (110 yen)
“Compared to the larger morsels at Kappa Sushi and Kura Sushi, the size of these was more moderate. It was delicious, and there was no bitterness in the aftertaste.”
At the end of P.K.’s taste test, which was conducted on the same day to ensure a fair assessment, he found it difficult to pick a standout. The sardine sushi at all four chains appeared to be split into two categories: “Large with a slight aftertaste” and “Relatively small with no aftertaste”.
If he were to judge on taste instead of volume, he would have to choose Hama Sushi and Sushiro as the winners, but given that one of the main reasons for eating at a conveyor belt restaurant is the value-for-money factor, he couldn’t ignore the large morsels at Kappa Sushi and Kura Sushi.
So in the end, P.K. called it a tie between all four chains. It’s a result we should’ve seen coming really, because penguins and seals don’t turn their nose up at any type of sardine that comes their way, and P.K. is no different to his spirit animals.
When it comes to other sushi, though, like tuna, salmon, seared salmon, and salmon roe, the results are very different at the four top chains!
Photos ©SoraNews24
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]]> https://soranews24.com/2022/03/23/which-japanese-conveyor-belt-sushi-chain-has-the-best-iwashi-sardine-sushi%e3%80%90taste-test%e3%80%91/feed/ 0 581270 Sushi conveyor belt restaurant chain Japan best iwashi Kappa Hama Sushiro sardines food news photos review 1 Satolgo 12: “The Sardine Gambit” https://soranews24.com/2020/06/24/satolgo-12-the-sardine-gambit/ https://soranews24.com/2020/06/24/satolgo-12-the-sardine-gambit/#comments Tue, 23 Jun 2020 15:00:07 +0000 http://soranews24.com/?p=506529 
Commemorative sardine pack celebrates Japan’s deadliest assassin. We celebrate the second deadliest.
I had been holed up in a seedy motel room for weeks now. After having blown the lid off the shocking connection between Japan’s Prime Minister and the legendary yokai Amabie, I had made some powerful enemies in the highest levels of government, all of whom wanted me dead.
Suddenly, a shadow emerged from a corner of the room and revealed itself to be none other than Satolgo 12. Meeting the legendary assassin in the flesh could only mean one thing; his face would be the last that I would ever see…
“What took you so long?” I wearily asked him. I hadn’t eaten much while in hiding, and lacked the energy to panic properly.
Although his face was carved in stone, I sensed that my cavalier attitude had agitated him somewhat. He removed his sunglasses and raised his box of “tools.”
“I have something to give you,” said Satolgo 12, as he set down the case and began to open it, “My client paid me a lot of money and insisted that you be filled with iron. They also instructed that I not leave until the job is done.”
He slowly pulled out some red objects and began to arrange them. In the meantime, I glanced over at his case. The bottom had a picture of Satolgo 12’s biggest rival, Golgo 13. It was then that I remembered Golgo 13 was entering the 52nd year of his career which was chronicled in one of the longest-running and biggest-selling manga series ever.
Having read a few of those issues myself, I suspected there might be a false-bottom to the Satolgo 12’s case. Thinking there might have been a secret weapon underneath that I could use to escape my fate, I nervously reached for it while Satolgo 12 was preoccupied.
“Oi!” grunted Satolgo 12 with a voice that was subtle yet thick with restrained violence. Frightened, I pulled back my hand and sat at attention as the killer approached me with one of his items.
It was a special edition can of King Oscar sardines featuring a picture of Golgo 13. “Why not?” I thought, “Golgo 13 was a mature comic, and worthy of a mature taste.”
However, these cases were originally released in 2018, during Golgo 13’s 50th anniversary. It was surprising to see one nearly two years later, but perhaps a few boxes can still be acquired if one knew the right people.
Satolgo 12 slowly opened a can without saying a word.
▼ “…”
He then offered it to me, as if I was supposed to eat these delicious wood-smoked Norwegian fish packed in soy bean oil right then and there, with my very life hanging by a thread.
▼ “…”
Not wanting to push my luck any further, I accepted the sardines.
The fish also sat there in silence, and showed no fear when I picked one up to eat it.
▼ “…”
Then, Satolgo 12 opened up another can and began to quietly eat some King Oscar sardines too. For just a moment the pure taste-satisfaction of the oily fish triggered a brief expression of pleasure that flashed over the cold-blooded killer’s face.
▼ “…”
When the meal was over, I felt remarkably better. I could feel the vitamin B12 and omega-3 fatty acids coursing through my veins. Satolgo 12 too looked oddly pleased with his meal and stared at me silently.
▼ “…”
After about a minute of this, I started to get weirded out and asked, “So, aren’t you going to kill me?”
“No,” he replied, “Your mother sent me. She was worried that you weren’t getting enough iron and hired me to make sure you were eating well.” He added, “She also says to forget about that stupid Amabie nonsense and that it was probably time to get a real job.”
He then continued to sit and stare at me.
▼ “…”
What was once a terrifying brush with death became increasingly awkward, so for the sake of conversation I asked him, “Does your box have a false bottom? You know, with a bomb or documents inside or something.”
“That’s confidential,” he answered, “If I told you I’d have to kill you. Don’t worry though, I have something way cooler to show you. See this tie? It’s a Lupin III 50th anniversary replica tie. Pretty rad huh?”
▼ “…”
I said it was “alright” and with that Satolgo 12 vanished as mysteriously as he arrived.
Let this be a lesson to you all to get the daily recommended intake of Phosphorus and vitamin D, or else Satolgo 12 might pay you a deadly boring visit too…
Source: PR Times
Photos ©SoraNews24
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]]> https://soranews24.com/2020/06/24/satolgo-12-the-sardine-gambit/feed/ 0 506529 Pet hamster shows off eloquent eating skills that puts most humans to shame https://soranews24.com/2017/01/07/pet-hamster-shows-off-eloquent-eating-skills-that-puts-most-humans-to-shame/ https://soranews24.com/2017/01/07/pet-hamster-shows-off-eloquent-eating-skills-that-puts-most-humans-to-shame/#comments Sat, 07 Jan 2017 13:00:39 +0000 http://en.rocketnews24.com/?p=361125 When someone says “you eat like an animal!” they probably didn’t mean this!
The new year has been going to the cats and dogs so far, but we can’t forget about all the other lovable animals that people love to call pets. Birds, fish and even sugar gliders are popular companions, but one can never forget about the furry cutie, the hamster! One proud hamster owner posted a picture on Twitter showing off the eating habits of their respectable rodent.
▼ “The way my hamster eats dried sardines is especially thorough.”
(Above fish is before eating, bottom fish is after.)
うちのハムスターのにぼしの食べ方がものすごく丁寧 pic.twitter.com/bmyV82UTsK
— みかぽん (@raichi0215) January 4, 2017
We’ve heard about picky eaters, but this is borderline obsessive compulsive! What may make it even more surprising to a Japanese audience is their affinity to simply eat the bones on a fish. There probably isn’t much nutritional value to the pointy skeleton of fish, but there are so many small fish in the Japanese diet that stopping to pick out all the bones is more hassle than it’s worth. Why not just let the digestive system handle the sorting?
ちなみにこのにぼしを作り上げたのはこいつです pic.twitter.com/giJwVB1itE
— みかぽん (@raichi0215) January 5, 2017
This hamster clearly has a much more “polite” personality, as it leaves the skeleton, along with the skull, essentially intact. It’s hard to imagine a hamster being so careful, especially considering what you normally see hamsters do with their food.
▼ A typical hamster in eating action.
We hope this little hamster has other adorably polite eating habits as we’d like to see it eat some corn or a hamster-sized burrito. Hamsters make for some great pets because they are pretty clean, loyal and can do just the cutest things sometimes. It’s just a special bonus when you discover that your hamster eats with more class and manners than you do!
Source: Hamsoku
Featured image: Twitter/@raichi0215
]]> https://soranews24.com/2017/01/07/pet-hamster-shows-off-eloquent-eating-skills-that-puts-most-humans-to-shame/feed/ 0 361125 hamster-1 Shinagawa Station sells unappetizing fish butt onigiri, netizens nauseated https://soranews24.com/2014/11/16/shinagawa-station-sells-unappetizing-fish-butt-onigiri-netizens-nauseated/ https://soranews24.com/2014/11/16/shinagawa-station-sells-unappetizing-fish-butt-onigiri-netizens-nauseated/#comments Sat, 15 Nov 2014 23:00:33 +0000 http://en.rocketnews24.com/?p=196723 
It’s hard not to love onigiri, those handy little triangular parcels of rice and seaweed stuffed with tasty fillings ranging from plum to fish to chicken and more. Onigiri are a ubiquitous snack in Japan, available at every convenience store in a range of varieties for the cost of a few coins. But even though conbini onigiri are usually fresh and tasty, it’s also nice to run across smaller stands and stores selling hand-made onigiri sometimes. Unless you happen to stop by this establishment inside Shinagawa Station in Tokyo – because their onigiri leaves a lot to be desired when it comes to presentation. That is unless you like eating something with a big fish butt hanging out of it…
The onigiri shown in the photograph actually contains an entire mezashi, which are dried sardines strung onto a skewer by their eye sockets and cooked together. They’re actually quite healthy, as sardines contain omega-3 fatty acids and essential calcium. If you can get past the slightly gross way they’re cooked, that is.
▼ How mezashi are usually served.
If you’re not used to the Japanese custom of serving up a whole fish, then the concept of gobbling one down wrapped only in a bit of rice and seaweed might be a bit much. However, it seems that even Japanese netizens were grossed out by the unappetizing presentation of this fishy onigiri:
品川駅でみつけた「めざしオニギリ」。なかなかに前衛的なデザインである。 pic.twitter.com/1e521P2iVx
— Satoshi Ban @ Thirdverse(VRゲームスタジオ) (@bangsang) November 14, 2014
▲ “Mezashi onigiri from Shinagawa station. It’s a bit too avant-garde.”
品川駅の「めざしオニギリ」が斬新すぎるｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗ http://t.co/byav0UQQ5x @hamusoku
もうちょっと工夫すれば良いような…あえてダイレクトに攻めた点わ評価出来るかもしれんが買わないだろうなｗ
— Ynes＝Hiie (@kent278562) November 14, 2014
▲ “They could have put a bit more effort into the presentation… Maybe they’re going for the ‘direct’ approach, but I still wouldn’t buy this.”
If you’re not sold on the cold fishy onigiri, apparently the store in question also sells some more appetizing wares:
ハムスター速報：品川駅の「めざしオニギリ」が斬新すぎるｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗｗ http://t.co/h9nTtkdL2K @hamusokuさんから
ここの天むすの誘惑がすさまじい。5個ぐらい買ってむさぼりたい。
— SUGIMOTO Yoshiaki (@catzpaw) November 14, 2014
▲ ”I can’t resist the allure of the tempura musubi they sell there. I wanna buy five and stuff my face with ’em.”
Other netizens pointed out the similarity to Korean dish Sukekiyo-don, which comprises several sardines face-down in a bowl of rice.
▼ Hmm, staring into a bowl of fish butts really works up an appetite…NOT
Whatever your thoughts on whole fish, it’s hard to deny that eating them butt-first is anything other than a little gross. Then again, would it really be any better if it was the head poking out to say hello? Somehow, we doubt it.
Source: Hamusoku
Images: Hamusoku, Wikimedia Commons (Kossy@FINEDAYS), Biglobe.ne.jp
]]> https://soranews24.com/2014/11/16/shinagawa-station-sells-unappetizing-fish-butt-onigiri-netizens-nauseated/feed/ 0 196723 mezashi2-e1416008757397 What Do You Do When Aquarium Sardines Start Acting Fishy? You Call In The Tuna Squad! https://soranews24.com/2013/03/31/what-do-you-do-when-aquarium-sardines-start-acting-fishy-you-call-in-the-tuna-squad/ https://soranews24.com/2013/03/31/what-do-you-do-when-aquarium-sardines-start-acting-fishy-you-call-in-the-tuna-squad/#comments Sun, 31 Mar 2013 09:00:00 +0000 http://en.rocketnews24.com/?p=47212 
The Nagoyako Aquarium in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, is experiencing an unusual problem — lazy sardines. That’s right, according to a recent story on Japanese newspaper Asahi’s digital site, the sardines at Nagoyako Aquarium are not behaving as they should, supposedly because “they have it too easy” in the protected environment of their tank. And in order not to disappoint visitors, it looks like the aquarium will have to call in the “tuna squad” to whip the sardines’ act into shape. But what could be causing these errant fish to misbehave?
The sardines in question — maiwashi or Japanese pilchards to be more exact — are kept in the “Kuroshio Tank” of the aquarium in an environment based roughly on the conditions that exist in the Kuroshio Current off the coast of Japan. The tank, 5 meters (16ft.) tall and 14 meters (46ft.) wide, contains fish of varying sizes that coexist in nature in the Kuroshio environment.
The tank’s main attraction is the “pilchard tornado” created by the sardines as they group together to feed in a large whirl-shaped formation. A splendid sight to behold, this behavior is a defense mechanism on the part of the sardines to protect themselves from larger fish, as rocks and other structures that can provide shelter are typically not found in the offshore waters of the Kuroshio Current. The sardines at the Nagoyako Aquarium too exhibited this characteristic behavior, delighting visitors, and all seemed well in the world of the Kuroshio Tank — until recently, when lone sardines started swimming in a different corner of the tank away from the group.
Now, it appears some sardines in the tank have been going rogue and disrupting the tornado teamwork, much to the dismay of the aquarium staff, and the caretakers actually think it may be because the sardines are confident that they won’t be eaten and getting lax with their defenses.
Although the tank is designed within reason to show conditions close to what exists in the natural environment, it obviously wouldn’t do for the larger fish to eat up the sardine population in the tank, so it has been part of the aquarium’s feeding program to keep the larger fish well-fed and full enough not to prey on the sardines. Unfortunately, this may have led to the sardines becoming “over-confident” of their protected status. According to the staff, some of the sardines are even fearless enough to compete for feed with bonito that are three times their size and actually their predators in the wild.
To restore a sense of order among the unruly sardines, the aquarium has decided to add 15 Pacific bluefin tuna into the tank. There are already tuna in the tank, but only two at present, and the aquarium is hoping a larger number will have the effect of “scaring” the sardines back into their usual behavior.
This isn’t the first time attempts have been made to shake up the slacking sardines. A scalloped hammerhead shark that was brought in from Kagoshima Prefecture in southern Japan unfortunately was unable to adapt to the tank’s water temperature and died. Some Japanese Spanish mackerel were also introduced into the tank, only to die from being bitten by sharks. The only type of fish that has been moderately successful in keeping the sardines on their toes (or should I say fins in this case) has been the ocean sunfish. At present, the sardines seem to recognize and avoid the five large sunfish in the tank.
The Asahi article reports that the Kuroshio Tank is currently populated by: 35,000 sardines (Japanese pilchards), 8 mahi-mahi, 7 bonito, 6 blue mackerel, 5 ocean sunfish, 3 African pompano, 2 Pacific bluefin tuna, 1 copper shark and 1 mackerel tuna.
And if further reinforcements are required, the article says the aquarium may also consider introducing Indo-Pacific sailfish into the tank in addition to the tuna. Well, let’s hope the tuna squad does their work and visitors will be able to see the sardines’ magnificent tornado performance for a long time to come. Hmm, but sardines, bluefin tuna and mackerel? I have to say the Kuroshio Tank contains some awfully delicious-sounding fish. Darn, I think I’m getting hungry for sushi now…
For those of you who can’t make it to the aquarium, we’ll leave you with the video from which the above stills were taken. It really is quite a sight!
Source: The Asahi Shimubun Digital (Japanese)
Top Image: by Bonguri
]]> https://soranews24.com/2013/03/31/what-do-you-do-when-aquarium-sardines-start-acting-fishy-you-call-in-the-tuna-squad/feed/ 3 47212 sardines top