🐟 Mackerel: サバ (saba)
It spoils quickly, so it is usually cured in vinegar (shime-saba). In Fukuoka, very fresh mackerel is eaten raw with sesame sauce as goma-saba.
- Japanese
- サバ
- Reading
- さば · saba
- Kanji
- 鯖
- Best months
- Oct – Feb
- Allergy group
- Fish
Order this
Japanサバをお願いします。
South Korea고등어 부탁드립니다.
Mackerel, please.
Other names
| マサバ まさば · masaba | At the market / sushi bar · The standard name |
| しめさば しめさば · shime-saba | At the market / sushi bar · Mackerel cured in salt and vinegar |
| 関サバ せきさば · seki-saba | Local brand · Saganoseki, Oita |
| ゴマサバ ごまさば · goma-saba | At the market / sushi bar · A different species with sesame-like spots. Not the same as Hakata's goma-saba dish |
Local dishes with this fish
| Goma-saba (raw mackerel with sesame sauce) · Fukuoka (Hakata) | All year |
| Godeungeo gui (salt-grilled mackerel) · Busan | Sep – Feb |
| Saba-zushi (cured mackerel sushi) · Kyoto (city, Tango coast) | All year |
Name in other languages
| 한국어 | 고등어 |
| 简体中文 | 鲭鱼 |
| 繁體中文 | 鯖魚 |
| Tiếng Việt | Cá saba |
| Español | Caballa |
| 日本語 | サバ |
← Sushi fish guide: names and seasons
Seasons shift with the weather and the catch each year. Ask the restaurant what is in today.