🐙 Octopus: たこ (tako)
Octopus from the fast-flowing Akashi Strait has short, thick legs and is said to 'walk standing up'. Eaten boiled, as sashimi or nigiri.
- Japanese
- たこ
- Reading
- たこ · tako
- Kanji
- 蛸・章魚
- Best months
- Jun – Aug, Dec – Jan
- Allergy group
- Octopus
Order this
Japanたこをお願いします。
South Korea문어 부탁드립니다.
Octopus, please.
Other names
| マダコ まだこ · madako | At the market / sushi bar · The standard name |
| 明石だこ あかしだこ · akashi-dako | Local brand · Akashi, Hyogo |
| 麦わらだこ むぎわらだこ · mugiwara-dako | Seasonal name · Kansai · Early-summer octopus from wheat-harvest season, said to be the best |
Local dishes with this fish
| Himakajima octopus · Nagoya (Aichi) | May – Oct |
| Mihara octopus · Hiroshima | Jun – Sep |
| Akashi octopus · Hyogo (Kobe, Akashi) | Jun – Aug, Nov – Jan |
| Akashiyaki (egg-rich octopus dumplings in broth) · Hyogo (Kobe, Akashi) | All year |
| Sannakji (fresh live octopus) · Seoul | All year |
Name in other languages
| 한국어 | 문어 |
| 简体中文 | 章鱼 |
| 繁體中文 | 章魚 |
| Tiếng Việt | Bạch tuộc |
| Español | Pulpo |
| 日本語 | たこ |
← Sushi fish guide: names and seasons
Seasons shift with the weather and the catch each year. Ask the restaurant what is in today.