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The ayu or sweetfish, Plecoglossus altivelis, is an
amphidromous fish, the only
species in the
genus Plecoglossus and in
family Plecoglossidae. It is a relative of the
smelts and is placed in the
order Osmeriformes. Native to the
Palearctic ecozone, it occurs in rivers, lakes, and coastal waters of western
Hokkaidō in
Japan southward to the
Korean Peninsula,
China, and
Taiwan.
The name "sweetfish" is due to the sweetness of its flesh. In reference to its typical one-year life span, it is also known as nen-gyo ("year-fish"). The ayu is
Gunma Prefecture's prefectural fish.
The fish , Ayu reflects lights on its stomach. The white mouth looks little pink and the tail fin is yellow
Ayu is an edible fish, mostly consumed in
East Asia. Its flesh has a distinctive, sweet flavour with "melon and cucumber aromas".
[1] It is consequently highly prized as a food fish. The main methods for obtaining ayu are by means of
fly fishing, by using a
trap, and by fishing with a decoy which is known as ayu-no-tomozuri in Japan. The decoy is a living ayu placed on a hook, which swims when immersed into water. It provokes the territorial behavior of other ayu, which assault the "intruder" and get caught. This method has been criticized for its cruelty towards the animal.
How to fish Ayu? It is of course possible to fish for Ayu using a rod and reel, and there are many such enthusiasts. However, catching Ayu with a rod and reel though can take a lot of patience and skill.
Best grilled with salt...very popular in Japan.
You can also buy this fresh ayu in New Hatchin Trading Corporation...availability depends on the season in Japan...
If you love grilled fishes then buy and search for us...