Suzuki – [Sushi|Foodlore]

Description

Suzuki – (SeaBass.) – Katakana: スズキ, Hiragana: すずき, Kanji: 鱸

• About this fish: A flakey, tender, and somewhat briny tasting fish, which also goes by far too many names to list here!! (It’s another of those “Shusseuo” “Promotional fish” (whose name or ’rank’ changes depending on the size and location.) – Incidentally, the name ‘Suzuki’ is a very common name in Japan (it’s about as common as “Joe”, “Bob” or “Smith” in America.) So, this fish also has a bit of a punny reputation! (Don’t be mistaken, Suzuki cars are named after a person, not this fish!) – Suzuki might owe its auspicious reputation due to its use in the epic; “Tale of Heike.” (A story about the Genpei War & the events surrounding it.) where in the Seabass is straight up said to be a good omen: at one point during a religious pilgrimage, A large seabass jumps aboard the Taira Warlord; Taira no Kiyomori’s boat. Kiyomori’s men enthusiastically cheer and say believe that it is a good omen “Because the same thing happened in China during the reign of Wu King of Zhou!” (The founding king of the Chinese Zhou dynasty, who famously overthrew a tyrant.) – Kiyomori succeeds in destroying his enemies and he ultimately gains undisputed power over Japan establishing samurai rule, until he became sick and died in 1181.  – (For a yokai/legend concerning him, see also: ‘Mekurabe.’) – Ironically, Kiyomori was known for his brutality and went down in history as one of Japan’s ‘Three great villains’ rather than a hero. But because of his swift rise to power, its believed that the idea that the Seabass was indeed a good omen or an auspicious fish caught on from there.

[a seabass and a red snapper from Utagawa Hiroshige’s (every variety of fish) 1840s]