Aori-ika 障泥烏賊

Squid are broadly divided into two kinds: cuttlefish, with a rounded, shell-like body, and the tube-shaped 'tube squid'. Cuttlefish have thick flesh and a sweeter taste, while tube squid are refined and delicate. The bigfin reef squid is one of the tube squid. Among the tube squid, three kinds are found only at high-end sushi restaurants: bigfin reef squid (aori-ika), spear squid (yari-ika) and swordtip squid (kensaki-ika). In Japanese, 'yari' means a spear and 'kensaki' the point of a sword — hence the English name swordtip squid for kensaki-ika.

The peak season varies by kind — bigfin reef squid is at its best in summer, while spear squid and the like are in season in winter. Light yet full of umami and juicy, this is the real charm of the tube-squid family.

Origin: Western Japan Season: spring to summer