Sayori- Japanese Needlefish — サヨリ

The Sayori (Japanese needlefish; サヨリ; Hemiramphus sajori) is a slender, silvery fish of Japan's coastal waters, recognizable by its elongated lower jaw and torpedo-like body. Considered a delicacy in Japanese cuisine — particularly in sashimi and tataki preparations — the sayori is associated with early spring, when it is at its finest and most abundantly caught. Bakufu's rendering in his fish compendium captures the species' distinctive elongated profile and the iridescent silver and blue of its scales.