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The Japanese archipelago boasts a bountiful supply of fish, which supplies the domestic market with various fish and shellfish products. However, seafood consumption has been hitting decade-lows, with annual per-person consumption remaining below ** kilograms in fiscal year 2024 for the third consecutive year. While marine products from the surrounding ocean have a historic significance in the Japanese diet, cultural exchange has diversified protein sources at dinner tables.

From salmon to poisonous delicacies

Japanese cuisine incorporates a wide selection of sea life in dishes, including various species of fish, shellfish, seaweed, and mollusks. Among the abundance of choices, salmon and trout are consumers’ favorite types of seafood. Apart from being the number one choice for sushi toppings in conveyor belt restaurants, salmon is also enjoyed as a side dish in a traditional meal or shredded as a filling in rice balls (onigiri).
Other fish species that have become staples in Japanese kitchens include mackerel, yellowtail fish, and tuna. Dishes like poisonous pufferfish (fugu), live seafood, and whale meat are considered delicacies instead of a dish to be enjoyed daily.

Fish or meat – where do the favorites lie?

Cultural exchange has introduced numerous meat-based dishes to the Japanese diet, which have found widespread popularity among consumers. Rising meat consumption has been contrasting seafood consumption, with wide accessibility and simple preparation working in favor of meat. However, fish and shellfish are cherished as a seasonal ingredient with better health-promoting effects compared to meat. While consumers are divided on the question of their favorites, the substitution of seafood with meat and vice versa has introduced popular variations of iconic dishes in Japan, such as meat sushi and sashimi, fish curry, and deep-fried oyster.