Aji vs Saba vs Sawara: what's the difference?
Aji vs Saba vs Sawara: how these sushi neta differ in species, taste, texture, season, sustainability and mercury — a side-by-side guide.
| Attribute | Aji | Saba | Sawara |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese | 鯵 アジ · aji | 鯖 サバ · saba | 鰆 サワラ · sawara |
| Species | Trachurus japonicus | Scomber japonicus | Scomberomorus niphonius |
| Texture | soft, tender | soft, oily | soft, melting |
| Richness | ●●●○○ | ●●●●○ | ●●●●○ |
| Oiliness | ●●●○○ | ●●●●● | ●●●●○ |
| Peak season | Jun, Jul, Aug | Sep, Oct, Nov | Dec, Jan, Feb |
| Sustainability | varies | varies | varies |
| Mercury (ppm) | — | 0.05 | — |
| Price | $$ | $$ | $$$ |
| Beginner-friendly | Yes | Acquired taste | Yes |
At a glance
鯵 aji
Aji
Aji is Japanese horse mackerel — a silver hikarimono served fresh (not cured), bright and clean with a little ginger and scallion. Summer's quintessential shiny fish.
鯖 sabaSaba
Saba is mackerel — a rich, oily hikarimono almost always cured in salt and vinegar (shime-saba) for flavor and safety. Bold and a little funky, in the best way.
鰆 sawaraSawara
Sawara is Japanese Spanish mackerel — a large, pale-fleshed mackerel that's soft, mild and richest in winter, usually lightly seared or cured. Its kanji hides the word for spring.