鰤 · ブリ · buri

Buri

Buri is mature, usually wild Japanese amberjack — the same fish as hamachi, but older, richer and at its melting best as winter 'kanburi'.

Also known as

yellowtail, hamachi, kanburi, mejiro

Species

Seriola quinqueradiata (Japanese amberjack)

Category

White-flesh fish (shiromi)

Texture

firm, melting when fatty — rich, fatty, almost beefy in winter

Peak season

Dec, Jan, Feb

Sustainability

varies — Wild yellowtail sustainability depends on the fishery and season.

Mercury

Not in the FDA consumer table

Pregnancy

Eat in moderation

Often swapped with

hamachi

Price tier

$$$

Buri is just grown-up hamachi

Buri is the mature, large (80 cm+) — and typically wild — form of the same fish as hamachi, the Japanese amberjack (Seriola quinqueradiata). Think veal versus beef: same animal, different age, very different eating.

Kanburi: the winter prize

When buri fattens in the cold months it becomes kanburi (“cold yellowtail”), prized for a rich, melting, almost beefy fattiness. This is the version winter omakase counters celebrate, and it’s why buri reads as a more “serious” fish than everyday farmed hamachi.

How to eat it

Raw as nigiri or sashimi at its winter peak; cooked, the Japanese classics are buri teriyaki and buri-daikon (simmered with radish). The fattier the cut, the less soy it needs.

Sourcing

Wild buri sustainability varies by fishery and season, and the “yellowtail” umbrella means labels are often vague. As with hamachi, ask what you’re actually being served — and in winter, ask specifically for kanburi. See the full side-by-side.

Related neta

See how Buri compares to similar neta →