Tokishirazu, also written as “Tokishirazu,” is a prized salmon caught along the coast of Hokkaido in spring and early summer. Its unusual name literally suggests a salmon that “doesn’t know the season,” referring to the fact that it appears at a time different from the usual autumn salmon run.
Salmon generally swim upstream into rivers in autumn to spawn. However, some salmon reach the coastal waters of Hokkaido from spring through early summer, well before the normal spawning season.
These fish came to be known as Tokishirazu, or “salmon that does not know the time,” because they were thought to have arrived at the wrong time of year. The name is also written as Tokishirazu using different Japanese characters meaning “not knowing the season.”
Because Tokishirazu is caught before the salmon’s spawning season, its body has not yet used up the fat and nutrients needed for reproduction. The result is salmon with an especially rich, succulent texture and plenty of flavorful fat.
One of the simplest and best ways to enjoy it is salt-grilled. Because the fish is naturally rich and fatty, it pairs especially well with plenty of grated daikon radish, whose refreshing flavor balances the richness.
The area between the skin and flesh is also packed with flavor, so the skin is traditionally enjoyed together with the meat rather than discarded.
Tokishirazu has long been appreciated not only as delicious seafood but also as a seasonal delicacy in Hokkaido. There is a traditional story that during the festival season of Hokkaido Shrine, one should buy a whole Tokishirazu even if it meant going into debt.
This old saying suggests that the fish was regarded as a special and auspicious food, much like other seasonal delicacies traditionally associated with good fortune in Japan.
May and June