Katsuo no tataki

Katsuo no tataki is made with bonito, the katsuo, Kōchi’s emblematic fish. The fish is filleted and the fillets are quickly seared over a high flame. The skin becomes browned and aromatic on the outside while the flesh remains raw inside. Then it is cut into thick slices.

According to the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, the slices are sprinkled with salt and lightly struck, and that action of striking, tataku, would have given the dish its name. On top goes a sauce of yuzu juice or another citrus with shoyu, and thin slices of garlic, which are always present; to taste, scallion, onion, shiso leaves or ginger. A straw flame is preferred: it burns fast and very hot, and adds aroma to the fish. At home many people use the stovetop flame.

Bonito is eaten in Kōchi almost year-round. The first bonito, in spring and early summer, has lighter flesh; the autumn bonito, which comes down from the north, is fattier and, according to the source, the most suitable for tataki. Each household and each region has its own way of finishing the dish.

Katsuo no tataki can be found everywhere in Kōchi: izakaya, markets and fishmongers. It is also a required presence on the sawachi ryōri, the large platter of dishes served at province celebrations, weddings and festivals, and there are other tataki preparations, such as a rolled sushi.