With so many people and limited natural resources, not much goes to waste in Japan. At times, you’ve got to wonder what happens to the nicer fillets of meat, because there seems to be an awful lot of guts and organs for sale in markets and on restaurant menus.
When it comes to seafood, the insides are considered some of the best parts of the creature. Many people even call these parts their favourite, and they’re cooked in a multitude of different styles—grilled, boiled, stewed, steamed, fried, salted, and some are even eaten raw. There are endless tasty dishes made with the bits people in the West usually throw out or feed to the cat.
Not all innards are safe to eat—the fugu (blowfish) is one such example, with poisonous organs more deadly than cyanide. Despite this, its flesh is eaten as a delicacy. It’s not uncommon to see menus featuring “interesting” parts of fish, and even of land animals, that many people would never consider eating. One popular dish is ika no shiokara, a salty and juicy snack made from pickled squid innards. It’s often enjoyed with sake. While it might not smell or sound appealing—and is even an acquired taste for some locals—you don’t need to visit a fancy restaurant to try it. Most supermarkets sell packaged squid, cuttlefish, or octopus, pre-cut and ready to eat.
The guts and innards are usually the smelliest parts of the fish, but this is often fixed by soaking them in milk overnight. This helps neutralise the strong odour, making the dish more pleasant and palatable.
If you’re curious to try fish guts or organ-based dishes for yourself, look out for them at izakayas (Japanese pubs), seafood restaurants, and traditional markets—especially in coastal towns and cities like Hakodate, Kanazawa, and Fukuoka. Tsukiji Outer Market in Tokyo and Kuromon Ichiba in Osaka are also great spots to explore unusual seafood. Even convenience stores and supermarkets often stock vacuum-packed versions of shiokara and similar dishes, so you don’t need to go far or spend big to give these unique flavours a go.
