{"id":1649,"date":"2026-07-12T16:40:28","date_gmt":"2026-07-12T07:40:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sushi-tanji.com\/en\/?p=1649"},"modified":"2026-07-14T18:58:13","modified_gmt":"2026-07-14T09:58:13","slug":"maguro-akami-chutoro-otoro-explained","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sushi-tanji.com\/en\/maguro-akami-chutoro-otoro-explained\/","title":{"rendered":"Maguro at the Counter: Akami, Chutoro, Otoro Explained"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n<style>\n.tsa{--ink:#1c1a17;--muted:#6f685c;--gold:#c4a44c;--gold-deep:#59502a;--cream:#faf8f3;--sand:#f3eee3;--line:#e7e0d1;\n--serif:var(--swl-font_family,\"Noto Serif JP\",Georgia,serif);--sans:-apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,\"Helvetica Neue\",\"Hiragino Kaku Gothic ProN\",Meiryo,sans-serif;\nfont-family:var(--serif);color:var(--ink);line-height:1.95;font-size:16.5px}\n.tsa *{box-sizing:border-box}\n#main_content .p-toc,#main_content .swell-toc-placeholder{display:none!important}\n.tsa img{max-width:100%;height:auto}\n.tsa 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.tsa-toc-close{display:flex;justify-content:space-between;align-items:center;position:sticky;top:0;background:#fff;padding-bottom:8px;margin-bottom:4px}\n  .tsa-toc-close .x{font-family:var(--sans);font-size:24px;font-weight:300;color:var(--muted);cursor:pointer;line-height:1;padding:0 4px}\n}\n\n\n@media (max-width:999px){\nhtml body #body_wrap{overflow-x:hidden}\nhtml body #main_content article,html body #main_content>div>div>div{margin-left:0!important;padding-left:0!important}\nhtml body #main_content,html body .l-mainContent__inner,html body .post_content{max-width:100%!important;overflow-x:hidden}\n.tsa,.tsa-main,.tsa-layout{max-width:100%;min-width:0;overflow-wrap:break-word}\n}\n<\/style>\n\n<div class=\"tsa\" itemscope itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Article\">\n<meta itemprop=\"inLanguage\" content=\"en\">\n<meta itemprop=\"headline\" content=\"Maguro at the Counter: Akami, Chutoro, Otoro Explained\">\n<meta itemprop=\"datePublished\" content=\"2026-07-10\">\n<meta itemprop=\"dateModified\" content=\"2026-07-10\">\n<span itemprop=\"author publisher\" itemscope itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Organization\" style=\"display:none\"><meta itemprop=\"name\" content=\"The Tokyo Sushi Guide by Sushi Tanji\"><\/span>\n<div class=\"tsa-layout\">\n<main class=\"tsa-main\">\n\n<div class=\"tsa-meta\">\n  <span>Part of <a href=\"https:\/\/sushi-tanji.com\/en\/tokyo-sushi-guide\/\"><b>The Tokyo Sushi Guide<\/b><\/a><\/span>\n  <span>Reviewed by <b>Tatsuo Takada<\/b><\/span>\n  <span>Updated <b><time datetime=\"2026-07-10\">July 10, 2026<\/time><\/b><\/span>\n  <span>Reading time <b>about 7 minutes<\/b><\/span>\n<\/div>\n\n<p class=\"lead\" itemprop=\"description\">Sit at a Tokyo sushi counter for the first time \u2013 the menu will offer you the same fish three ways. <b>Akami<\/b>, <b>chutoro<\/b>, <b>otoro<\/b>: all cut from one bluefin tuna, yet they eat like three different creatures. This guide explains where each cut sits on the fish, how fat reshapes flavour as well as texture, plus why Edomae chefs marinate the lean cut in soy \u2013 so when the chef asks which you\u2019d like, you can answer with a smile.<\/p>\n\n<div class=\"tsa-learn\">\n  <p class=\"t\">What you will learn<\/p>\n  <ul><li>Akami, chutoro plus otoro are cuts of one bluefin \u2013 position on the body decides fat<\/li><li>Akami tastes of iron with a gentle acidity; chefs judge a whole tuna by it<\/li><li>Chutoro balances marbling with lean depth \u2013 the natural first choice<\/li><li>Otoro comes in two textures: marbled shimofuri plus rib-striped jabara<\/li><li>Zuke \u2013 soy-marinated akami \u2013 is an Edomae classic worth ordering by name<\/li><li>In July lean cuts shine: summer bluefin runs leaner than winter fish<\/li><\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n<h2 id=\"one-fish\">One Fish, Three Names<\/h2>\n<p>Nearly all the tuna served at good Tokyo counters is bluefin \u2013 <em>hon-maguro<\/em>, known in the market as <em>kuro-maguro<\/em> (black tuna). A single fish can pass 200 kilograms, yet the three names on the menu are not grades of quality so much as addresses on the body. <b>Akami<\/b> (lean meat) is the deep red muscle running along the spine. <b>Chutoro<\/b> (medium-fat) comes from the outer belly plus the upper back near the skin. <b>Otoro<\/b> (fattiest) is the lower belly, richest toward the head.<\/p>\n<p>The proportions are lopsided. Most of a bluefin is akami; true otoro is a narrow band that makes up only a small fraction of the animal, which is why it commands the highest price of the three. At Toyosu market, wholesalers judge a whole fish by cutting a window into the tail \u2013 the colour, sheen plus visible fat in that small cross-section predict everything else.<\/p>\n<div class=\"tblwrap\"><table><thead><tr><th>Cut<\/th><th>Where it sits<\/th><th>Fat<\/th><th>Character<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>Akami<\/td><td>Deep muscle along the spine<\/td><td>Low<\/td><td>Iron, gentle acidity, clean finish<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Chutoro<\/td><td>Outer belly; upper back near the skin<\/td><td>Medium<\/td><td>Marbled richness over a lean core<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Otoro<\/td><td>Lower belly toward the head<\/td><td>High<\/td><td>Melting fat, sweetness, brief on the tongue<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/div>\n<div class=\"tsa-point\"><b>The heart of it:<\/b> Akami, chutoro plus otoro are one fish read at three depths \u2013 the nearer the belly surface toward the head, the more fat the muscle carries.<\/div>\n<h2 id=\"akami\">Akami: The Measure of the Tuna<\/h2>\n<p>Akami is the cut beginners skip \u2013 the one regulars watch for. Its colour runs from cherry to garnet; its flavour is defined by a faint mineral tang from myoglobin, the oxygen-carrying pigment that powers a tuna\u2019s non-stop swimming, backed by a quiet acidity that lifts the vinegared <em>shari<\/em> (seasoned rice) beneath it. Because there is little fat to blur the picture, akami shows everything: the fish\u2019s condition, the waters it swam, how well the chef has rested the block.<\/p>\n<p>Many chefs will tell you a tuna is judged by its akami, not its toro. Fat flatters; lean meat testifies. This is also the cut where aging speaks most clearly \u2013 a block rested for several days loses its metallic edge, then develops a rounder, almost meaty savour as the flesh relaxes.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"chutoro\">Chutoro: The Diplomatic Middle<\/h2>\n<p>Chutoro is the diplomat. It carries enough marbling to give the sweetness of fat, yet keeps the deep red flavour of the lean meat underneath \u2013 which is why it is the piece most first-time visitors remember. It comes from two places: the outer layer of the belly plus a band along the upper back near the skin, sometimes distinguished as <em>se-toro<\/em> (back toro).<\/p>\n<p>Look closely at a slice on the cutting board. Fine white lines of sinew \u2013 <em>suji<\/em> \u2013 run through the flesh, tougher near the tail. Part of the craft is invisible: the chef angles the knife across those lines so each becomes a short thread that dissolves in the mouth rather than a long chew. The same block cut carelessly would eat like string.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"otoro\">Otoro: The Belly at Full Volume<\/h2>\n<p>Otoro is the lower belly turned up to full volume \u2013 flesh so laced with fat that it fades to pale pink, almost white in places. That fat begins to soften just below body temperature, so a slice starts dissolving the moment it touches the tongue; the flavour arrives as sweetness first, ocean second, then vanishes quickly. It is spectacular precisely because it is brief.<\/p>\n<p>Menus rarely say so, but otoro comes in two textures. <em>Shimofuri<\/em> (\u201cfrost-fall\u201d) is the evenly marbled section behind the pectoral fin, uniform as fresh snowfall. <em>Jabara<\/em> (\u201cbellows\u201d) lies along the ribs, striped with bands of pure fat between muscle \u2013 wilder, richer, divisive. Rarest of all is <em>kama-toro<\/em> from the collar: one fish yields only a few servings.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"zuke\">Zuke: How Edomae Chefs Perfected Lean Tuna<\/h2>\n<p>In the Edo period there was no refrigeration, so tuna reached the sushi stalls with a problem: it spoiled fast. The answer was <em>zuke<\/em> \u2013 \u201csoaked\u201d \u2013 akami steeped in soy sauce until the surface cured, buying the stall-keeper days rather than hours. Toro, meanwhile, was nearly worthless; its fat repelled the soy so it turned quickly \u2013 old market slang called it <em>neko-matagi<\/em>, \u201cwhat even a cat steps over\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>Modern zuke is seasoning, not preservation. The chef bathes a block or slice of akami in a soy blend \u2013 often cut with sake plus mirin \u2013 for minutes rather than days. The surface deepens to garnet while the texture turns <em>nettori<\/em> \u2013 dense, gently clinging \u2013 so the marinade meets the iron of the lean flesh like a chord resolving. Because fat still repels soy, zuke remains akami\u2019s art alone; you will never meet an otoro zuke worth the name.<\/p>\n<p>This is where a counter\u2019s philosophy shows. At <a href=\"https:\/\/sushi-tanji.com\/en\/\">Sushi Tanji<\/a>, an eight-seat counter in a quiet Oku-Akasaka backstreet, the kitchen works squarely in this lineage \u2013 Edomae curing plus marinating joined with careful modern aging, each fish judged for its own peak \u2013 so how a given block of tuna is served depends on where it stands that day.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"ordering\">Ordering Maguro in July<\/h2>\n<p>Bluefin\u2019s famous fat peaks in winter, when the fish feed hard in cold water. A July visit is not a lesser one \u2013 it simply shifts the spotlight. Summer tuna tends to run leaner, so this is the season when a well-aged akami or a carefully judged zuke can outshine otoro; more than a few chefs quietly prefer it. Take that as an invitation to order the lean cuts with intent.<\/p>\n<ol class=\"tsa-flow\"><li><b>Start with akami<\/b><span>Taste the tuna itself before fat enters the picture \u2013 iron, acidity, the state of the aging.<\/span><\/li><li><b>Move to chutoro<\/b><span>The marbling now reads as an addition rather than the whole story.<\/span><\/li><li><b>Finish with otoro<\/b><span>One piece at the right moment lands harder than three in a row.<\/span><\/li><li><b>Ask for zuke by name<\/b><span>Where the counter offers it, this single word signals genuine curiosity about Edomae craft.<\/span><\/li><\/ol>\n<p>One last piece of counter craft: nigiri usually arrives already brushed with <em>nikiri<\/em>, the chef\u2019s seasoned soy glaze, so it needs nothing further. If you are dipping sashimi, touch the fish lightly \u2013 fatty toro sheds soy sauce anyway, while rice dipped directly will crumble. Eat each piece in one bite while the shari is still at body warmth; maguro, more than most toppings, is served at a deliberate temperature.<\/p>\n\n<h2 id=\"faq\">Frequently asked questions<\/h2>\n<div class=\"tsa-faq\" itemscope itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/FAQPage\"><details itemscope itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Question\"><summary itemprop=\"name\">What is the difference between akami, chutoro and otoro?<\/summary><div class=\"a\" itemscope itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\"><div itemprop=\"text\"><p>They are three cuts of the same bluefin tuna, separated by fat content. Akami is the lean red muscle along the spine \u2013 firm, savoury, faintly mineral. Otoro is the fat-rich lower belly that melts on the tongue. Chutoro sits between the two in both position on the fish plus richness, which makes it the easiest introduction.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/details><details itemscope itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Question\"><summary itemprop=\"name\">Should I dip otoro in soy sauce?<\/summary><div class=\"a\" itemscope itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\"><div itemprop=\"text\"><p>Usually you will not need to. At most counters nigiri arrives brushed with <em>nikiri<\/em>, a seasoned soy glaze, meaning the piece is already finished. If sashimi comes with a dish of soy sauce, touch only the edge of the fish \u2013 otoro\u2019s fat sheds liquid, so heavy dipping simply leaves a salty pool behind.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/details><details itemscope itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Question\"><summary itemprop=\"name\">What does zuke mean on a sushi menu?<\/summary><div class=\"a\" itemscope itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\"><div itemprop=\"text\"><p><em>Zuke<\/em> means \u201csoaked\u201d: lean tuna marinated briefly in a soy-based blend, a technique born in the Edo period as preservation. Today it is used purely for flavour \u2013 the surface turns deep garnet while the texture becomes dense with a pleasing cling. It is made from akami, since fat repels the marinade.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/details><details itemscope itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Question\"><summary itemprop=\"name\">Is tuna good in Tokyo in July?<\/summary><div class=\"a\" itemscope itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\"><div itemprop=\"text\"><p>Yes, though the emphasis shifts. Bluefin fat peaks in winter, so summer fish run leaner \u2013 which favours akami, aged blocks plus zuke rather than showpiece otoro. A good chef adjusts sourcing as well as treatment through the year, so trust the counter\u2019s recommendation over a fixed idea of what to order.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/details><details itemscope itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Question\"><summary itemprop=\"name\">Which tuna cut should a first-timer order?<\/summary><div class=\"a\" itemscope itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\"><div itemprop=\"text\"><p>Order all three as a set if you can, in this sequence: akami, then chutoro, then otoro. Tasting light to rich shows how fat changes the same fish. If you must choose one, chutoro is the safest pleasure \u2013 though asking for zuke will earn you an approving nod at most counters.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/details><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"tsa-cta\">\n  <p class=\"k\">From the guide to the counter<\/p>\n  <h3>Taste it at our eight-seat counter in Oku-Akasaka.<\/h3>\n  <p>Classic Edomae craft with careful modern aging &#8211; served piece by piece, with English guidance for overseas guests.<\/p>\n  <a class=\"btn\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tablecheck.com\/en\/shops\/sushi-tanji\/reserve\" rel=\"noopener\">Reserve at Sushi Tanji<\/a>\n  <a class=\"sub\" href=\"https:\/\/sushi-tanji.com\/en\/tokyo-sushi-guide\/\">Explore The Tokyo Sushi Guide<\/a>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"tsa-chef\" itemscope itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Person\">\n  <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/sushi-tanji.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/IMG_4764.jpg\" alt=\"Head chef of Sushi Tanji at the counter\" loading=\"lazy\" itemprop=\"image\">\n  <div>\n    <p class=\"k\">Reviewed by<\/p>\n    <b itemprop=\"name\">Tatsuo Takada<\/b>\n    <p itemprop=\"description\">Head chef and owner of Sushi Tanji. Trained in the Edomae tradition and rooted in Kyushu, he leads the eight-seat omakase counter in Oku-Akasaka, Tokyo, and reviews The Tokyo Sushi Guide.<\/p>\n  <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"tsa-rel\">\n  <p class=\"t\">Continue the guide<\/p>\n  <ul><li><a href=\"https:\/\/sushi-tanji.com\/en\/what-is-edomae-sushi\/\">What Makes Sushi \u201cEdomae\u201d? Tokyo\u2019s Original Style, Explained<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/sushi-tanji.com\/en\/sushi-etiquette-tokyo-guide\/\">Sushi Etiquette, Without the Anxiety: How to Eat at a Tokyo Counter<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/sushi-tanji.com\/en\/first-omakase-tokyo-complete-guide\/\">Your First Omakase in Tokyo: The Complete Guide<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/sushi-tanji.com\/en\/category\/fish-encyclopedia\/\">More in fish encyclopedia<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/main>\n<input type=\"checkbox\" id=\"tsatoc\" class=\"tsa-toc-cb\">\n<aside class=\"tsa-side\">\n<label class=\"tsa-toc-fab\" for=\"tsatoc\" aria-label=\"Open contents\"><span>\u76ee\u6b21<\/span><\/label>\n<nav class=\"tsa-toc-box\" aria-label=\"Contents\">\n<div class=\"tsa-toc-close\"><span class=\"tsa-toc-ttl\">Contents<\/span><label class=\"x\" for=\"tsatoc\" aria-label=\"Close\">\u00d7<\/label><\/div>\n<ol><li><a href=\"#one-fish\">One Fish, Three Names<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#akami\">Akami: The Measure of the Tuna<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#chutoro\">Chutoro: The Diplomatic Middle<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#otoro\">Otoro: The Belly at Full Volume<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#zuke\">Zuke: How Edomae Chefs Perfected Lean Tuna<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#ordering\">Ordering Maguro in July<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#faq\">Frequently asked questions<\/a><\/li><\/ol>\n<\/nav><\/aside>\n<label class=\"tsa-toc-backdrop\" for=\"tsatoc\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/label>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Akami, chutoro, otoro \u2013 learn where each tuna cut comes from, how fat shapes flavour plus why Edomae chefs marinate lean maguro as zuke before you order.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1713,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"swell_btn_cv_data":"","_bmp_alt_url":"https:\/\/sushi-tanji.com\/maguro-akami-chutoro-otoro-explained\/","footnotes":""},"categories":[27],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1649","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-fish-encyclopedia"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t<!-- All in One SEO 4.9.10 - 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