Yellowtail (Buri) Day
Food DaysWhat Is Yellowtail Day?
December 20 is "Buri no Hi" -- Yellowtail Day -- in Japan. The date combines two ideas: the kanji for yellowtail (鰤) is written with the fish radical plus the character 師, the same one used in shiwasu, the old name for December; and "20" can be read "bu-ri" (2 = bu, 0 = a ring, ri). It is a day named for a fish that comes into season exactly when the calendar says so.
Two Origins, One for the Month and One for the Day
Yellowtail Day does not rest on a single explanation -- the month and the day each have their own.
- Why December: the kanji 鰤 contains 師, the character in shiwasu (December)
- Why the 20th: the pun reading 2 as "bu" and 0 as a ring, "ri"
- Season: deep winter is the time for kanburi, cold-season yellowtail rich in fat
- Names: it is a shusseuo, a fish whose name changes as it grows
A Fish That Changes Its Name as It Grows
Yellowtail is a classic shusseuo, and the names differ by region. Around Tokyo it goes wakashi, inada, warasa, buri; in the Kansai area it goes tsubasu, hamachi, mejiro, buri. Because that progression suggests advancement in life, the fish is considered auspicious, and in some regions it appears on the New Year's Eve table as the toshitori-zakana.
Tips for Marking This Day
- Try a winter yellowtail dish such as buri daikon or buri shabu-shabu
- Compare the labeled origins of kanburi at the fish counter
- Look up how the fish's names change from region to region
- Consider putting yellowtail on your New Year's menu
Closing the Year with the Fish of December
Both the kanji and the wordplay point to December 20. From here on, as the cold deepens, yellowtail is at its best.