Saltwater · Year-round migrant; winter fatty 'kan-buri' season Dec-Feb on the Sea of Japan side

Japanese Amberjack

Seriola quinqueradiata

Japan's iconic amberjack, famous as winter 'kan-buri' when fish fatten in the cold Sea of Japan. Its name changes with growth — wakashi, then inada, then warasa, and finally buri over about 80 cm; farmed juveniles are widely sold as hamachi. It is a distinct species, explicitly not the California yellowtail of the eastern Pacific.

Seasons · Peak

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Japanese Amberjack — Photo: Temminck and Schlegel, Public domain — Wikimedia Commons (Historical scientific illustration — the only clear Commons image of this species.)

Identifying features

Streamlined amberjack body, dark blue-green above and silvery below
Yellow lateral band fading with age, yellow tail and fins
No scutes or finlets; first dorsal fin low and spiny
Rounded rear corner of the upper jaw (contrast hiramasa notes in similar)
Deeply forked tail on a narrow caudal peduncle with small keel

Habits

Strong seasonal migrant following sardine and anchovy schools
Enters cold Sea of Japan water in winter, feeding heavily and fattening
Hunts in schools when young, larger fish more solitary or in small groups
Powerful, deep-diving fighter that heads for reef when hooked
Spawns in warmer southern waters in spring

Distribution

Regional coverage expanding

Where to find them

Toyama Bay and Noto Peninsula, Ishikawa and Toyama — the kan-buri coast
Goto Islands offshore reefs, Nagasaki
Cape Ashizuri and Kochi offshore grounds, Kochi

Where they live

Offshore reefs, pinnacles and current linesRocky headlands and remote island shoresOpen water over 65-330 ft (20-100 m) following bait schools

How to catch them

Boat jigging over offshore reef Boat

Rig: Jigging rod with 150-250 g metal jigs over reef pinnacles and bait marks from a charter boat

Bait/lure: Metal jigs

Key tip: Work the jig with sharp lifts through the bait layer and be ready for a hit on the fall.

Rock and shore casting for warasa and buri Rock fishing

Rig: Long shore-game rod, large pencil or minnow lures cast from rocky headlands at dawn over current

Bait/lure: Topwater pencil and sinking minnow lures

Key tip: Fish first light when bait is pushed against the rocks; keep pressure on to stop the first run to reef.

Best baits & lures

Metal jigsLive sardine or scadTopwater and sinking pencil lures

Techniques for Japanese Amberjack →

Baseline setup

Rod: Heavy jigging rod or 10-11 ft shore-game rod
Line: 40-65 lb braid with 60-80 lb fluorocarbon leader
Terminal: 150-250 g jigs, large pencil lures, strong assist hooks

Recommended gear for this species

Rod · Best value

9' 5-weight fly rod outfit

≈ US$180-260

Covers chironomid lakes and small rivers with one setup.

Flies · Budget

Chironomid assortment (30 patterns)

≈ US$25-40

Chironomids are 60% of a lake rainbow's diet in spring.

Picks come from our rule library — never paid placements. Prices are guides; affiliate links may earn us a commission.

Typical size

Common 24-39 in (60-100 cm), about 7-22 lb (3-10 kg); large fish to 59 in (150 cm) and over 88 lb (40 kg)

On the table

Excellent and highly prized — winter kan-buri is a luxury sashimi fish; farmed hamachi is a sushi staple.

Similar species

HiramasaHiramasa has a clearer yellow band, a more compressed body, a rounded rear upper-jaw corner and a pectoral fin shorter than the pelvic; buri is deeper-bodied with a squarer jaw corner look

Greater AmberjackGreater amberjack is an Atlantic/wider-ranging species with a darker amber band through the eye; Japanese amberjack is the NW Pacific species with the wakashi-inada-warasa-buri name ladder

Regulations vary by area and can change in-season — always check the official rules for your area before you fish. Regulations guide →

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