Sea bream is an incredibly important fish in Japan, both a staple in home cooking and a celebrated part of feasts at special occasions. Its firm texture and mild flavour make it well-suited to that range, but its significance in Japan goes beyond its culinary attributes; nicknamed the king of fish, it has long been viewed as a symbol of good luck, its image used in festivals and traditional gatherings. Mainly caught off the country’s west coast, sea bream is unsurprisingly eaten most often in western parts of the country, including Kyushu, Kyoto and Osaka, though it’s enjoyed all over the country, as well as in Taiwan, Korea and further afield. There are many species of fish which have ‘tai’ (meaning sea bream) in their name, but there are four main species (madai, chidai, kidai and kurodai), three of which are red-bodied and can be difficult to tell apart to the untrained eye. Madai – translating as ‘true sea bream’ – is often viewed as the crown jewel of the species.
Red sea bream’s links with luck span back as far as 1,300 years, when it was given as a ritual offering to gods at shrines – it’s also said that tai rhyming with ‘medetai’, which can be translated as happy or good news in Japanese, has further supported its status as a fish fit for a celebration. It’s often served whole at New Year celebrations and okuizome, a traditional ritual which takes place 100 days after the birth of a baby, while at weddings, the bride and groom sometimes crack open a salt-crusted tai with a wooden hammer. The sea bream motif also features in cultural events; there are whole festivals dedicated to tai, as well sea bream-shaped floats and lanterns and even taiyaki (waffle desserts shaped like fish).