Sushi by the Seasons: The Best Time to Have Sushi in Japan

A world of flavor exists within a single bite of sushi – from melt-in-your-mouth meat to the salty-sweet balance of vinegar rice, and even the sharp, nose-tingling punch of wasabi. With a dish this deceptively simple, sushi’s complexity is concocted from two key factors: the superiority of ingredient quality and the depth of the chef’s expertise.

It’s not uncommon for Japan’s sushi chefs to start their day as the sun rises, scouring wet markets for the morning’s top catch – locations like Tokyo’s Toyosu Market being one frontrunner as the world’s biggest fish market, filled with a bustling crowd of vendors, chefs, and fisherman hauling in the fresh-from-the-sea creatures; however, even regional fish markets, located across Japan in coastal regions likes Niigata and Kagoshima, feature fleets of restaurateurs committed to procuring only the highest quality materials to use in that day’s menu.

Whether enjoying an omakase course of the chef’s recommendations or visiting a local sushi restaurant in Japan, a professional-level understanding of peak freshness is crucial in achieving the best flavor. However, beyond the selection on the chef’s end, knowing for yourself what sushi is in season can make your next sushi experience in Japan go from simply satisfying to mind-blowingly mouthwatering. 

The Art of Seasonality in Japanese Cuisine

If you want to eat the best sushi in Japan, it’s best to do it by season. Since the early eras of Japan, seasonality has been integral to both culture and the culinary arts, with 72 officially recognized micro-seasons bringing an acute awareness to the passage of time. A core concept in arts like tea ceremony, waka poetry, and ikebana, seasonality in cuisine ensures that chefs optimize only the ingredients at the height of freshness and brimming with flavor. From kaiseki to wagashi, the available menus shift entirely depending on the time of year.  

For sushi, subtle changes in flavor occur depending on the season. Different species of fish gain fat and flesh at different points in the year due to their life cycles, while the region and environment where the sea creatures live also undergo varying seasonal changes that impact peak taste.

Discover the best time of the year to order different kinds of sushi, so that whatever season you visit Japan, you’ll be ready to immerse yourself right into the best flavors.

The Best Sushi to Have in Spring

As the lingering chill of winter begins its final thaw, and plum and cherry blossoms paint the scenery in blushes of pink and white petals, fish whose spawning season begins in the early summer become plumper, reaching peak season. Classic sushi toppings, such as bonito, travel northwards in large amounts, while other creatures, like the Japanese cockle, achieve a startling sweetness as the temperature gently warms.

Visiting Japan in spring and looking to know the best sushi to have during sakura season? Try ordering peak spring sushi such as:

• Herring, nishin

• Spotted halibut, hoshigarei

• Bonito, katsuo

• Sea urchin, uni

• Scallop, hotate

The Best Sushi to Have in Summer

Humidity hangs heavy in the air and the heat swelters, but the vitality of the summer season offers ideal environments for autumn-spawning fish to flourish. As taiko drums resound at lovely outdoor matsuri festivals, sea creatures like the young gizzard and sea bass offer a refined, refreshing flavor. 

If you’re traveling to Japan in the summer and want to spend nights cooling off with a meal of top-level sushi and chilled sake, try ordering some of the following fish best suited to summer:

• Striped jack, shima-aji

• Flying fish, tobi-uo

• Abalone, awabi

• Octopus, tako

• Conger eel, anago

The Best Sushi to Have in Fall

Vivid reds, oranges, and golden hues dapple Japan’s scenery during the fall, as the intensity of the summer heat fades and the incoming chill of winter slowly creeps in. The range of species hitting their flavor peak dwindles in the fall, as spawning seasons draw to a close, but a handful of iconic sushi selections still continue to thrive, acquiring a fatty succulence and delicate texture.

For visitors to Japan in the autumn season, seeking out culinary delights amidst the visual feast of the maple leaves, these are the best sushi to order in the fall for peak flavor:

• Mackerel, saba

• Greater amberjack, kanpachi

• Salmon roe, ikura

• Pink shrimp, ama-ebi

• Young cuttlefish, shin ika

The Best Sushi to Have in Winter

Winter in Japan casts an otherworldly glow, and as snow piles up across the landscape, so do layers of tender flesh on the bodies of certain fish, which pack on weight and dive to deeper depths in the winter season. Japan’s most emblematic sushi neta, tuna, which dazzles with its tender flesh and lustrous red color, reaches its prime in the winter season.

If you’re coming to Japan in winter, whether hitting the powder on Hokkaido’s slopes or soaking in the rejuvenating warmth of an onsen, be sure to add these peak winter fish to your plate when visiting a sushi restaurant in Japan:

• Japanese amberjack, buri

• Bluefin tuna, maguro

• Striped marlin, makajiki

• Pacific cod, madara

• Blood cockle, akagai

Following the Culinary Calendar

From the blossoming flavors of spring to the rich, fatty cuts of winter, sushi in Japan is an ever-evolving celebration of seasonality, craftsmanship, and culinary tradition. Whether you're seeking the best omakase dining experiences in Tokyo, tasting regional specialties at local sushi restaurants, or timing your visit to Japan around the freshest seasonal fish, understanding the relationship between sushi and the Japanese calendar will transform your dining into something truly unforgettable.

So next time you’re wondering when is the best time to eat sushi in Japan, remember: the answer is always in season. Let your palate travel with the tides, and experience Japan’s best sushi like a true connoisseur.