Sakana Dream Holds Tasting Event Comparing World's First Farmed Fish 'Yume Aji' with Top-Tier Wild 'Seki Aji'
Sakana Dream Co., Ltd. will hold a limited-time sale of a sushi tasting set featuring its world-first hybrid farmed fish, 'Yume Aji', alongside the premium wild 'Seki Aji' at Nakajima Suisan stores on April 18-19, 2026. This initiative aims to let consumers experience the overwhelming deliciousness of this sustainable next-generation farmed fish.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 14, 2026 at 19:00
- 🔍 Collected: April 14, 2026 at 10:31
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 19, 2026 at 18:14 (127h 42m after Collected)
Sakana Dream Co., Ltd. (Tateyama City, Chiba Prefecture), whose corporate philosophy is 'To create and deliver the world's most delicious fish,' will sell a sushi set for tasting and comparing the world's first farmed fish 'Yume Aji' (Dream Horse Mackerel) and the highest peak of wild fish, 'Seki Aji' (Seki Horse Mackerel), at the fresh fish specialty store 'Nakajima Suisan' for two days on Saturday, April 18 and Sunday, April 19, 2026.
Sales Overview
Period: Saturday, April 18 and Sunday, April 19, 2026
Location: Nakajima Suisan (Participating stores in Kanto and Kansai areas)
Content: Yume Aji and Seki Aji Tasting Sushi Set
*Please check the official Nakajima Suisan website (https://nakajimasuisan.co.jp/about/retail_list/) for details on participating stores.
*During the same period, 'Yume Aji' will also be sold individually at all Nakajima Suisan stores.
*Supply may be unavailable depending on weather conditions.
Background of the Project
Launched for full-scale sales in March 2026, 'Yume Aji' has gained popularity at high-end sushi restaurants and Japanese eateries both domestically and internationally. However, because production volume is still limited, there are few opportunities to enjoy its taste. Therefore, we decided to hold an event where customers can experience the taste of the world's first farmed fish, 'Yume Aji', by comparing it with 'Seki Aji', the highest peak of wild horse mackerel.
Features of Seki Aji: The Highest Peak of Taste Born from Thorough Quality Control
'Seki Aji' is a brand awarded only to those meeting strict standards among horse mackerel caught one by one by skilled fishermen in the 'Hayasui no Seto' strait off the coast of Saganoseki, Oita Prefecture.
In addition to pole-and-line fishing that minimizes damage to the fish's body, it features thorough quality control from catch to shipment. This includes 'Mengai' (face buying), where the size is judged over the water surface without placing the fish on a scale to avoid stressing it, and manual 'Ikejime' (humane slaughter) performed on each fish individually.
Thanks to the environment of the fishing grounds and the careful work of the craftsmen, the meat becomes firm, moderately fatty, and achieves a taste with outstanding freshness. It is known nationwide as a high-end fish representing Oita and is highly evaluated as an iconic seafood of Saganoseki alongside 'Seki Saba' (Seki Mackerel).
Features of 'Yume Aji': The Ultimate Fatty White Fish
'Yume Aji' is a new farmed fish that combines the rich umami derived from 'Kaiwari', a rare fish of the Carangidae family, with the premium fat of 'Kin Aji' from Minamiboso (a horse mackerel that stays in nutrient-rich waters without migrating). Its taste is truly unique, evoking the sensation of 'fatty white fish' the moment you taste it.
To perfect the taste, instead of standard feed for Carangidae fish, we use the highest-grade feed intended for Pacific bluefin tuna, which significantly influences the quality of farmed fish. In addition, quality is thoroughly pursued until the final stage of distribution, such as carefully bleeding each fish one by one before shipment.
Through these efforts, 'Yume Aji' has received high praise from top chefs at home and abroad, as well as brokers at the Toyosu Market, as a quality that sets it apart from conventional farmed fish. Its rich umami and premium fat can be enjoyed in a wide range of dishes, from sushi and sashimi to simmered and grilled preparations.
Inspiration for the Birth of 'Yume Aji': 'Kaiwari' Can Change the Concept of Farmed Fish
Driven by the desire to deliver overwhelmingly delicious farmed fish to the world that breaks the prevailing belief in wild-caught supremacy, Goro Yoshizaki, co-founder of Sakana Dream and professor at the Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology, focused on his most beloved fish in life, the 'Kaiwari'. While 'Kaiwari' is one of the most popular fish among brokers at the Toyosu Market, it rarely reaches the general market due to unstable catches and the difficulty of farming it. Therefore, by using 'Ma-aji' (horse mackerel), for which farming technology has already been established, as one parent, a new fish was born that combines outstanding deliciousness with ease of farming.
Aquaculture Locations of 'Yume Aji': Tomiura Bay, Chiba / Uchiura Bay, Shizuoka
Tomiura Bay, located in Minamiboso City, Chiba Prefecture, is an area with rough waves and constant seawater exchange throughout the year. The strong currents and waves keep the water in the fish cages constantly clean, naturally increasing the swimming volume of the fish, which leads to the development of fine muscle fibers and a delicate meat texture.
On the other hand, Uchiura Bay in Numazu City, Shizuoka Prefecture, is located at the innermost part of Suruga Bay, which boasts the deepest waters in Japan. With abundant nutrients derived from Suruga Bay's deep water and minerals flowing from Mount Fuji, this sea area provides an extremely suitable environment for fish growth and is known as the largest production area for horse mackerel farming in Japan.
Left) Tomiura Bay, Chiba Prefecture, Right) Uchiura Bay, Shizuoka Prefecture
Sustainability of 'Yume Aji': A Single-Generation Farmed Fish That Does Not Disrupt the Ecosystem
'Yume Aji' is a 'single-generation farmed fish' that is congenitally incapable of reproduction. Therefore, even in the unlikely event that the fish escape from the cages due to a natural disaster, Yume Aji will not reproduce in the natural world.
Sales Overview
Period: Saturday, April 18 and Sunday, April 19, 2026
Location: Nakajima Suisan (Participating stores in Kanto and Kansai areas)
Content: Yume Aji and Seki Aji Tasting Sushi Set
*Please check the official Nakajima Suisan website (https://nakajimasuisan.co.jp/about/retail_list/) for details on participating stores.
*During the same period, 'Yume Aji' will also be sold individually at all Nakajima Suisan stores.
*Supply may be unavailable depending on weather conditions.
Background of the Project
Launched for full-scale sales in March 2026, 'Yume Aji' has gained popularity at high-end sushi restaurants and Japanese eateries both domestically and internationally. However, because production volume is still limited, there are few opportunities to enjoy its taste. Therefore, we decided to hold an event where customers can experience the taste of the world's first farmed fish, 'Yume Aji', by comparing it with 'Seki Aji', the highest peak of wild horse mackerel.
Features of Seki Aji: The Highest Peak of Taste Born from Thorough Quality Control
'Seki Aji' is a brand awarded only to those meeting strict standards among horse mackerel caught one by one by skilled fishermen in the 'Hayasui no Seto' strait off the coast of Saganoseki, Oita Prefecture.
In addition to pole-and-line fishing that minimizes damage to the fish's body, it features thorough quality control from catch to shipment. This includes 'Mengai' (face buying), where the size is judged over the water surface without placing the fish on a scale to avoid stressing it, and manual 'Ikejime' (humane slaughter) performed on each fish individually.
Thanks to the environment of the fishing grounds and the careful work of the craftsmen, the meat becomes firm, moderately fatty, and achieves a taste with outstanding freshness. It is known nationwide as a high-end fish representing Oita and is highly evaluated as an iconic seafood of Saganoseki alongside 'Seki Saba' (Seki Mackerel).
Features of 'Yume Aji': The Ultimate Fatty White Fish
'Yume Aji' is a new farmed fish that combines the rich umami derived from 'Kaiwari', a rare fish of the Carangidae family, with the premium fat of 'Kin Aji' from Minamiboso (a horse mackerel that stays in nutrient-rich waters without migrating). Its taste is truly unique, evoking the sensation of 'fatty white fish' the moment you taste it.
To perfect the taste, instead of standard feed for Carangidae fish, we use the highest-grade feed intended for Pacific bluefin tuna, which significantly influences the quality of farmed fish. In addition, quality is thoroughly pursued until the final stage of distribution, such as carefully bleeding each fish one by one before shipment.
Through these efforts, 'Yume Aji' has received high praise from top chefs at home and abroad, as well as brokers at the Toyosu Market, as a quality that sets it apart from conventional farmed fish. Its rich umami and premium fat can be enjoyed in a wide range of dishes, from sushi and sashimi to simmered and grilled preparations.
Inspiration for the Birth of 'Yume Aji': 'Kaiwari' Can Change the Concept of Farmed Fish
Driven by the desire to deliver overwhelmingly delicious farmed fish to the world that breaks the prevailing belief in wild-caught supremacy, Goro Yoshizaki, co-founder of Sakana Dream and professor at the Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology, focused on his most beloved fish in life, the 'Kaiwari'. While 'Kaiwari' is one of the most popular fish among brokers at the Toyosu Market, it rarely reaches the general market due to unstable catches and the difficulty of farming it. Therefore, by using 'Ma-aji' (horse mackerel), for which farming technology has already been established, as one parent, a new fish was born that combines outstanding deliciousness with ease of farming.
Aquaculture Locations of 'Yume Aji': Tomiura Bay, Chiba / Uchiura Bay, Shizuoka
Tomiura Bay, located in Minamiboso City, Chiba Prefecture, is an area with rough waves and constant seawater exchange throughout the year. The strong currents and waves keep the water in the fish cages constantly clean, naturally increasing the swimming volume of the fish, which leads to the development of fine muscle fibers and a delicate meat texture.
On the other hand, Uchiura Bay in Numazu City, Shizuoka Prefecture, is located at the innermost part of Suruga Bay, which boasts the deepest waters in Japan. With abundant nutrients derived from Suruga Bay's deep water and minerals flowing from Mount Fuji, this sea area provides an extremely suitable environment for fish growth and is known as the largest production area for horse mackerel farming in Japan.
Left) Tomiura Bay, Chiba Prefecture, Right) Uchiura Bay, Shizuoka Prefecture
Sustainability of 'Yume Aji': A Single-Generation Farmed Fish That Does Not Disrupt the Ecosystem
'Yume Aji' is a 'single-generation farmed fish' that is congenitally incapable of reproduction. Therefore, even in the unlikely event that the fish escape from the cages due to a natural disaster, Yume Aji will not reproduce in the natural world.