Approximately 57% of Bonito Lovers Interested in Direct-from-Origin/Fishing Port Bonito! 'Freshness' Tops Expectations for Differences from Supermarket Products

Awareness Survey on Interest and Knowledge Regarding Bonito's Origin and Brand

Bonito is a familiar fish often found on dining tables as sashimi or tataki.

So, how many people are conscious of "where it was caught" when purchasing bonito? We are also curious whether they feel a difference in taste depending on the origin, or if they want to know more about the origin and brand.

Therefore, in collaboration with Katsuo Kosha, we conducted a survey on "Interest and Knowledge Regarding Bonito's Origin and Brand" targeting 500 men and women nationwide who answered "I like bonito or bonito dishes" in a preliminary survey.

*When quoting the content of this press release, please comply with the following:

・State that the source is "a survey by NEXER Co., Ltd. and Katsuo Kosha"

・Provide a link to Katsuo Kosha (https://katuo-shop.jp/)

"Survey on Interest and Knowledge Regarding Bonito's Origin and Brand" Overview

Survey method: Online questionnaire

Survey period: April 24, 2026 - May 7, 2026

Target respondents: Men and women nationwide who answered "I like bonito or bonito dishes" in a preliminary survey

Valid responses: 500 samples

Questions:

Question 1: Are you interested in the origin or fishing ground of bonito?

Question 2: Do you think the taste and quality of bonito differ depending on the origin?

Question 3: Please explain why you think so or not.

Question 4: Are you interested in direct-from-origin/fishing port bonito?

Question 5: What do you expect to be different from bonito bought at the supermarket?

Question 6: Have you ever felt that you "want more information" about the origin and quality of bonito?

Question 7: What kind of information would make it easier to choose?

Question 8: Please tell us specifically what information you would like about the origin and quality of bonito.

*As a general rule, figures are rounded to the second decimal place, so the total may not be 100%.

51.4% answered that they are "interested" in the origin or fishing ground of bonito

First, we asked if they were interested in the origin or fishing ground of bonito.

12.0% answered "very interested" and 39.4% answered "somewhat interested," totaling 51.4% who are interested in the origin or fishing ground. On the other hand, 33.2% answered "not very interested" and 15.4% answered "not at all interested."

Even among those who like bonito, interest in its origin seems to vary from person to person.

53.8% answered that bonito "differs in taste and quality" depending on the origin

Next, we asked if they thought the taste and quality of bonito differed depending on the origin.

13.8% answered "strongly agree" and 40.0% answered "somewhat agree," totaling 53.8% who feel there is a difference depending on the origin. On the other hand, 38.6% answered "somewhat disagree" and 7.6% answered "strongly disagree."

We asked for reasons why they thought so or not, and here are some of them.

Reasons for thinking taste and quality differ:

・Because I thought that the amount of exercise and muscle mass of bonito would change depending on whether the sea was calm or rough. (30s, female)

・Because the richness of red meat and fat, and freshness, would differ depending on the origin. (30s, male)

・Because the freshness and fat content are completely different depending on where it is landed. (40s, male)

・Because the firmness of the flesh differs depending on the ocean current. (40s, female)

・Because the taste would be completely different depending on the ocean current it grew up in and what it ate. (40s, male)

Reasons for not thinking taste and quality differ:

・Because it's the same if you add condiments. (30s, male)

・Because I ate bonito from about 3 different prefectures but couldn't tell the difference. (30s, male)

・The condition of the sea changes every year, and I don't think there's a big difference no matter where it's caught. I think the season affects the taste. (30s, female)

・Because it's still bonito after all. (40s, male)

・Because my palate isn't good enough to tell the difference. (40s, male)

Among those who answered "feel a difference," attention to the growing environment such as ocean currents, water temperature, and feed was prominent. Many also reported experiencing taste differences from actual experiences of eating in places like Kochi.

On the other hand, those who answered "don't feel a difference" mainly cited a lack of opportunities to compare or not caring about the origin when buying processed products. It seems that the presence or absence of experience greatly influences the answers.