FOOD & DRINK // FOOD CULTURE

Why 3sh sperm is a delicacy in

Japan and how to eat it
Think of it as pre-caviar
January 30, 2021 // By Jessica Thompson

Shirako (or 0sh sperm sacs) in sauce — Photo courtesy of iStock /

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Within my 0rst month of living in Japan came my

0rst date in Japan. And with my 0rst date in
Japan came my 0rst experience eating piscine
semen.

Until that point in my life, I hadn’t considered the

existence of – let alone the prospect of eating –
0sh semen.

But there I was in labyrinthine alleyways of

Osaka’s Shinsekai area at a tiny seafood izakaya
0lled with lively locals, feeling pretty proud of
myself for downing slabs of raw squid, ankimo
(steamed monk0sh 0sh liver, known as the “foie
gras of the sea”), and kanimiso (a grey/green
paste of crab brains), when out came a bowl
containing what looked like a raw human brain.

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It was topped with some sliced spring onion, a

shiso leaf and a soy sauce-based dressing. I
asked my date, somewhat reluctantly, what it
was. Fish sperm, he told me, through a mixture
of broken English and pantomime
circumlocution.

The 0sh sperm (or milt) is extracted in its

entirety from the 0sh, and looks like the result of
a human lobotomy. Depending on the level of
seminal fluid contained in the sac, the color
ranges from translucent and whitish with a pink
hue to opaque and white as snow, hence shirako
being represented by kanji characters meaning
"white children."

In what sounds like a twisted chauvinistic joke –

but is, in fact, entirely real – it’s believed to be
good for the skin and have anti-aging
properties, with high levels of protein, and
vitamins B12 and D.

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I went, tentatively, to pick up the shirako with my

chopsticks, only to 0nd it had the sticky viscosity
of raw egg. But I wanted to keep face with my
date and the onlookers, and adhere to my try-
everything-once food policy, so I put it in my
mouth. It was tepid, disconcertingly creamy and
slightly 0shy. Fans describe this as a "melting
taste," "the sweetness with sea air" and "sensual
umami."

This delicacy is not unique to Japan; Russians

eat pickled herring semen (moloka) and Sicilians
eat tuna milt (lattume) as a popular pasta
topping, for example.

But the Japanese take things to another level.

Considering other marine reproductive organs –
caviar (0sh eggs) and uni (sea urchin gonads) –
are widely popular global delicacies, why not try
0sh sperm?

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Here’s how to sample it if you visit Japan in

winter:

Tempura

Shirako tempura — Photo courtesy of iStock / gtlv

This is recommended, especially for shirako

noobs, because anything deep fried in batter is
bound to be in0nitely more approachable. As
with other types of tempura, shirako is dredged
in a light batter and deep-fried. It’s crisp on the
outside, creamy on the inside.

Raw

Raw shirako — Photo courtesy of iStock / karinsasaki

At the other end of the spectrum, shirako ponzu

is for those who want a more straight-up sperm-
eating experience, as was my introduction to the
delicacy. It generally comes served with grated
daikon, ponzu (a citrus and soy sauce dressing)
and spring onion. Keep a sake (or a heated
kanzake given the time of year) close by to wash
it down as necessary.

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Sushi

Sushi topped with shirako — Photo courtesy of iStock / Chettarin

Gunkanmaki (battleship sushi) is the variety

made up of a pressed rice ball wrapped with nori
to make a little “ship,” and then topped with
various ingredients. It’s the perfect vehicle for
the sticky mess that is shirako.

Nabe (hotpot)

Tara chirinabe with shirako — Photo courtesy of iStock /

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Winter is hotpot season in Japan, and they come

in many different varieties – miso and oyster,
kimchi and pork, and shirako.

Yakimono (grilled)

Grilled shirako — Photo courtesy of iStock / bonchan

Shirako can also be prepared grill-top, by

cooking it over binchotan charcoal, giving the
sac a tightness and the interior a velvety,
pudding-like texture.

Chawanmushi (egg custard)

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Mushi is "steamed," chawan is "a tea cup."

Chawanmushi is egg custard steamed in a tea
cup, and when shirako is in season, you may 0nd
it on top or buried within your custard.

These are the most popular and commonly

found ways to eat shirako, but if you go to more
upmarket restaurants, you may 0nd it prepared
more creatively – tartlets, puree, and mousse,
for example.

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About Jessica Thompson

Read more about Jessica Thompson

here.

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