Oma Tuna (大間マグロ) or Oma Maguro is bluefin tuna which is caught off the coast of Oma Town in Aomori Prefecture (Tohoku Region).
Oma is a small town at the northernmost tip of Honshu (i.e. the main island of Japan, not including Hokkaido). It is famous across Japan (and the world) for its tuna.
“Maguro” (マグロ) means tuna in Japanese, specifically Pacific bluefin tuna.
Read on for more interesting info about Oma tuna:
What is Oma Tuna?
Oma Tuna is actually a trademarked brand name of Oma Fisheries Association for bluefin tuna that is caught in Oma Town (technically caught in the Tsugaru Strait, which is in front of Oma Town).
Typically, only tuna which weighs more than 30kg will receive the official label of Oma Tuna, though rules may be relaxed depending on the season’s catch.
Unlike typical commercial fishing which uses nets, Oma Tuna is caught with a fishing pole and line during the day, or longline fishing at night.
By not using nets, the tuna is not damaged as easily. When Oma Tuna is caught, the blood is also quickly removed before the fish weakens, which improves freshness of the fish.
The tricky tidal currents near Omazaki also make it difficult (or impossible) to use the typical trolling methods for catching tuna in other places.
Location & Oma Tuna Season
Oma tuna is caught in the waters around 5 kilometers off the coast of Oma Town in an area called the Tsugaru Strait.
The area is known for producing the best tuna in the world thanks to the combination of its natural climate, currents, and abundance of food for tuna (i.e. plankton, squid, sardines).
Oma Tuna has been crowned as the best tuna of the new year for 13 years in a row at Japan’s biggest annual fish auction. In 2019, a 278 kg Oma Tuna was auctioned off for a record 333.6 million yen (i.e. ~$3 million USD)!
Tuna fishing season in Japan usually starts around the autumn (August) and lasts until winter (January). During the time, the water temperature is low, and tuna are large with high-quality fat.
History of Oma Tuna
Oma Town has always been a fishing town, but Oma Tuna was not always nationally known. In fact, it was even difficult to find Oma Tuna distributed locally in Oma Town.
The turning point came in 2000, when a TV drama series called “My Blue Sky” (私の青空) gained popularity. It featured the daughter of a tuna fisherman from Oma Town, and Oma quickly became known as the town for tuna.
The town capitalized on its sudden popularity, and began to market itself as the place for tuna. Their efforts were successful, as Oma Town is now nationally recognized as the “town where you go to eat tuna.”
Summary
Have you ever tried Oma tuna before? What did you think of it? Was it the best tuna you’ve ever had?
Leave your thoughts and comments below!
