🐟 Hasu Gyoden (Grilled Hasu Fish Spreading Miso On )

"Hasu" (Opsariichthys uncirostris/Three-lips) is originally a species endemic to the Lake Biwa and "Mikata Goko" (five lakes in Fukui Prefecture), and piscivore freshwater fish, which is rare to cyprinidae. "Hasu" has characteristic to swim around quick and sharp to chase its prey, and it becomes weaker if it doesn't keep swimming. It starts weaken suddenly right after being caught with fishing nets, and most of fish died when it was removed from the nets. Therefore, it isn't distributed widely and eaten in the limited area. "Hasu no Gyoden" is a local dish from Shiga Prefecture using "hasu" caught in the Lake Biwa. "Gyoden" is grilled fish skewered whole body or fillet with miso spread on it. The season for grown fish is early summer, and it is also said that small "hasu" caught in autumn tastes good. It tastes simple and has many small bones, and has plain flavor. The number of "hasu" has been decreasing year by year due to invasive species, and "hasu" is categorized as "Vulnerable" (VU). However, it is grown and transferred with small sweetfish to many places these days, and now it inhabits nationwide from Kyushu to Kanto area.