WHY DOESN'T SASHIMI DC HAVE FRESH SASSHU SALMON THIS WEEK?
A M7.1 earthquake hit Kumamoto, Kyushu on July 28, 2026, holding the Sasshu Salmon shipment in cold storage. Sashimi DC is serving frozen Sasshu Salmon from a fresh, ikejime-processed batch set aside before the disruption — a one-time exception to its usual never-frozen policy.
Straight talk this week: we don't have fresh Sasshu Salmon. Here's exactly what happened, what we have instead, and what's coming Saturday.
Sasshu Salmon Got Stuck in Kumamoto
Last week we told you a M7.1 earthquake hit the Kumamoto region of Kyushu on July 28, with intensity felt as far as Satsuma Sendai, Kagoshima — where Sasshu Salmon is raised. At the time, we had no confirmed damage to report and were watching logistics, not product safety. This week the logistics disruption caught up with us: this week's Sasshu Salmon shipment ended up held in cold storage in Kumamoto and could not make it to us in time for today's arrival.
We Have Frozen Sasshu Salmon On Hand
Sasshu Salmon is normally never frozen — that's one of the things that makes it what it is. This week is a deliberate, one-time exception: we froze part of last week's fresh, ikejime-processed batch ourselves before we knew this week's shipment would be affected, specifically so we'd have something in hand if the disruption continued. Quality holds up well since it was frozen from a fresh state rather than shipped frozen, but we want to be upfront that it is frozen, not our usual fresh product, and supply is limited to what we set aside.
Saturday: Wild Madai from Akashi/Awaji, Hyogo
To fill the gap, we're bringing in wild-caught Madai (真鯛, Japanese Sea Bream) from the waters near Akashi and Awaji Island in Hyogo Prefecture, arriving Saturday. This is an area long known among Japanese chefs for the strong tidal currents running through the Akashi Strait, which tend to produce firm-fleshed, flavorful tai. Because it's wild-caught rather than farm-raised on formulated feed, it's frozen at source to destroy parasites and comply with FDA HACCP rules for raw wild fish — the same standard we follow for other wild items like Hotaruika. It's a different fish than Sasshu Salmon, but a genuinely excellent one, and a good chance to try something we don't usually carry.
This Week's Bluefin: Slightly Fattier Than Usual
On a brighter note, this week's Bluefin Tuna from the Goto Islands looks great — slightly fattier than we'd typically expect from a summer fish this size, around 50kg. Worth ordering early; cuts like this tend to move fast.
Two Knife Sharpening Classes This Week — Saturday, Aug 8 Added
Our Sunday, August 9 Knife Sharpening and Fish Slicing Class sold out, so we added a second session on Saturday, August 8. Grab a ticket here if you want in this week.
Congratulations to DC Sake Co
DC Sake Co just earned the same Japan Food and Ingredient Supporter Store certification (MAFF-issued, JETRO-administered) that we hold, joining us and Sushi Taro as certified partners in Washington DC. Congratulations to their team — great to see the certified list in DC growing.