Maguro no Kabuto-yaki (grilled tuna head) is a hearty local dish born in the port town of Misaki in Miura City, one of Japan's leading tuna fishing harbors. The tuna's head (kabuto) holds rare, richly flavored parts distinct from the body meat—such as the hachi-mi (crown meat), cheek meat, the flesh behind the eye, and throat meat—which are slow-grilled, often simply salted, to bring out their deep umami. The fishermen of Misaki have long practiced 'oki-ryori' (offshore cooking), a tradition of ingeniously preparing the tuna's innards and other underused parts, and kabuto-yaki is said to have emerged from this culinary lineage. Because only a small amount of this rare cut can be taken from a single fish, it is mostly served at specialty tuna restaurants around Misaki Port, and it has become a beloved dish among visitors as a symbol of Misaki's distinctive tuna food culture.
Origin
It is said to have originated when fishermen from Misaki, out on distant-water tuna voyages, hung the tuna heads that couldn't be sold on board over the ship's stack and slow-roasted them as a crew meal. Rather than let the heads—which never reached the market—go to waste, the dish grew out of the fishermen's own wisdom for 'oki-ryori,' the offshore cooking they enjoyed at sea.
History
Misaki Port developed from the early Showa era into a major base for distant-water tuna fishing, and kabuto-yaki, once a simple meal for fishermen, began to be served to the general public by restaurants around the port from roughly 40 years ago, growing into a signature dish that visitors could also enjoy. Today, the autumn 'Misaki Port Town Festival' also features events where the dish is cooked and served aboard ships.
Features
The defining feature is that the whole tuna head is slow-roasted in an oven over low heat for three to four hours. Diners enjoy the differing textures and flavors of each part—the gelatinous meat behind the eye, the head meat, cheek meat, and the flesh inside the jaw—typically with grated daikon radish and soy sauce or ponzu. Since only a very small amount can be taken from a single fish, tuna specialty restaurants often require reservations several days in advance.
Main Ingredients
Food Culture
The dish reflects the wisdom of Misaki's fishermen, who make full use of the single head that comes from each tuna, wasting nothing. It is cherished as a symbol of Misaki's distinctive tuna food culture, which values eating not just the body meat but also the innards and other rare parts to the fullest.
Famous Shops
くろば亭
神奈川県三浦市三崎1-9-11
A tuna specialty restaurant with roughly 50 years of history at Misaki Port. The kabuto-yaki platter, combining hachi-mi (crown meat), cheek meat, throat meat, and eye meat, requires reservations at least three days in advance.
View details →まぐろ食堂 七兵衛丸
神奈川県三浦市三崎5-5-4
An eatery near Misaki Port offering dishes made from rare tuna parts, including seared head meat. Average budget of 1,000-2,000 yen.
FAQ
Q. Why is Maguro no Kabuto-yaki so rare?
A. Since only one head (kabuto) can be taken from each tuna, it circulates in far smaller quantities than cuts like sashimi. It can only be enjoyed at a handful of specialty tuna restaurants around Misaki Port, most of which require a reservation several days in advance.