The word for barracuda in Japanese is kamasu (かます) and the English loanword is barakūda (バラクーダ). The English loanword is most commonly used throughout Japan.
JapanesePod101.com – The Fastest Way to Learn Japanese Guaranteed
| Romanji | Kanji | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Barracuda かます | Kamasu | None | |
| Barracuda English loanword バラクーダ | Barakūda | None | |
| Great barracuda おにかます | Oni kamasu | None | |
| Japanese barracuda やまとかます | Yamato kamasu | None |
Interesting facts about barracudas in Japan
Barracuda are found in abundance in the waters surrounding Japan, but it’s not commonly consumed like salmon, tuna and sea bream. As a matter of fact, it’s hardly ever consumed in Japan. The biggest reason for this is because of concerns about toxicity since barracudas accumulate the ciguatera toxin which can cause food poisoning.
However, some restaurants in Japan may periodically include barracuda on their menus as a specialty item.