Kusaya

Kusaya (くさや) is a salted, dried and fermented fish that is produced in the Izu Islands, Japan.

Kusaya is often eaten with Japanese sake or shōchū, particularly a local drink called Shima Jiman (literally island pride).

Kusaya originated in the Izu Islands, probably on Niijima, where, during the Edo period people used to earn a living through salt making.

Mackerel scad (Decapterus macarellus), flying fish and other similar species are used to make kusaya.

The fish is washed in clear water many times before being soaked in a brine called kusaya eki (くさや液, lit.