Buri (鰤), which belongs to the genus of yellowtail, is a representative winter fish. It is a complex character used in Chinese characters. It is a blue fish with red flesh widely used as a key ingredient in sushi. Along with Bushiri and Kanpachi which are also members of the yellowtail family, they are known as the three brothers of yellowtail. During winter, large yellowtail measuring over 1 meter in size and with high oil, content are considered premium and referred to as Kanburi (寒ブリ). They are not as popular during the summer. On the other hand, Bushiri is in season during the summer. Yellowtail is also considered a rising star in the fish market. In Kanto, the young yellowtail is called Inada, while in Kansai, it is called Hamachi. However, the yellowtail raised in Kansai is shipped to Kanto under the name Hamachi, so in Kanto, farmed yellowtail is referred to as Hamachi.

Among the fish used as sushi toppings (neta), "Hikarimono" refers to fish with a bluish color on the back and shiny silver on the belly. Examples include mackerel (saba), horse mackerel (aji), gizzard shad (kohada), sillago (kisu), sardine (iwashi), Pacific saury (sanma), and halfbeak (sayori). These fish are known to be delicate and perish quickly once out of the water, making storage and live distribution difficult. Because of their strong smell, they are often marinated in vinegar (shime) and served with aromatic condiments such as shiso leaves, pickled ginger, wasabi, or chopped green scallions (menegi) to enhance the flavor.