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Big in Japan: TV crew captures world's longest flight by a flying fish
This may be one of the coolest things you'll see today...
Unless you're a science and nature dork like me, you might not be aware that flying fish are real creatures, and they actually do fly (well, sort of). You might also be surprised to hear that their roe tastes great when sprinkled on top of California rolls, and that their flesh is divine with a dab of wasabi and splash of soy sauce!
Anyway, back to the lecture at hand - earlier this week, a Japanese television crew captured some seriously kick-ass footage of a flying fish off the southern coast of Kyushu island in Japan. As you can see in the video below, the fish spends an astounding 45 seconds out of the water, which is now being regarded as the longest ever recorded flight by this species.
As I said before, I'm a bit of a science and nature dork despite my father's best attempts at teaching me sports - sorry Dad, I did try! - though I think you'll all agree that flying fish are pretty freakin' cool creatures. After all, how many fish out there have the power to soar through the air at speeds up to 30 miles per hour, and can escape hungry predators with aerial acrobatics?
First question: What is a flying fish?
The Exocoetidae or flying fish are found the world over, though they're especially common in the warm tropical and subtropical waters of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans. Even if you're not a marine biologist, their distinguishing features are pretty obvious, namely the huge pectoral fins that look like they were taken straight from a F-22 Raptor!
Second question: How do flying fish fly?
Actually, they don't fly, but rather use their tail fins to accelerate rapidly towards the surfa
ce of the water to achieve lift-off, thus escaping the mouths of hungry predators. Once airborne, they spread their wings, er...fins, and glide along the thermals with the type of grace and elegance that is only found in nature. While gliding, flying fish can reach speeds of up to 30 miles per hour, and can cover about 50 yards in a single bound.
In this particular record-breaking jump, the fish was able to stay aloft by occasionally beating the surface of the water with its tail fin. This produces the additional thrust needed for multiple jumps, which enables flying fish to cover distances equal to several football fields
Awesome.
Third and final question: How do flying fish taste?
Delicious. Flying fish roe is known in Japanese as tobiko (とびこ), though it most commonly appears in Californian style sushi as those bright orange eggs on your roll. They're salty, have a unique tang not unlike caviar, and pop in the mouth like little seaweed-scented bubbles. And, while the flesh of the fish itself is an expensive delicacy that is hard to find outside Japan, it has a soft and refined texture that justifies the high price tag.
On that note, I think it's time to head out for a sushi lunch...
** All images courtesy of the WikiCommons Media Project **
Unless you're a science and nature dork like me, you might not be aware that flying fish are real creatures, and they actually do fly (well, sort of). You might also be surprised to hear that their roe tastes great when sprinkled on top of California rolls, and that their flesh is divine with a dab of wasabi and splash of soy sauce!
Anyway, back to the lecture at hand - earlier this week, a Japanese television crew captured some seriously kick-ass footage of a flying fish off the southern coast of Kyushu island in Japan. As you can see in the video below, the fish spends an astounding 45 seconds out of the water, which is now being regarded as the longest ever recorded flight by this species.
As I said before, I'm a bit of a science and nature dork despite my father's best attempts at teaching me sports - sorry Dad, I did try! - though I think you'll all agree that flying fish are pretty freakin' cool creatures. After all, how many fish out there have the power to soar through the air at speeds up to 30 miles per hour, and can escape hungry predators with aerial acrobatics?First question: What is a flying fish?
The Exocoetidae or flying fish are found the world over, though they're especially common in the warm tropical and subtropical waters of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans. Even if you're not a marine biologist, their distinguishing features are pretty obvious, namely the huge pectoral fins that look like they were taken straight from a F-22 Raptor!
Second question: How do flying fish fly?
Actually, they don't fly, but rather use their tail fins to accelerate rapidly towards the surfa
ce of the water to achieve lift-off, thus escaping the mouths of hungry predators. Once airborne, they spread their wings, er...fins, and glide along the thermals with the type of grace and elegance that is only found in nature. While gliding, flying fish can reach speeds of up to 30 miles per hour, and can cover about 50 yards in a single bound.In this particular record-breaking jump, the fish was able to stay aloft by occasionally beating the surface of the water with its tail fin. This produces the additional thrust needed for multiple jumps, which enables flying fish to cover distances equal to several football fields
Awesome.
Third and final question: How do flying fish taste?
Delicious. Flying fish roe is known in Japanese as tobiko (とびこ), though it most commonly appears in Californian style sushi as those bright orange eggs on your roll. They're salty, have a unique tang not unlike caviar, and pop in the mouth like little seaweed-scented bubbles. And, while the flesh of the fish itself is an expensive delicacy that is hard to find outside Japan, it has a soft and refined texture that justifies the high price tag.
On that note, I think it's time to head out for a sushi lunch...
** All images courtesy of the WikiCommons Media Project **
Filed under: Asia, Japan, Big in Japan
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Shane May 23rd 2008 5:26AM
Wow! That is really impressive and the fish actually resembles a bird in flight. Amazing.
I did not know that tobiko was flying fish roe but I have to admit that I don't care for it. I don't like popping sensation and there is nothing worse that having one little roe resurface an hour after you thought that you were finished your lunch!
That being said I hope that you enjoyed your sushi.
Shane Sakata
The Tokyo Traveler
http://www.thetokyotraveler.com
Matthew Firestone May 23rd 2008 5:33AM
Don't worry - Tobiko actually isn't considered to be that elevated of a delicacy, and on the contrary is something of a working man's food. Every time I order it in the sushi-ya, my fellow dinner-goers always give me a strange look!
Sounds like you have a busy weekend with the Tokyo Minato Matsuri and the Asakusa Yayoi Matsuri! Now if we can only get the rainy season to hold off a bit longer...
Shane May 23rd 2008 8:46AM
Wait, the rainy season hasn't started? What happened last week then?
I was actually hoping to go to a baseball game tomorrow but the forecast isn't promising...
Shane Sakata
The Tokyo Traveler
http://www.thetokyotraveler.com