landlocked masu salmon
A freshwater salmonid native to Japan, often found in mountain streams. The scientific name is Oncorhynchus masou masou.
See also: サクラマス
Yamame are a popular target for mountain stream fishing.
Salt-grilled yamame is a local specialty on this river.
Usually written in katakana; usually written in kana.
Alternate kanji spelling; even less common.
Hiragana spelling, also common.
Kanji spelling; rarely used in practice.
The name likely derives from 山 (yama, 'mountain') + 女 (me, 'woman'), referring to the fish's beauty and its habitat in mountain streams. The exact origin is uncertain.