sea pineapple (Halocynthia roretzi)
A type of edible ascidian, known for its bright red/orange color and bumpy texture. Often eaten raw as sashimi or in sushi.
Sea pineapples are commonly eaten in the Tohoku region.
Fresh sea pineapple sashimi has a distinctive flavor.
Common katakana spelling for this sea creature name.
Kanji spelling is rare; the word is usually written in kana.
The origin of the name マボヤ is uncertain. It may be a compound of 真 (ma, 'true') and ボヤ (boya, 'ascidian'), but the exact derivation is unclear.