At Sushi Masa by Ki-Setsu, we believe the ocean writes its own calendar, and every so often, it breaks its own rules. This is the story of one such exception: a salmon so rare that Hokkaido’s fishermen affectionately call it “Oosuke,” and how it made its way into a seasonal omakase in Singapore.
The Philosophy Behind Shun
In Japanese culinary culture, there is a deep respect for shun, the practice of eating ingredients only when they reach their absolute peak of the season. This is not a marketing idea. It is a discipline that shapes what appears in Japan’s markets, on restaurant menus, and even within seasonal festivals throughout the year.
This highly structured approach does more than shape what lands on a plate. It sets the rhythm for how a chef thinks, sources, and creates, and it is a philosophy we carry closely at Sushi Masa by Ki-Setsu, where our omakase courses shift with what the sea is offering, not the other way around.
A Salmon That Should Not Exist
Most salmon return to their birth rivers in autumn to spawn, following a predictable migration. But there is one variation considered a biological and culinary anomaly: the Tokishirazu. While the majority of its kind return home in autumn, a unique few make their way back to the frigid waters off Hokkaido’s coast much earlier, arriving in spring or early summer instead.
Because they are caught while still feeding in the open ocean and maturing ahead of their spawning season, Tokishirazu salmon carry an exceptionally rich, melt-in-the-mouth fat content that spawning salmon simply do not have. That luxurious quality is exactly what makes it such a valuable culinary treasure.
Chef Masa’s Morning at Araya Shouten
To see this philosophy in action, the video follows Chef Masa on an early morning visit, at nine in the morning, to Araya Shouten at Tanglin Mall. Founded by Yuichiro Araya, Araya Shouten is a premium Japanese seafood purveyor that supplies top Michelin-starred restaurants while also selling directly to the public, alongside ready to eat sushi sets and bento boxes for those wanting something quicker.
It is here that Chef Masa works closely with Araya-san to hand select the day’s ingredients, examining each fish before it earns a place in that evening’s courses. Among the selections captured on camera is a striking Tokishirazu salmon, along with a delicate Samegarei and other seasonal catches, each one checked and confirmed to be, as Araya-san puts it, “definitely in good condition.”
This is not a routine most guests ever see, yet it is the foundation of every seasonal sushi in Singapore experience we aim to deliver. Long before a piece of nigiri reaches the counter, it has already passed through hands that know precisely what quality looks and feels like.
An Experience Built Around the Sea’s Calendar
Guests at Sushi Masa by Ki-Setsu do not receive a fixed menu. They receive a reflection of what the ocean has offered that week, shaped by mornings like the one shown here and guided by Chef Masa’s hand. It is this pursuit of seasonal sushi in Singapore, done properly, from market to counter, that continues to define what we do.
We invite you to join us for dinner and discover what the season currently has to offer, one thoughtfully chosen piece at a time.
