Salt Grilled Mackerel or Saba Shioyaki is a popular seafood dishes served as an entrée or part of a bento combination in Japanese restaurants. Mackerel is an important food fish that is consumed worldwide. As an oily fish, it is a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids.
In Japan mackerel is commonly cured with salt and vinegar to make a type of sushi known as saba-zushi. Historically saba-zushi originated in Kyoto as a solution for transporting mackerel to the inland city, which otherwise would not have made the journey from the coast still fresh. The road linking between Obama bay and Kyoto is now also called as “mackerel road (saba-kaido)”.