Mackerel (saba) is a key fish in Japanese cuisine, known for its rich, oily flavor. Classified as a blueback fish, it is packed with nutrients like DHA and EPA, making it a healthy choice. Due to its quick spoilage, saba is typically served as "shime-saba" in sushi restaurants, where it is lightly cured with vinegar to enhance preservation and add a tangy flavor. Shime-saba offers a perfect balance of the vinegary tang and the savory richness of mackerel, commonly enjoyed in nigiri sushi or pressed sushi (oshi-zushi). Other popular variations include grilled mackerel sushi (yaki-saba sushi) or lightly seared mackerel (aburi-saba), adding a smoky aroma. Mackerel is often reasonably priced, making it a popular and satisfying choice among sushi options.

Among the fish used as sushi toppings (neta), "Hikarimono" refers to fish with a bluish color on the back and shiny silver on the belly. Examples include mackerel (saba), horse mackerel (aji), gizzard shad (kohada), sillago (kisu), sardine (iwashi), Pacific saury (sanma), and halfbeak (sayori). These fish are known to be delicate and perish quickly once out of the water, making storage and live distribution difficult. Because of their strong smell, they are often marinated in vinegar (shime) and served with aromatic condiments such as shiso leaves, pickled ginger, wasabi, or chopped green scallions (menegi) to enhance the flavor.