Bearing in mind that many seafood have a variety of names depending on the region in Japan, a Japanese-English lexicon surely comes in handy! So whether you are a newcomer or a long term residents here is the Japanese pronunciation first followed by the Chinese (Japanese kanji) characters and the English translations.
CRABS
Takaashigani: Japanese spider crab, the largest crab in the world
Aburagani/アブラガニ: blue king crab
Asahigani/アサヒガニ: frog crab, red frog crab
Benigani/紅ガニ: another name for a Japanese variety of Zuwaigani/ズワイガニ: Snow crab
Gazami/ガザミ(also called Wataraigani/ワタリガニ): Swimming crab、Japanese blue crab
Kegani/毛ガニ: Horsehair crab, horse crab
Mozukugani/モズクガニ: Japanese mitten crab
Taiwan gazami/台湾ガザミ: Swimming blue crab, flower crab, blue crab, blue swimmer crab, blue manna crab
Takaashigani/タカアシガニ: Japanese spider crab
Tarabagani/タラバガニ: Red king crab
Wataraigani/ワタリガニ (also called Gazami/ガザミ): Swimming crab、Japanese blue crab
Zuwaigani/ズワイガニ: Snow crab
SHELLFISH
Hamaguri: Common orient clam as sushi.
Agemaki/アゲマキ: Jack knife clam, sinonovacula constricta
Akaawabi/赤アワビ (also called Megaiawabi/メガイアワビ): A big variety of red abalone, haliotis (nordotis) gigantean Gmelin, 1791
Akagai/赤貝: Blood shellfish
Akanaeawabi/茜アワビ: Red abalone, Haliotis (Nordotis) rufescens Swainson
Aoyagi/青柳: Chinese mactra (also called Bakagai/バカ貝)
Atsuezobora/アツエゾボラ: A variety of buccinum whelk, neptunea helos (Gray, 1850)
Asari/アサリ: Japanese littleneck, Manila clam
Awabi/鮑、鰒、アワビ: abalone
Bai (or Baigai)/ バイ貝 : Japanese ivory shell, Japanese babylon
Bakagai/バカ貝: Chinese mactra (also called Aoyagi/青柳)
Chiri awabi/チリ鮑: Abalone imported from Chile
Ezo Awabi/エゾアワビ: Ezo abalone
Hamaguri/蛤: Common orient clam
Himeshakogai/姫シャコガイ: A small Okinawan tridacninae, tridacna crocea
Hiougikai/ヒオウキカイ: Noble scallop
Hokkigai/ホッキ貝: Sakhalin surf clam (also called Ubagai/ウバ貝)
Hotate
Hotate/帆立: Scallops
Ishigakigai/石垣貝: Clinocardium californiense
Kaki/牡蠣: Oyster
Kuro awabi/黒アワビ: Black abalone
Madaka awabi/マダカアワビ: Madaka abalone
Mategai/マテ貝: Razor clam
Matsubu/マツブ: Whelk
Megai awabi/メガイアワビ (also called Akaawabi/赤アワビ): Megai abalone, a big variety of red abalone, haliotis (nordotis) gigantean Gmelin, 1791
Mirugai/ミル貝: Mirugai clam, (type of) horse clam, (type of) gaper clam (also called Mirukui/ミルクイ)
Mirukui/ミルクイ (also called Shiromiru/シロミル): Mirugai clam, (type of) horse clam, (type of) gaper clam
Oomategai/大マテ貝: Giant razor clam
Oomizogai/大ミゾ貝: Siliqua alta
Rokogai/ロコ貝: Baranacle Rock-shell, Concholepas concholepas (Bruguie, 1789)
Saragai/サラ貝 (also called Shirogai/シロ貝): Northern great tellin,megangulus venulosa (Schrenk)
Satougai/サトウガイ: Bloody clam, Scapharca satowi (Dunker,1882)
Sazae/サザエ: Horned Turban
Shirobai/シロバイ: White Japanese ivory shell, white Japanese babylon
Shirogai/シロ貝 (also called Saragai/サラ貝): Northern great tellin, megangulus venulosa (Schrenk)
Shiromiru/シロミル (also called Mirukui/ミルクイ): Mirugai clam, (type of) horse clam, (type of) gaper clam
Tairagai/タイラ貝 (also called Tairagi/タイラギ): Pen shell
Tairagi/タイラギ (also called Tairagai/タイラ貝): Pen shell
Tokobushi/トコブシ: Small abalone, Sulculus diversicolor supertexta
Torigai/トリ貝: Heart clam, Japanese cockle
Tsubugai/つぶ貝 (or Tsubu/螺): Whelk
Ubagai/ウバ貝: Sakhalin surf clam (also called Hokkigai/ホッキ貝)
Yakougai/ヤコウガイ: Great green turban
CRUSTACEANS
Botanebi
Aka ebi/赤エビ: Red rice prawn, whiskered velvet shrimp
Amaebi
Ama ebi/甘エビ: Sweet shrimp
Ashiaka ebi/アシカエビ (also called Kuma ebi/クマエビ): Green tiger prawn, Penaeus (Penaeus) semisulcatus De.Haan.1844
Botan ebi/ボタンエビ: Large Prawn
Budou ebi/ブドウエビ: “Grape shrimp”, pandalopsis miyakei hayashi
Burakku Taigaa ebi/ブラックタイガーエビ: Black tiger prawn
Ebi/エビ、海老、蝦、鰕: Prawn, shrimp
Hokkai ebi/北海エビ (also called Shima ebi/シマエビ): Hokkai shrimp
Ibaramo ebi/イバラモエビ(also called Oni ebi/オニエビ): Spiny lebbeid, Greenland lebbeid
Ise ebi/伊勢海老: Spiny lobster
Kuma ebi/クマエビ (also called Ashiaka/アシカエビ): Green tiger prawn, Penaeus (Penaeus) semisulcatus De.Haan.1844
Kuruma ebi/車エビ (also called Saimakiebi/才巻きエビ): Large prawn
Oni ebi/オニエビ (also called Ibaramo ebi/イバラモエビ): Spiny lebbeid, Greenland lebbeid
Saimakiebi/才巻きエビ (also called Kuruma ebi/車エビ): Large prawn
Sakura ebi
Sakura ebi/桜エビ: Cherry shrimp
Shako/蝦蛄、シャコ: Squilla
Shiba ebi/芝エビ: Shiba shrimp, Metapenaeus joyneri (Miers, 1880)
Shima ebi/縞エビ (also called Hokkai ebi/北海エビ: Hokkai shrimp
Shiro ebi/白エビ: White shrimp
Uchiwa ebi/ウチワエビ: Fan lobster, sand crayfish
Vannamei ebi/バナメイエビ: Vannamei shrimp
FISH PARTS
Akami nigiri
Akami/赤身: Red lean part
Chuutoro/中トロ：Semi fat part
Chiai/血合い: The whole bloody central part of tuna, never used in sushi
Chiai gishi/血合いぎし: The bloody central part under the skin of tuna, never used in sushi
Engawa/エンガワ: Border flesh of the fillets, especially with soles and flatfish
Fukahire/フカヒレ: Shark fin
Ho/頬: “Cheek”, flesh near mouth (tuna in particular)
Small salmon roe sushi bowl.
Ikura/いくら: Salmon roe
Kama/かま: Flesh near the gills (tuna in particular)
Kami/上: Part/flesh of a fish from the head (tuna in particular)
Kaperinko/カぺリン子: The eggs of a variety of Shishamo/ししゃも: Shishamo (meaning willow leaf fish, a kind of Japanese smelt), Spirinchus lanceolatus
Kazunoko/数の子、鯑: Herring roe
Madarako/真鱈子: Pacific cod roe
Mentaiko/明太子: Spicy cod roe
Naka/中: Central part/flesh of a fish (tuna in particular)
Negitoro/ネギトロ: Scraped underbelly part gunkan nigiri
Negitoro/ネギトロ: Scraped underbelly part
O-Toro/大トロ: Fat part, belly part
Shimo/下: Part/flesh of fish near the tail (tuna in particular)
Sumiika/墨イカ: Cuttlefish, Sepia (Platysepia) esculenta Hoyle,1885
Shimesaba/〆鯖: Pickled mackerel, a popular way to serve it as sashimi or sushi
Tara Shirako: Cod male fish whiting, sperm sacs gunkan nigiri
Shirako/白子: Male fish whiting, sperm sacs
Tarako/鱈子: Cod roe
Tobiko/飛子: Flying fish roe
SQUIDS/CUTTLEFISH
Aka Ika: Red spear squid gunkan nigiri
Aka Ika/赤イカ: Red spear squid
Aori ika/アオリイカ (also called Mizu ika/水イカ): Bigfin reef squid
Beika/米イカ: A variety of spear squid loliolus (nipponololig) beka sasaki, 1929
Bozu ika/ボウズイカ: North Pacific bobtail, rossia (rossia) pacifica Berry, 1911
Budou ika/ブドウイカ (also called Kensaki ika/剣先イカ: Swordtip squid: “Grape squid”, Loligo (photololigo) forma budo Wakiya and Ishikawa, 1921
Ezohariika/エゾハリイカ: Andrea cuttlefish, Sepia (Doratosepion) andreana Steenstrup,1875
Hakutenkouika/ハクテンコウイカ: Sepia (Doratosepion) aureomaculata Okutani & Horikawa, 1987
Himekouika/姫甲イカ：Kobi cuttlefish, Sepia (Doratosepion) kobiensis Hoyle, 1885
Hotaru ika/ホタルイカ:
Hiika/ヒイカ( also called A variety of Sumiika/スミイカ): Chinese ink cuttlefish, Sepia (Platysepia) esculenta Hoyle,1885
Ika/イカ、烏賊、魷: Cuttlefish, squid
Kaminari ika/カミナリイカ: Kisslip cuttlefish, Sepia (Acanthosepion) lycidas Gray, 1849
Kensaki ika/剣先イカ: Swordtip squid (also called Budou ika/ブドウイカ: “Grape squid”), Loligo (photololigo) forma budo Wakiya and Ishikawa, 1921
Kou ika/甲イカ (also called Mongouika/紋甲イカ)： Golden cuttlefish, Sepia (Platysepia) esculenta Hoyle, 1885
Mizu ika/水イカ (also called Aori ika/アオリイカ): Bigfin reef squid
Mongouika/紋甲イカ (also called Kou ika/甲イカ): Golden cuttlefish, Sepia (Platysepia) esculenta Hoyle, 1885
Shiriyake ika/シリヤケイカ: Japanese spineless cuttlefish, Sepiella japonica Sasaki, 1929
Sode ika/ソデイカ：Rhomboid squid, Thysanoteuthis rhombus Troschel, 1857
Suji ika/スジイカ: Luminous flying squid, ucleoteuthis luminosa (Sasaki, 1915)
Sumiika/スミイカ: Chinese ink cuttlefish, Sepia (Platysepia) esculenta Hoyle,1885
Surume/スルメ: Dried cuttlefish, squid
Surume ika/スルメイカ: Japanese flying squid, Japanese common squid, Pacific flying squid
Usubeni ika/ウスベニイカ: “Light red cuttlefish”
Yariika/ヤリイカ: Spear Squid
OCTOPUSES
Iidako/イイダコ: Ocellated octopus
Madago/マダコ: Common octopus
Mizudako/ミズダコ: North Pacific Giant Octopus
Tako/タコ、蛸、鮹：Octopus
OTHERS
Uni: Sea urchin gunkan nigiri
Aka uni/赤ウニ: Red sea urchin, pseudocentrotus depressus
Amerika murasaki uni/アメリカ紫ウニ: North-American violet urchin
Bafun uni/バフンウニ: Japanese variety of Ezobafun uni/エゾバフンウニ: Short-spined sea urchin
Chiri uni/チリウニ: Imported Chilean sea urchin
Ezobafun uni/エゾバフンウ (also called Oobafun uni/大バフンウニ): Short-spined sea urchin, strongylocentrotus intermedius (A.Agassiz)
Hokuyouoobafun uni/北洋バフンウニ: North Pacific short-spined sea urchin
Hoya/海鞘、ホヤ: Sea squirt
Kitamurasaki uni/北紫ウニ: North violet sea urchin, Strongylocentrotus nudus
Komochi konbu/子持ち昆布: Herring roe sandwiched on both sides of seaweed sheets
Kujira/鯨: Whale
Kurage/海月、クラゲ: Jellyfish
Murasaki uni/紫ウニ: Japanese variety violet sea urchin
Namako/海鼠、ナマコ: Sea slug, sea cucumber
Oobafun uni/大バフンウニ (also called Ezobafun uni/エゾバフンウニ): Short-spined sea urchin, strongylocentrotus intermedius (A.Agassiz)
Shirohige uni/シロヒゲウニ: “White beard sea urchin”, collector sea urchin, Tripneustes gratilla
Uni/海胆、雲丹、ウニ: Sea urchin
