Miyagi
Crassostrea gigas
A Pacific Northwest favorite with Japanese heritage. Full-bodied and meaty with a crisp, nutty flavor, mild brine, and balanced fruit and vegetal notes.
Flavor Profile
Finish
Clean, crisp with lingering fruit and vegetal notes
Expert Notes
The Miyagi delivers a beautifully balanced experience with full, plump meats and a crisp texture. Its mild brininess is complemented by distinctive nutty flavors and subtle fruit and vegetal notes reminiscent of fresh lettuce and melon rind. The deep-cupped shell from tumbling cultivation produces exceptionally meaty oysters that appeal to both newcomers and experienced oyster lovers. Origin & Characteristics
- Species
- Crassostrea gigas
- Native to
- Japan (Miyagi Prefecture)
- Grown in
- Tomales Bay, California, Hood Canal, Washington, Puget Sound, Washington
- Size
- Medium-Large (2.5-3 inches)
- Shell Color
- Fluted, multi-colored with jagged edges
- Meat Color
- Cream to light gray
What Experts Say
Across 10 sources, tasters describe this oyster as:
Unique notes: nutty, umami, fruit, vegetal
"Miyagi oysters offer a delicate yet rich taste experience: Mildly Briny: Just the right amount of saltiness from the ocean. Sweet & Buttery: A pleasant, smooth finish with subtle umami flavor."
brinysweetbutteryumami
"Exactly like the description: meaty, crisp, and not too briny. I thought it was up there in the top 3 oysters I've had. Had good bulk to it and was a good value compared to the very tasty, but tiny..."
meatycrispmild brine
"Miyagi oysters are loved by foodies worldwide for their unique flavor profile. The meat is nutty with mild brine and a crisp flavor that is truly unmatched."
nuttymild brinecrisp
"Marin Miyagi oysters have deep-cupped shells with a smooth, polish-like appearance due to natural tumbling action. They develop firm texture and plump whole meats, with unique growing conditions contributing to oysters that look as good as they taste."
firmplumpmeaty
"These oysters have full plump meat with a crisp flavor and a mild brininess. Miyagi oysters have hard, sturdy shells that shuckers like to work with, and their ability to close tightly gives them a longer shelf life."
crispmild brineplump
"Pacific (C. gigas) – popularly known as Miyagi. Quick growing oysters found from Baja California to Alaska. Fluted, jagged, multi-colored shells; creamy, briny oysters that finish with a wide range of fruit and vegetal notes."
creamybrinyfruitvegetal
About the Farm
Marin Oyster Company, Inc.
Est. 1999Marin Oyster Company has been farming oysters since 1999 and is renowned for producing high-quality, California-grown oysters, mainly known for its signature Marin Miyagi™ oysters.
- Cultivation Method
- floating bags
History & Background
The Miyagi oyster—commonly referred to as Pacific oysters—originated off the coast of Japan. It is named after the Miyagi Prefecture in Japan, which is famous for its bountiful oyster beds and produces over 23% of the country's oysters. In the 1920s, they were introduced to the Washington coast. Miyagi Oysters have been cultured for over 300 years in Japan before reaching North America. After World War II, the Pacific oyster was rebranded; it was originally called the Miyagi, for Japan's Miyagi Prefecture.
Miyagi Prefecture in Japan is famous for its oyster cultivation and continues to be a leading supplier of oysters. The name carries significant cultural weight in oyster farming communities on both sides of the Pacific.
Did You Know?
- Miyagi oysters have been cultured for over 300 years in Japan
- The Pacific oyster was rebranded after WWII - originally called Miyagi after Japan's Miyagi Prefecture
- Each individual oyster filters up to 50 gallons of seawater per day
- Miyagi Prefecture produces over 23% of Japan's oysters
Sources & References
This information was compiled from 10 sources.
- Miyagi Oysters – Flavor, Cooking Tips & Health Benefits — Global Seafoods
- Miyagi Oyster - Chefs Resources — Chefs Resources
- Marin Miyagi Oysters - The Oyster Encyclopedia — Oyster Encyclopedia
- Brine and Dine! | Brainfood Blog | H&H Fresh Fish — H&H Fresh Fish
- Oysters, Marin Miyagi, CA - Royal Hawaiian Seafood — Royal Hawaiian Seafood
- Waterbar Oyster Menu — Oyster Guide
- Miyagi Oyster — Oysterology Online — Pangea Shellfish
- Olympian Dreams - Alta Journal — Alta Journal
- Waterbar: Live the Cousteau Fantasy - Oyster Guide — Oyster Guide
- Oysters Cultivation - Aquatic Network — Aquatic Network
You Might Also Like
38 Degrees North
US East CoastA balanced Chesapeake Bay oyster. Mild, slightly sweet with refined brine and a clean finish. Firm and meaty from floating cage cultivation.
Apalachicola
US Gulf CoastWild-harvested Gulf Coast oyster from Florida's legendary Apalachicola Bay. Small, intensely briny, and robust with a distinctive flavor that earned global recognition as the pinnacle of oyster quality.
Bagaduce
US East CoastA distinctive Maine oyster from the Bagaduce River. Medium briny with clean sweetness, pronounced umami, and savory smoky notes. Sun-grown in floating bags with gnarly shells and full meats.
Learn More
The Big Five: A Complete Guide to Commercial Oyster Species
Comprehensive guide to C. virginica (Atlantic), C. gigas (Pacific), C. sikamea (Kumamoto), O. lurida (Olympia), and O. edulis (European Flat)
Read article → Biology & SpeciesThe Pacific Oyster (C. gigas): Cream, Cucumber, and the Japanese Legacy
Understanding the world's most cultivated oyster - from Japanese origins to West Coast dominance
Read article → Merroir & EnvironmentWhat is Merroir? The Science of How Environment Shapes Oyster Flavor
Understanding merroir - the marine equivalent of terroir - and how water chemistry creates flavor
Read article →