Meet the Sushi Savant Who’s Turning AI Into a Tuna Whisperer
Picture this: you munch on a slice of supermarket sushi and the taste falls flat, leaving you with a sudden wave of disappointment. That was exactly what hit Kazuhiro Shimura one rainy evening, when he realized the tuna was more tofu than treasure.
Sometimes a bad experience is simply the spark for something great!
From Raw Delight to Intelligent Insight
While savoring a raw bite, Shimura was glued to a TV show that spotlighted fish merchants—people who’ve spent a decade honing the art of picking perfect tuna for sushi restaurants.
He thought, “If these traders can read tuna like experts, why not let a machine do the same?”
Introducing Tuna Scope
Working with the Future Creative Centre of Dentsu Group, Shimura and his team poured a deep‑learning algorithm over piles of grading data from seasoned merchants. The outcome? A sleek smartphone app that grades tuna in real time.
Why It Matters
- Guarantees every bite of tuna is consistently delicious—no more “meh” sushi surprises.
- Creates a unified grading standard so sushi lovers worldwide can trust what sits on their plate.
- Bridges local expertise with a global dining benchmark.
Partnering for Premium Tuna
Shimura is collaborating with Sojitz Corp to roll out this technology into the market. Together, they’re aiming to give sushi chefs and home cooks alike a handy tool that’s as easy to use as scrolling through your phone.
So next time you crave a slice of perfect sashimi, remember that a little disappointment can turn into a futuristic AI chef that lives right in your pocket!
<img alt="" data-caption="The Tuna Scope is an AI-based system that judges the quality of natural tuna.
PHOTO: Reuters” data-entity-type=”file” data-entity-uuid=”256d0f1a-a610-4288-95cb-dfd85d774a0e” src=”/sites/default/files/inline-images/20200703_tuna%20scope_reuters-2.jpg”/>
AI‑Powered Tuna: The Future of Freshness (and a Bit of Nostalgia?)
Pitching premium tuna straight from AI‑verified farms—Shimura, the mastermind behind Misaki Megumi Suisan, chatted with Reuters about the promise of technology that guarantees every fish is as tasty as it looks. With the latest tuna boasting “deliciousness” counts that rivals any Michelin dish, the promise is as tantalizing as a sushi roll fresh out of the catapult.
What’s the Buzz?
Each of these algorithm‑backed giants weighs roughly 300 kg—the kind of heft that could turn a tug‑of‑war on a pier into a heavyweight bout. In past auctions, they’ve fetched over US$3 million (S$4.2 million), leaving buyers and upping the price bar for the biggest catch on the planet.
Who Needs It?
- Japan alone consumes about a quarter of the world’s ≈ 2 million tonnes of tuna each year.
- Since the pandemic hit, fish merchants from Maldives, Spain, the U.S., Taiwan and beyond have turned to Shimura’s Tuna Scope, because travel restrictions made inspections impossible.
Inside the Tokyo Hub
Picture a meticulous table in Misaki Megumi near Tokyo: Shingo Ishii, one of the merchants’ stalwart buyers, holds a smartphone over a tray of tuna tail segments while colleagues slice frozen fish with industrial saws. Within a handful of seconds, the AI spikes a verdict.
“I think this will become a common tool over the next 10 to 20 years,” Ishii admits, fingers hovering over the device. Yet he also jokes about the precarious balance between cutting-edge tech and heritage skills.
Old‑School Meets New Tech
“To be frank, I can still out‑wit the AI,” Ishii chuckles, hinting that, perhaps, the old trade secrets still have a fighting chance.
In brief: the tech promises lazy, roasted clarity, allowing buyers to trust the quality of their prized catch—even when they’re stuck at home. For the craftsmen who’ve perfected the art of tuna grading for generations, it’s a cocktail of excitement, nostalgia and a hint of future‑laden uncertainty.
