Saikyo-yaki is one of Kyoto's representative dishes, where fish, meat, or vegetables are marinated in Saikyo miso, a white miso unique to Kyoto, and then grilled. Oily fish like Spanish mackerel or sablefish go particularly well with Saikyo-yaki. The Saikyo miso used in Saikyo-yaki is a white miso that has a shorter fermentation period compared to regular miso, giving it a lighter color. It also has a higher rice koji content, resulting in a stronger sweetness. In the Kyoto region, Saikyo miso is also used to season ozoni (a New Year's soup with mochi).

Despite being named "daegu" (cod), it's a saltwater fish from the Pleuronectiformes order, not Gadiformes, more closely related to flatfish or halibut than cod. It's a large fish, with a body length of more than 1 meter, and lives for about 20 years. Although it resembles cod, it can be distinguished by its lack of a beard on the lower jaw and two dorsal fins (cod has three dorsal fins). Even though it's a white flesh fish, it's rich in fat, earning it the name "toro" of white fish in Japan. Because of its rich, oily flavor, it's most commonly consumed as a stew in Japan.