Since funa has hard bones, the fish is slow-simmered and the bones are removed when prepared as sashimi but, after being cured for about one year, the bones in funa-zushi, which is uncooked, become tender enough so that one may not find them overly objectionable.
フナは骨が硬く煮炊きするか刺身料理では除いて食されるが、加熱調理などは行なわれない鮒寿司では1年ほど漬け込まれるとそれほど気にならない程度に柔らかくなる。