Sebastodes tanakae Snyder 1911 was originally described on the basis of a single specimen collected from Hakodate, Hokkaido, Japan. It has long been considered as a junior synonym of Sebastes nivosus Hilgendorf 1880, but our examination of the holotype of S. tanakae showed it to be consistent with the syntypes and other specimens of Sebastes trivittatus Hilgendorf 1880, being clearly different from the holotype of S. nivosus. A brief description of the holotype of S. tanakae is given here and its status as a junior synonym of S. trivittatus is confirmed. © 2013 The Ichthyological Society of Japan.