Murakami Shiobiki Jake the Traditional Salted Salmon

Murakami is known as a castle town with deep ties to salmon dating back to the Heian era, and its salted salmon in particular has been passed down as a winter tradition. Selected salmon is carefully rubbed with salt and dried slowly in the cold wind blowing off the Sea of Japan, producing a deep flavor with concentrated umami.

Highlights

The sight of salmon hung in rows under the eaves, swaying in the cold wind, is a winter scene unique to Murakami. Townhouses may hang as many as a thousand fish, a truly striking sight. The slowly aged flesh carries rich umami along with a well judged saltiness, and grilled over rice it is delicious enough for many bowls. Beyond fillets, dishes that use the whole salmon are passed down, such as sake soaked slices, roe, and delicacies made from the cartilage of the head.

Enjoying the Seasons

Salted salmon is made in the depth of winter as the cold deepens. Walking the town, you meet the scene of houses hung with salmon. Exposure to the cold northwest wind advances fermentation and aging, deepening the umami. From winter into early spring, when the aging has advanced, is considered the most flavorful time.

Access and Basic Information

At salmon specialty shops and townhouses in Murakami City, you can buy salted salmon and its processed products. There are long established salmon merchants dating from the Edo era, some of which let you view the salmon hung inside. Along the street leading from Murakami Station on the Uetsu Main Line to the castle town, shops handling salmon dishes are scattered about, making a food walk enjoyable.

Practical Travel Notes

Salted salmon is sold as fillets and processed products, with prices varying by item and size. Sake soaked slices and miso pickled roe make good souvenirs, and there are vacuum packed items that keep well. Some long established shops in the castle town serve set meals featuring several salmon dishes, handy when you want to enjoy many at once. Popular shops can be busy at midday, so allowing extra time is wise.

A Quick Tip

Besides simply grilling it, try sake soaked slices, cut thin and steeped in Japanese sake. The saltiness and umami stand out, letting you experience a way of tasting unique to Murakami. Grilled salmon flaked over warm rice or made into a tea rice bowl keeps you delighted to the last bite.

Practical Information for Your Visit

• When it is prepared: Making shiobiki-zake (salt-cured salmon) begins in late autumn, and by early December the streets of Murakami are lined with salmon hanging out to dry.
• How it is made: After the innards are removed, salt is rubbed in carefully and the fish is left for about a week; the salt is then washed off under running water and the salmon is hung in a well-ventilated place for about two weeks to dry.
• A custom unique to Murakami: Because this is a castle town, splitting the belly wide open is avoided as it evokes ritual suicide, so a distinctive cut called tomebara is used, dividing the belly into two sections. When hanging the fish, Murakami tradition is to suspend it by the tail rather than by the head, to avoid the image of hanging.
• The role of the climate: From late autumn into early winter, the moisture-laden wind that blows in from the Sea of Japan dries the flesh of the salmon slowly, giving it a soft, mellow, well-rounded savouriness.
• History: Records show it was presented to the imperial court nobles of Kyoto in the Heian period; in the Edo period the Murakami domain devised the Tanegawa system, a mechanism for natural spawning and propagation; and in the Meiji period Japan's first successful artificial hatching took place here.
• Where it is mainly served: Specialist salmon shops, restaurants and souvenir shops in the city of Murakami. They are dotted along the street leading from Murakami Station on the JR Uetsu Line into the castle town.
• Points to note: Shiobiki-zake is basically eaten cooked, for example grilled. When eating salmon or other saltwater fish raw, beware of food poisoning caused by Anisakis. According to Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Anisakis larvae are not killed by treatment with the vinegar used in ordinary cooking, by salting, or by soy sauce or wasabi; to prevent infection, freezing at minus 20°C for 24 hours or more, or heating to 70°C or above (1 minute at 60°C), is required.

*Opening hours and prices vary from shop to shop.

(Sources: Murakami City official website, Murakami City Tourism Association official website, and the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare's "Let's prevent food poisoning caused by Anisakis")