Funazushi: Where to Eat, Prices & Opening Hours (Shiga)

Funazushi is a fermented food that represents Shiga, made by aging nigorobuna, a crucian carp of Lake Biwa, with salt and rice over a long period. It strongly preserves the lineage of narezushi, said to be the origin of sushi, and its history is old enough that the name appears on wooden tablets of the Nara period. The Heian era Engishiki records crucian carp offered from Omi province, and it is a food culture handed down for more than a thousand years.

Highlights

It is known for a distinctive rich aroma and a dense, cheese like sourness and umami. In particular, those made with roe bearing nigorobuna develop a cheese like scent and texture in the roe. The deep flavor born from rice fermentation pairs superbly with sake. The classic way to enjoy it is sliced thin.

Enjoying the Seasons

In spring, roe bearing nigorobuna are salted before spawning in the step called shiokiri, then around the summer doyo the salt is drawn out and they are packed in rice. Lactic fermentation proceeds, and they reach their peak from late autumn into winter. It often appears as a feast for New Year and festive occasions. The aging is basically about a year, though some are left for several years.

Access and Basic Information

Long established makers are scattered around Moriyama and the lakeside areas of the northern lake. It can be bought at specialty shops near JR Moriyama Station and roadside stations, some offering tastings. The Lake Biwa Museum in Kusatsu has exhibits on the lakes food culture including funazushi, so learning the background before tasting is also recommended.

Practical Travel Notes

• In the old method it is prepared in spring and reaches its peak from late autumn onward, as a guide.
• The aroma is strong, so for a first try, start with a small amount sliced thin. Served over rice with tea, the aroma softens and it is easier to enjoy.
• It is often sold vacuum packed or refrigerated, so check storage when taking it as a souvenir.
• The Lake Biwa Museum in Kusatsu is a stop where you can learn about the lakes creatures and the food culture of funazushi.

A Quick Tip

If it is your first time, start small. Serving it over rice with tea softens the aroma and makes it easier to enjoy.

Practical Information for Your Visit

• When it is prepared: The fish are salted in early spring; in summer the salted crucian carp are lifted out and packed with rice in the "main pickling," and then left to ferment for several months until New Year (Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries).
• Main area where it is served: The whole prefecture. In 1998 (Heisei 10) it was selected as a Shiga Prefecture Intangible Folk Cultural Property under "Shiga's Food Cultural Properties."
• Public facility where you can buy it: Otsu Station Tourist Information Center (Viera Otsu, 1-3 Kasuga-cho, Otsu City, TEL 077-522-3830 / operated by the Biwako Otsu Tourism Association) / open 9:00-18:00. It sells two kinds of funazushi, from "Oya" and "Sakamotoya."
• Where you can learn about it: Lake Biwa Museum, Shiga Prefecture (1091 Oroshimo-cho, Kusatsu City) / 9:30-17:00 (last entry 16:00), closed on Mondays (open when Monday is a holiday). Admission to the permanent exhibition is 840 yen for general visitors and university students, 470 yen for high school students and those under 18, and free of charge for elementary and junior high school students. About 25 minutes by Ohmi Railway bus from stop No. 2 at the west exit of JR Kusatsu Station.

* Opening hours and prices at individual shops vary from shop to shop.

(Sources: Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, "Our Local Cuisine: Funazushi, Shiga Prefecture"; Biwako Otsu Tourism Association, "Otsu Station Tourist Information Center"; Lake Biwa Museum, Shiga Prefecture official website, visitor information)

Information Sources

This article is compiled from tourist information for Shiga Prefecture together with information published by the individual establishments. Prices, menus and seasons are subject to change, so please check the official information of each establishment for details.

Sightseeing Checklist

• Budget guide: From several thousand yen for a whole fish or a sliced portion (a luxury item)
• Where to eat it: Specialty shops and long-established stores around Lake Biwa, and restaurants serving lake fish
• Recommended time of day: Both lunch and dinner. Good with sake or as ochazuke over rice
• Avoiding the crowds: Easy to buy at specialty shops; popular items sell out, so go early
• Enjoy it together with: Local sake, ochazuke, tsukudani of lake fish, and the scenery of the Lake Biwa shore