Yaizu Katsuo, Bonito Cuisine of a Leading Port

Yaizu is a port town that boasts one of the largest bonito landings in Japan and is known for fresh bonito cuisine. Tataki seared on the surface is fragrant, while the springy sashimi speaks of its high freshness. In a town where fishing history lives on, varied dishes built around bonito have taken root.

Highlights

Straw-grilled tataki charms with a toasty surface and a moist interior, pairing perfectly with condiments. The name tataki is said to come from searing the surface over a straw fire, then chilling it and pressing in condiments by hand, and the way the aroma rises is exceptional. The clear sashimi has no off odor, letting you fully taste the natural savoriness of bonito. Locally, preserved foods such as simmered bonito and shuto have also developed.

Enjoying the Seasons

The early bonito of early summer has a light, lean flavor, while the returning bonito of autumn is rich with fat. Because the character of the taste changes greatly with the season even for the same fish, comparing them is a pleasure unique to a port town. Yaizu is also a base for deep-sea fishing, and including frozen bonito, it can be enjoyed all year.

Access and Basic Information

You can taste it at eateries around Yaizu Station and at market facilities handling seafood, reachable by train or car. At the market facilities, restaurants serving fresh bonito dishes and stalls selling processed goods gather, so you can enjoy both shopping and dining. Many shops serve bowls and set meals from around a thousand yen, easy to drop into. Weekends can be crowded, so earlier hours are recommended.

Practical Travel Notes

The appeal of Yaizu lies in tasting just-landed bonito in freshness-first styles such as straw-grilled tataki and sashimi. An eatery attached to a market lets you enjoy a fresh plate along with shopping, an efficient combination. Because bonito changes greatly in flavor by season, visiting for the light early bonito in early summer or the fatty returning bonito in autumn lets you meet a taste unique to that time. If you travel by train, market facilities are often some distance from the station, so allowing for a local bus or car is reassuring. Processed goods such as bonito flakes, half-dried bonito, and shuto keep well and are easy to carry, suiting souvenirs. Yaizu Port is close to Yui, known for the sakura shrimp of Suruga Bay, so it is easy to combine into a day of eating around the gifts of the sea.

A Quick Tip

A platter combining both tataki and sashimi lets you enjoy the different charms of bonito at once. Because the taste shifts between early and returning bonito by the season of your visit, asking the shop about the current best is also recommended. Local bonito flakes and processed products make welcome souvenirs, so be sure to check them out.