Toyama Food Guide: Masu no Sushi, Shiro-ebi & Buri Shabu

Toyama Prefecture embraces Toyama Bay, a deep bay more than 1,000 metres deep, and is such a treasure house of rich seafood that it is called a "natural fish tank." Into the bay, fed by meltwater from the Tateyama mountain range, gather superb fish and shellfish season by season. From the freshest seafood to distinctive local specialities, here are the flavours of Toyama, where the appeal of food never runs out.

Masu no Sushi

The local dish that represents Toyama. Fatty cherry salmon is laid over vinegared rice, wrapped in bamboo grass leaves and packed in a round bentwood box to make a pressed sushi. The vivid crimson and the fresh fragrance of the bamboo leaf whet the appetite. A standard souvenir that can even be bought at the kiosks of Toyama Station, it differs in flavour and in the amount of vinegar from shop to shop, so tasting and comparing is a pleasure in itself.

Shiro-ebi and Kan-buri

Shiro-ebi, called the "jewel of Toyama Bay," is superb for its beautiful translucent pale pink colour and its rich, refined sweetness. It can be enjoyed as sashimi, in kakiage fritters and as sushi. The star of winter is "kan-buri," the fatty cold-season yellowtail caught in Toyama Bay. "Buri shabu," in which thin slices are dipped briefly in hot broth, combines a sweet, melting texture with the refreshing tang of ponzu — a perfect match.

Hotaru-ika and Toyama Black

In early spring, "hotaru-ika" (firefly squid), which glow with a mysterious pale blue light, crowd into Toyama Bay and can be enjoyed as okizuke marinade, dressed with vinegared miso, or as tempura. Note that under a notification from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, firefly squid for raw consumption must either have the viscera removed or be frozen by one of the following methods: at −30°C for four days or more; at a core temperature of −35°C for 15 hours or more; or at −40°C for 40 minutes or more. Squid not intended for raw consumption must be heated for 30 seconds or more after being put into boiling water, or to a core temperature of 60°C or above. Eating them raw with the viscera can cause larva migrans caused by the nematode Crassicauda giliakiana, so avoid eating raw the squid you have scooped up yourself on the beach. Meanwhile, "Toyama Black Ramen," characterised by a jet-black soy sauce broth and thick noodles, is a rich bowl with real punch — a local ramen hugely popular with visitors too.

Best Season

According to Toyama Prefecture's official tourism website "Toyama Kanko Navi," in Toyama Bay the firefly squid season opens in March and the shiro-ebi season in April, and shiro-ebi fishing is set to take place from April to November each year. For yellowtail, the Himi Fish Brand Council issues the "Himi Kan-buri Declaration" around the end of November each year, and the season lasts roughly until the closing declaration around February of the following year. Visiting in different seasons lets you encounter the bounty of each moment.

Access Information

The best-known restaurants are concentrated around Sogawa and Sakuragicho in Toyama City. Around the fishing ports of Shinminato and Himi you can taste the freshest seafood straight off the boats.

Kobujime: A Food Culture Carried by the Kitamaebune

According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries' "Our Local Cuisine" project, "kobujime," in which fresh sashimi is sandwiched between sheets of kelp, was born in the Edo period from combining the Hokkaido kelp brought by the kitamaebune trading ships with fish caught in Toyama Bay. Because the kelp absorbs the excess moisture from the fish, it was a means of preserving raw fish in an age without refrigerators; but as the umami of the kelp transferred to the flesh, firming it and giving it a pleasant elasticity, it became established as a flavour that went far beyond a mere preserved food. It is handed down throughout the prefecture. Most of the kelp used in cooking in Toyama is Rausu kelp from Hokkaido, and one reason given for this is that many people from Toyama who crossed to Hokkaido for its development in the Meiji era settled in the Rausu area and sent the local speciality, Rausu kelp, to relatives back in Toyama.

The standard ingredient is swordfish, known within the prefecture as "sasu," but white-fleshed fish such as sea bream and flounder are also used, as are Toyama's own shiro-ebi and hotaru-ika. Kobujime of shiro-ebi is even one of the prefecture's certified local food products. In recent years, kobujime using wild mountain vegetables such as susutake bamboo shoots, yoshina and bracken has also become popular. Some people make it at home, but it is also easy to buy at supermarkets, souvenir shops and specialist kelp stores.

Kurozukuri: A Black Delicacy Linked to the Kaga Domain

"Kurozukuri" is a kind of shiokara made by finely cutting the flesh of Japanese common squid and maturing it together with squid ink. Many people are startled by its distinctive, glossy jet-black appearance, but documents survive recording that the lords of the Kaga domain presented it to the shogunal family during their sankin-kotai journeys, showing that it has long been a noted local product (Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, "Our Local Cuisine"). Compared with "akazukuri," the ordinary shiokara, it is said to have less fishiness and a mellower saltiness, and there is no limit to how it can be eaten — as an accompaniment to sake, on freshly cooked rice, or in ochazuke.

The squid used is landed mainly at Himi and Shinminato fishing ports by set nets. There is also "hotaru-ika kurozukuri," made with firefly squid from Toyama Bay, which is likewise popular. Because many different manufacturers in the prefecture make it, another pleasure is being able to choose from a wide range at supermarkets, department stores and souvenir shops.

Toyama Bay's Table Through the Five Senses

With masu no sushi, the green fragrance of bamboo grass that rises the moment you lift the lid of the bentwood box is the first thing to stir the mood of travel. As you open the leaves one by one, the pale pink flesh appears from beneath — this unwrapping time is itself a Toyama food experience. Shiro-ebi is so delicate that held up to the light it shows a faint pink translucency, and it is meltingly smooth in the mouth. With buri shabu, the thin slices open out white like flowers the instant they touch the hot broth, and you enjoy watching that change of colour before lifting them out. The jet black of kurozukuri, the amber translucency of kobujime, the indigo of hotaru-ika — the Toyama table is rich in colour, and every plate makes a picture.

If You Want to Take Some Home

Masu no sushi can be bought at the kiosks in Toyama Station and at shops around the city, and because the amount of vinegar and the thickness of the fish differ from shop to shop, plenty of people visit several in order to taste and compare. Kobujime and kurozukuri are mostly products that require refrigeration, so prepare ice packs and a cool bag, and be sure to observe the storage method and use-by date shown on the label. Incidentally, the kelp used for kobujime is sometimes reused for tsukudani or simmered dishes, which shows the depth of a Toyama food culture that uses up, without waste, the kelp brought by the kitamaebune.

Practical Information

• Seasons: According to Toyama Prefecture's official tourism website "Toyama Kanko Navi," in Toyama Bay the firefly squid season opens in March and the shiro-ebi season in April, and shiro-ebi fishing is set to take place from April to November each year. For yellowtail, the Himi Fish Brand Council issues the "Himi Kan-buri Declaration" around the end of November each year, and the season lasts roughly until the closing declaration around February of the following year.
• Main areas where these are served: as well as Toyama City (around Sogawa and Sakuragicho), towns with fishing ports such as Shinminato, Himi and Namerikawa. The prefecture's representative landing place for firefly squid is Namerikawa Fishing Port. "Himi Kan-buri" refers to yellowtail of 7 kg or more auctioned at Himi Fishing Port during the declared period, and a certificate of sale is issued for each individual fish.
• Cautions: Under a notification from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, firefly squid for raw consumption must either have the viscera removed or be frozen by one of the following methods: at −30°C for four days or more; at a core temperature of −35°C for 15 hours or more; or at −40°C for 40 minutes or more. Squid not intended for raw consumption must be heated for 30 seconds or more after being put into boiling water, or to a core temperature of 60°C or above. Eating them raw with the viscera can cause larva migrans caused by the nematode Crassicauda giliakiana, so never eat raw the firefly squid you have scooped up yourself on the beach. Scooping firefly squid on the shore in early spring is done at night on dark quaysides where the footing is slippery and there is a risk of falling in. Bring a life jacket and a headlamp, and avoid going alone.

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

*(Sources: Toyama Prefecture official tourism website "Toyama Kanko Navi"; Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, "On the Handling of Firefly Squid for Raw Consumption" (21 June 2000, Eishoku No. 110 / Einyu No. 125))*