Masuzushi Trout Sushi: Where to Eat & Prices (Toyama)

A local specialty of Toyama in which vinegared rice and slices of trout are packed in a round wooden container lined with bamboo leaves. Famous nationwide as a station lunch box, it is cherished as one of the flavors that represent Toyama. It is traced to a station-bento maker founded to coincide with the opening of Toyama Station in the Meiji era, and ever since, many makers have each kept their own flavor.

Highlights

Bright cherry-pink trout and vinegared rice are pressed over bamboo leaves arranged in a radial pattern. The whole container, bound with bamboo strips, is sliced like a round cake to eat. The savory trout and the aroma of the leaves infuse the rice for a refined taste. Trout from the local Jinzu River was once used, while some makers now use cherry salmon from Hokkaido and elsewhere, so the ingredients have changed with the times.

Enjoying the Seasons

It can be enjoyed year round, and because it keeps well, it makes an ideal travel souvenir. Freshly made, the flesh is moist and tender, while after a day the vinegar settles in and the flavor tightens, so you can choose your preferred timing. Because the bamboo-leaf aroma moves into the rice over time, the hours after buying it are part of the flavor too.

Access and Basic Information

Toyama City is home to many long-established makers, and there is even a museum where you can learn its history and production methods. It is easily bought at kiosks in Toyama Station, perfect for the start or end of a trip. It is sometimes sold as an in-flight bento at Toyama Airport, suiting a meal on the move.

Practical Travel Notes

• When: year round; because it keeps (following each product label is the safe guide for storage), it is a standard souvenir.
• Where to buy: Toyama Station kiosks, makers' own shops, department store food halls; the museum sometimes allows viewing of the production process.
• Best timing: freshly made it is tender, and after a day the flavor is said to tighten; slicing with the enclosed bamboo strip or string is the usual method.
• Nearby spots: the Toyama Station area is the hub of the city tram network, easy to use as a base for sightseeing.

A Quick Tip

The thickness of the trout and the level of vinegar differ from shop to shop. Choosing a tasting set opens up the fun of finding your own favorite. When slicing, using the bamboo or string that comes with the container helps divide it cleanly.

Practical Information for Your Visit

• When you can try it: All year round. It is a dish that has been eaten on special occasions such as festivals, the Obon season and the New Year, and it is more usual to buy it from a specialist shop than to make it at home.
• Origins: It is said to have begun with the sweetfish sushi made by Yoshimura Shinpachi, a domain retainer, during the Kyoho era of the Edo period, with cherry salmon coming to be used later. It spread throughout Japan after being sold as a station lunch box in the Taisho era.
• Number of specialist shops: More than 20 in the city of Toyama alone. Tourist information centres stock a "masu-zushi tasting map".
• A facility you can tour: Masunosushi Museum (37-6 Nan'o-machi, Toyama City / 076-429-7400). Open 9:30 to 17:00 (10:00 to 16:00 in January and February), closed on Wednesdays. The tour is free of charge and takes about 30 minutes, letting you watch the production process through glass. Hands-on masunosushi making is also offered (reservation required). Parking for 100 ordinary cars and 30 buses.

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

(Sources: Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, "Our Local Cuisine: Masu-zushi, Toyama Prefecture"; official website of Masunosushi Honpo Minamoto, "Masunosushi Museum")

Information Sources

This article is compiled from tourism guidance for Toyama Prefecture and information published by each shop. Prices, menus and seasons may change, so please check the official information of each shop for details.

Sightseeing Checklist

• Budget guide: From the 1,000-yen range per box
• Where to eat it: Toyama Station and specialist and souvenir shops around the prefecture
• Recommended time of day: Both lunch and dinner; a fine way to round off a trip or as a gift to take home
• Avoiding the crowds: An easy-to-buy classic souvenir; go early to the popular shops
• Enjoy it together with: Comparing the versions of different shops, Toyama Station, Toyama Castle and Fugan Canal Kansui Park