Sanma Zushi: Where to Eat, Prices & Hours (Wakayama)

Handed down in the Kumano region, sanma zushi is a pressed sushi with a whole butterflied saury laid over vinegared rice. It is a dish for special days, essential at festivals and celebrations. It is a regional food long enjoyed from the southern Kii Peninsula along the Kumano Sea coast into Mie Prefecture.

Highlights

The charm lies in the unity of the firm, vinegar cured saury and the faintly sweet rice beneath. In some areas a citrus such as yuzu adds fragrance, leaving a clean, lingering finish. Laying a whole fish, head and all, over the rice is a boldness unique to this land.

Enjoying the Seasons

When oil rich saury is in season the fullness of the flesh stands out, and a piece made in the cold months is a special treat. Often set on tables for celebrations and the year end, it is a pleasure tied to the events it accompanies.

Access and Basic Information

You can find it at sushi shops and roadside stations in Shingu and the Kumano area. Using JR Shingu Station as a base, seek out places that serve regional cooking. Many shops sell it to take out or as a souvenir, so it also suits a meal along your travels.

Practical Travel Notes

Sanma zushi is often sold to take out or as a souvenir, handy for a meal between the Kumano Sanzan pilgrimage or a drive. As a pressed sushi it is easy to carry, but because it uses fresh fish it is not suited to long storage at room temperature, so eating it soon after buying is reassuring. It is sometimes sold in a set with mehari zushi, letting you taste Kumano's regional foods at once. From the Osaka side, the Shingu area is reached by the JR limited express Kuroshio, so an itinerary with time to spare is recommended. The citrus flavor differs by area and shop, so comparing several shops is a pleasure.

A Quick Tip

The whole saury laid on with its head intact is unique to this land. Squeeze a little citrus and take a bite the moment the fragrance rises. A piece made when oil rich saury is available lets you enjoy the fullness of the flesh all the more.

Practical Information for Your Visit

• Season: Pacific saury (sanma) move south from off Sanriku to the Kumano-nada Sea to spawn from late October through March, and it is the fish caught in this period that is used for the sushi (Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, "Local Cuisine of Our Home").
• Public facility where you can taste it: "Kaachan no Mise" at the roadside station "Dorokyo Kaido Kumanogawa" (54-7 Tanaga, Kumanogawa-cho, Shingu City). Open 9:00-16:00, closed on the second Wednesday of the month. Sanma-zushi is served only in winter, at 500 yen (tax included).
• A long-established shop by the station: Jofuku Sushi Ekimae-ten (2-1-9 Jofuku, Shingu City, in front of JR Shingu Station). Open 10:00-17:00, with dine-in from 11:00 to 15:00 (last order 14:30, ending as soon as the sushi rice runs out), closed on Thursdays and on the second and fourth Wednesdays. Whole sanma sushi is 1,050 yen (tax included).
• Points to note: It has been handed down as a dish for the feasts of events such as autumn festivals and the New Year, and some shops serve it only seasonally.

Note: Opening hours and prices at individual restaurants vary from shop to shop.

(Sources: Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, "Local Cuisine of Our Home: Sanma-zushi, Wakayama Prefecture"; Shingu City Tourism Association official site, "Kaachan no Mise" and "Jofuku Sushi Ekimae-ten")

Information Sources

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

Sightseeing Checklist

• Budget guide: From around 1,000 yen for one whole fish or one boxed portion
• Where to eat it: Restaurants and roadside stations in the Kumano region, such as Shingu and Nachikatsuura
• Best time of day: Both lunch and dinner; good with sake or for special occasions
• Avoiding crowds: An easy-to-buy local food. Go early for popular shops
• Combine your visit with: An assortment together with mehari-zushi, Kumano Hayatama Taisha, Nachi Falls, the Kumano Kodo