Gifts from the two seas

Although Japan is an island surrounded by the sea, Hyogo is the only prefecture in mainland Honshu besides Aomori (Northern most prefecture in Honshu), and Yamaguchi (Southern most prefecture in Honshu) that is adjacent to two bodies of water. It also shares a vast green land in the Chugoku Mountain range, which is abundant in fresh produce. Hyogo is literally "an appetizing, or lucky land" with fresh fish from Japan Sea and the Inland Sea, as well as produce from the mountains.

On the Tajima coastline by the Japan Sea, fishing provides many different delights. The king of winter Japan Sea, Matsuba Gani (snow crab) has the highest catch in the entire country. During the months of November through March, inns and hotels in the area see a full crowd searching for crab and onsen (hot springs). It is an attraction not only for locals but for those from all over Japan.

The Inland Sea, the sea to the south, also competes as a source for fresh fish. Akashi dai (sea bream), Akashi tako (octopus), sea bass, sand eel, and conger eel are just some of the catch. The Inland Sea is, indeed, the fishpond of Kansai area. A renown tourist attraction is Akashi's "Uo no tana" (fish shelf). The unique name is owing to the fact that the fishmonger laid their goods on boards under running water. This style of presentation was common in a castle town located by the water during the Edo period (1603-1867). That the Uo no Tana still exits today indicates the importance of the Akashi Strait as a rich fishing ground as well as a transportation route. Akashi, where both Saigoku Kaido and Miki Kaido (kaido was the term used, before the modern period, for main highways) crossed, was frequented by various travelers and Saigoku daimyos (feudal lords) who made periodic trips to Edo. Cargo and fishing boat frequently arrived at the ports and fish from Akashi were distributed all over Japan. Akashi dai and Akashi tako were also noted in Manyo-shu (the oldest book of poetry in Japan) and it is said that during Sengoku (Warring States) period (1467-1568), the national unifier Toyotomi Hideyoshi sent dried sea bream and octopus (both well-known for their exquisite taste) to the warlord Oda Nobunaga.

Even today, approximately fifteen shops on the Uo no tana sell fresh fish, and twenty odd shops sell dried and processed fish. One is also able to find the akashiyaki stands where the small griddled balls of with boiled octopus coated in flour are sold. These Akashi yaki are different from those takoyaki found in Osaka since they are served with soup instead of sauce. By noon, people come for mae mono (fresh fish from nearby sea) auctioned at Akashiura Fishing Cooperative. It has become common knowledge to Kobe housewives as the noon catch from Akashi is now also available in markets in supermarkets of Kobe City. Although Kobe is a big city and supermarkets have supplanted fresh markets, the fresh catch remains a special feature of the city. It is also another common knowledge that sea bream and octopus of Akashi are tasteful because the rapid current makes the fish lean, and they all feed off the plankton, shrimp, and crab from the Inland Sea, all so very rich in nutrients.

Another gift from the sea, although not as known as sea bream or octopus, is Akashi nori (seaweed). This is somewhat hidden yet popular delicacy. The current, nutrients in the seawater, and water temperature of Akashi Strait provides an optimal environment for cultivating seaweed. A full 18% of Japan's entire production, number one by far, comes from the Akashi Strait. The strait is also the leading source of shipments of young sardines, hard finned fish, bass, and sand eel. The total output generated from Hyogo Prefecture's fishing amounts to almost half of that of entire Kansai area's output, and the produce of the fishing industry is an important base for Keihanshin (Kyoto, Osaka, Kobe) area's food supply. With two seas, Hyogo Prefecture is indeed a treasure trove of gifts from the sea.