Japanese value seasonal food. And, that’s why the long queue just for a sanma (saury fish)?
“Meguro Sanma (Saury) Festival” is held every year when it is the season for delicious saury. It is held at Yawata Shrine on the first or second Sunday every September. Every year the event is broadcasted on TV or reported in newspapers. The popular event has become a seasonal charming sight in Tokyo and it will be 23rd this year.
Addition to the grilled sanma from Miyako, Iwate Prefecture, the grated daikon radish from Takabayashi, Nasushiobara City, Tochigi Prefecture and sudachi (a kind of Japanese citrus) from Kamiyama, Tokushima Prefecture, as well as bettarazuke (pickled radish) from Shintakayama, Tokyo are served for free. At the same evert, free rakugo performance is held every year, and the theme is of course “The Meguro’s Saury”!
But why “Sanma” in Meguro in autumn?
Named after the famous classic rakugo “Meguro’s Sanma” with the punch line “ Sanma in Meguro is after all the best”, the event was started since Heisei 8 (1996) to introduce Meguro and saury.
It is a story in Edo era, about a prince in hunger, who had eaten a sanma cooked in a common way in Meguro which was no way close to the sea and thought that was extremely delicious; however, when he went back to the castle and had fresh sanma from riverside cooked according to the noble way, he found out that was unpalatable and asserted that “Sanma in Meguro is after all the best!”. It is a story that satirizes a prince who is ignorant of secular.
Why do Japanese so care about seasonal food?
There are four seasons in Japan, depending on the different climates of the four seasons and the complicated geographical features of mountains and oceans, the characteristics of each region vary. Because of this, in Japan, throughout the year there are “seasonal” tastes where a certain kind of food is harvested only in certain area during a certain period of time, or are more delicious. The seasonal food is most delicious during that period, and since long time ago, Japanese has cherished the “seasonal” as they regarded it as greatest joy to be able to taste it.
What are the seasonal food in autumn in Japan?
Autumn is also called as the harvest season or the autumn appetite in Japan, as there are countless seasonal tastes available. Firstly, rice which represents Japanese food. The seedlings are planted in spring and harvested during end of summer, and new rice are supplied in autumn. The new rice is with a special taste due to the sweetness and freshness. On top of that, depends on the areas, there are seafood like sanma (saury) and salmon, vegetables like chestnut, sweet potato and eggplant, fruits like pear, persimmon and grape, all fresh and delicious.
Places where you can taste “autumn” dishes!
Koma Hachi Meguro Sanma Center
For menu of all sorts of sanma, this is where you should try. There are various sanma dishes available, from sashimi and salt grilled to carpaccio, tatsuta-fried, minced fish soup, classic to unusual dishes.
Information
- Name: Koma Hachi Meguro Sanma Center
- Address: Tokyo Shinagawa-ku, Kamiosaki 2-13-35 KI building 2F
- Access: 3-minute walk from JR Yamanote Line Meguro Station East Station
Meguro’s Sanma Nanohana Gonnosukezaka main store
Meguro’s Sanma Nanohana Gonnosukezaka main store
Information- Name: Meguro’s Sanma Nanohana Gonnosukezaka main store
- Address: Tokyo Meguro-ku, Shimo-meguro 1-1-15 Kiku Building 1F
- Access: About 2-minute walk from JR Yamanote Line Meguro Station west exit, about 3-minute Tokyu Meguro Lime, Toei Subway Mita Line, Tokyo Moetro South-North Line Meguro Station
Wa-Kakuta
Assorted sashimi plate of fresh fishes directly from sea, and sanma, a must in autumn! There are a rich variety of Japanese food and snack food too. Only products from Japan.
Information
- Name: Wa-Kakuta
- Address: Tokyo Minato-ku, Shibadaimo 1-15-6, High Top Building 2F
- Access: 1-minute walk from Toei Asakusa Line / Oedo Line Daimon Station A5 exit / 3-minute walk from JR Hatsumatsu-cho Station North Exit.
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