Akita's winter symbol "Hatahata"

The divine fish “Sandfish”

Write the kanji for "god" next to "fish" and get "hatahata"

Hatahata, Akita's winter symbol and soul food, is the name of a fish caught off the coast of the Sea of ​​Japan.

The sandfish is a fish with a large head of about 15 cm in length, sharp eyes, and large pectoral fins, and its golden body makes it worthy of being called the ``fish of the gods.'' Since it is a deep-sea fish, it has no scales and few small bones, making it easy to eat and edible.

The taste is light, typical of white fish, and has more oil than cod. At home, it is often eaten salt-grilled or simmered, but male sandfish is a creamy, slightly chewy, yet deep-flavored milt. Females have eggs with a unique texture called ``buriko'' in their bellies, and many fans boast that without the milt and buriko, sandfish would have no value.

The eating habits of Akita residents are divided into two groups, depending on whether they are male or female. It's truly a "confrontation between male and female." Will the day ever come?

The sandfish was once feared to be endangered.

From November to December every year, sandfish flock to the waters off the coast of Akita Prefecture to spawn en masse, and for a time there was a complete ban on fishing due to concerns that they were in danger of extinction. seems to be recovering its ecosystem.

At this time of year, sandfish are also called ``shiminariuo'' because ``when there is thunder and the sea gets rough, you can catch sandfish.''
Sandfish fishing, which is carried out in rough seas, is a deep-rooted culture in Akita that has been going on since before the Edo period, despite the dangers. In the winter, anglers line up on the coastal embankments at Iwaki Roadside Station and Island Fishing Port Park, which are one of the fishing grounds, and enjoy fishing for sandfish, which is a winter feature of Akita. It becomes.

Sending sandfish from Akita to all over the country

The most basic way to eat sandfish is to remove the head and internal organs and grill it with salt. If you break the tail before eating, the obstructive vertebrae will slide out from the head, and you can eat it as is. The ease of eating is probably the secret to its popularity.

In addition, companies in Akita Prefecture are working hard to make the most of local specialties and develop more attractive products to promote their products to the whole country.

- ``Shotsuru'' made from aged sandfish and made with fish sauce
- ``Gatahata bowl'' with fried
sandfish - Sandfish sushi and fried sandfish.

The appeal of sandfish is that it can be eaten in a variety of ways, such as pickling the sandfish in salt or soy sauce, or using the milt as a seasoning.