Akita's winter symbol: Hatahata

The divine fish "Hatahata"

is written with the radical for "fish" and the character for "god"."hatahata"

"Hatahata," a symbol of winter in Akita and its soul food, is the name of a fish caught off the coast of the Sea of ​​Japan

The sandfish is a fish characterized by its large head (about 15 cm in length), round eyes, and large pectoral fins. Its golden body gives it an appearance truly"fish of the gods." As a deep-sea fish, it has no scales and few small bones, making it easy to eat and suitable for consumption.

The taste is mild, typical of white fish, and it's fattier than cod, for example. In most households, it's commonly eaten grilled with salt or simmered, but the male sandfish has creamy milt with a slightly unique but deep flavor. The female"buriko", which have a distinctive texture, and many fans boast that sandfish have no value without the milt and buriko.

The people of Akita Prefecture are divided into two camps when it comes to eating sandfish: males and females. It's a "battle of the sexes." Will the day ever come when the decision is made?

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The sandfish was once feared to be on the verge of extinction

Every year from November to December, the sandfish swarms off the coast of Akita Prefecture to spawn. At one time, fishing of the species was completely banned due to concerns that it was endangered, but thanks to efforts such as fishing restrictions and ecological research, the ecosystem seems to have returned to its former state in recent years

During this time of year,"when there is thunder and the sea is rough, sandfish can be caughtbecause"thunderfish"are also known as
" Despite the dangers of fishing for sandfish in rough seas, this deeply rooted culture has continued in Akita since before the Edo period. In winter, the breakwaters along the coast, such as the Iwaki Roadside Station and Island Fishing Port Park, line with anglers hoping to catch sandfish, and the sight of them crowding onto the quay to enjoy sandfish fishing has become a winter tradition in Akita.

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Sandfish from Akita to the whole country

The most basic way to eat sandfish is to remove the head and innards and grill it with salt. If you break the tail before eating, the troublesome spine will slip out from the head side and you can eat it as is. This ease of eating is probably the secret to its popularity

Additionally, companies in Akita Prefecture are working hard to utilize local specialties to develop more attractive products that can be promoted nationwide

, a fish sauce made from aged sandfish.Shottsuru
topped with fried sandfishHatahata Donburi
-Sandfish sushianddeep-fried sandfish.

One of the charms of sandfish is that it can be eaten in a variety of ways, such as pickling sandfish roe in salt or soy sauce, or using the soft roe as a seasoning

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