Murakami is known as the town of salmon.
Access: Tokyo (shinkansen 2:15) Niigata (express train 0:48) Murakami @
Since old times, people of Murakami have lived with salmon. You can easily come across that salted salmons are hanged from the eaves along the streets.
There are several fish shops in the town which specialize in salmon and its products. Webmaster visited Kikkawa, one of those fish shops, to which it takes about 20 minutes on foot from the station.
Hundreds of salmons are hanged from the ceilings in the house.
And the shop is full of salmon products of many kinds.
Webmaster bought three kinds of salmon products there. Those are sakabitashi (well matured half-dried salmon), shiobiki (lightly-salted and matured salmon), and salmon skin.
Sakabitashi is a specialty of Murakami, which is lightly-salted salmon hanged, dried naturally and matured for more than half a year. It’s a little hard but taste very nice. Those which Webmaster bought were sliced and vacuum packed. It looks like beef jerky, doesn’t it?
Webmaster took lunch at Izutsuya which is a specialty restaurant of salmon. It takes also about 20 minutes on foot from the station.
https://www.murakamiidutsuya.com/ (Japanese)
He ordered a course meal with salmon products of seven kinds. Those are Salmon sushi, sakabitashi, shiobiki, dried salmon skin, yakizuke (grilled salmon dipped in stock), kabutoni (well boiled salmon head), harako (salmon roe).
Firstly, Salmon sushi and sakabitashi were served. Webmaster had eaten before taking photos as usual. Sorry…
Then, shiobiki and dried salmon skin were served. The guests are asked to grill them on a small charcoal stove by themselves. It’s enjoyable! Of course it’s good to go with sake (Japanese rice wine).
Then, the other plate with the rest of three salmon dishes came. All of them were very delicious.
It was the day of salmon for Webmaster!
If you have a chance to go to Murakami City, don’t miss to visit salmon fish shops and salmon restaurants.
(The photos of one hundred salmon dishes.)
End.