Ebi Sakura - the wanted gem of the ocean at spring in Japan

The Japanese spring begins with the pink shade from Sakura flowers and new year’s celebration ceremonies. Once every year, Hanami culture comes up, people would drink tea and enjoy the beauty of nature while having their seasonal dishes. After the cold winter, the energy comes again with a breath of the ocean together with the best spring dishes from Japan, the spring is shown not only by their appearances, but also in their taste.  

Houbou - the pink spring from the fish

Houbou is a rare fish that belongs to the high-quality white fish type. The fish fillet has a slight pink touch together with their beautiful fins that spread like wings.  

Houbou Sugata Zukuri: Fish fillets decorated with their beautiful frame and their wings spread out like blooming flowers 

At Edo times, this dish is considered the ingredient for wealthy people, it is because of their glamorous look, their fresh taste and only available at the most beautiful springtime of the year. 

Houbou Usuzukuri: Thin cut fillet that goes very well with sour Ponzu sauce, sliced radish mixed with chili powder and 

finely chopped onion.

Nowadays, Houbou lives and grows in warm water places that have hot water flow, for examples, Fukuoka beach (south of Japan). The fishes have a breeding season at the same time with the blooming season of Sakura, that’s why the pink of the fishes remind people of the pink shade of the spring flowers.  

Hotaru Ika - firefly squid that lit themselves up

To live up to their label, this squid can light themselves up by their body parts, such as tentacles and eyes. Japanese people have a saying “When the spring comes and you get to enjoy the firefly squid, you can feel that the spring has arrived everywhere, guaranteed.”  

The firefly squid reproductive season is from March to May, and their living habitat has to be from 200 to 300m depth, they only float around the surface and come close to the shore around midnight to lay eggs. That is also the time the squid can show their ability of lighting themselves up, which makes the Toyama shore become so beautiful like a milky way.  

Everytime the spring comes, Toyama coast of Japan becomes so mysteriously beautiful by the shimmering light of millions of species that can light up themselves at night. That was why Hotaru Ika- the small squids that have special abilities is the traditional spring dish.  

Hotaru Ika: steamed squid served with Sumiso sauce is the traditional dish you must eat when the spring comes.

Magaki - liquor of the ocean, familiar but new for the “foodies”  

The first impression about Magaki is their stomach, they can absorb lots of nutrients from the Hokkaido ocean so they are always full and around, they’re very sweet and have a great taste as well as aroma. That is why Magaki oysters are compared to being the “liquor of the ocean”, the oysters are very filled and round with a milky and fuller taste, it is at their best taste when harvested in fall season.  

Enjoy the purest flavor of Magaki Sashimi

Magaki Cheese Yaki: Oyster grilled with fatty Cheese sauce

Magaki Miso Yaki: Oyster grilled with Miso sauce

Sakura Ebi - the ocean gem that brings the spring just by its name

Small but nutritious, Sakura shrimps have a firm meat texture and a tad of sweetness with a fresh aroma. Through processing, Sakura Ebi will release a unique umami taste that the longer you chew, the better and the sweeter the taste is.  

Sakura Ebi Kakiage: Soft shrimp in the crunchy cover

The shell has an iridescent shade of orange and red, which gives gorgeous appearances, that was why Japanese people called them the gem of the ocean. Every spring, a shrimp celebration will be held at the Yui harbor, the purpose of this event is to show gratitude to nature for the amount of shrimps that they have harvested, moreover, to enjoy this great dish together. 

Sakura Ebi Don: Soft Japanese rice combined with Sakura shrimp

In the menu “What's the delicious dish in this season?”, which are served at all of our Sushi Hokkaido Sachi restaurant chains. Let’s enjoy this Japanese spring with our seasonal dishes that are only available once per year.