Tag Archives: Cherry Shrimps

Sakura Ebi/Cherry Shrimps Catching in Yui. Still Hard Work!

Large painting of a sakura shrimp at the Yui Harbor Fisheries Association Building in Yui, Aoi Ku, Shizuoka City

Yui fishermen will tell you that life has become a lot easier with the advent of technology including motorised boats, radar, radio, machine-cotrolled nets and syphons, but they agree it is still a toil to go out every evening during the two seasons in Spring and Autumn.
Now, how hard was it not so long ago?

pulling the nets by hand!

Now, if you stroll along the street running along the shore of Yui, you will discover some vending machines adorned with copies of all paintings on the life of Yui Cherry Shrimps Fishermen which will give you a good idea of the hard toil local fishermen had to go through!

Pulling up the nets full of sakura shrimp.
It has always been a team work!

Pulling the boats to shore by hand!

Unloading the baskets full of Cherry shrimps.
The fishermen used to spend half of the night separating the shrimps from small fish.
Only ten years they started syphoning up the shrimps directly from the nets inti the the boxes.
A lot of damage to the quality as they dropped baskets inside the nets and shoveled their contents into boxes.
Now the job is far more efficiently done with very little damage.

Every morning after the cheery shrimps had been sorted out the fishermen had to auction their catch.
Now it is all taken care of by the Association and fishermen can hit the sack after midnight!

in the old days, fishermen gathered around food and drink before sleeping in daytime!
Now, they can sleep between midnight and noon!

Now the habor is completely walled in and the ships do not have to pulled upshore everyday except during the off seasons when they are being scrapped and repaired.

And now the Association is taking care of allotting the departure times and destinations everyday!

If you happen to be in Yui make a point to visit the new Yui Harbor fisheries Association Building where you will discover some interesting photographs!

It is located the new part of the harbor!

People there are shy but I’m sure you will find an old hand willing to relate old times!
All these pictures were taken back in 1963!

Pulling the boats upshore!

Unloading the Cherry shrimps!

Boats coming back to harbor!

Unloading the catch!

Blood, sweat and tears!

Traditional Fisherman’s gear!
Now they wear what they want under waterproof overalls and boots!

The beavhes have now been replaced with a safe harbor!

But for all the great improvements my old samurai friend will be the first to tell you this is still bleedin’ hard work!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Tokyo Food File by Robbie Swinnerton, Green Tea Club by Satoshi Nihonyanagi in Shizuoka!, Mind Some by Tina in Taiwan, Le Manger by Camille Oger (French), The Indian Tourist, Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India, Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London, Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, 47 Japanese Farms Through The Eyes of Its Rural Communities, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
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Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Good Beer & Country Boys, Another Pint, Please!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in kanzai by Nevitt Reagan!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

Shizuoka Oden Fair 2012! Sunday 12th!

Men at work!

Sunday 12th saw a bright day with big crowds in Shizuoka City and it was quite a feat to take pictures in that bustle!

Sakura ebi/Cherry shrimps Yakisoba!

This time I started with the side streets of Koya Machi, Gofuku Cho and Shichiken Cho before a last round in Aoba Square and Aoba Koen/Park!

Famous croquettes from Mishima City!

The oden stand of the most famous kamaboko/steamed fish paste shop in Shizuoka City!

The oden stand of Tokaiken, the largest bento shop in town!

Yuujin Izakaya Oden!

Lunch time for many families in Gofuku Cho!

A popular tebasaki/手羽先/Chicken wings stand!

Comfort food for the cold weather!

Shizuoka Young Meat producers Association oden stand!

Oden stand of Ogawa, one of the most famous oden restaurant in town!

Mirukusanbu Izakaya oden stand!

More families gathering for lunch in Shichiken Cho near the Isetan Department Store!

Akai Izakaya oden stand!

Setsuko Oden Izakaya oden stand!

The city had provided plenty of trash bins and kept cleaning up the place at all times!

Back in Aoba Koen the street was even more crowded!

Plenty of wardens to take care of the crossing traffic!

It was just impossible to take pictures inside Aoba Square behind the Shizuoka City Hall!

Some serious drinking even at lunch time!

Any place would do for eating (and drinking!)!

Even plenty of beef (and beer!) was available!

The Shizuoka specialty: Sakura Ebi Kakiage/Cherry Shrimps Tempura!

See you again there next year!

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47 Japanese Farms Through The Eyes of Its Rural Communities, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Cooking Cute, Timeless Gourmet, Bento Bug, Ideal Meal, Bentosaurus, Mr. Foodie (London/UK), Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Good Beer & Country Boys, Another Pint, Please!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

Sakura Ebi/Cherry Shrimps: Catching Season Opened in Yui!

The Sakura Ebi Gate just outside Yui JR Station!

The sakura ebi/cherry shrimps catching season was finally opened on April 6th with some delay!

Sakura ebi and Shirasu Shop

Son Thursday April 7th I went to Yui to see the fishermen leave on their second day of fishing.
I came a bit too early (14:00) but nonetheless took my time and observe things at ease.
Once you get off at Yui JR Station, get out and turn left. You will see the Sakura Ebi Gate opening the way to the harbor and the Eastern part of the Village.

The street is actually called Yui Sakura Ebi Street/由比桜えび通り!

The entrance to the harbor is almost concealed. Make sure you don’t miss it!

Not easy to notice as the entrance is under the railway track!

Mind you head!

What’s that map under the sign saying to look out for earthquakes and tsunamis?

Four destinations. The ships will run there in shifts and teams. Each group is assigned 8 bags of ice.

All ships leaving port at 5:30 p.m. sharp.
They will be catching sakura ebi between 10:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. before being back at around 10:00 a.m.

Ships still at anchor and nobody to be seen around…

This gave me chance to have a closer look!

The ship’s name means “Great Luck”!

Yui is not all about sakura ebi.
Having plenty of time on hand I took a stroll through the Village.
A beautiful little Japanese cake shop!

But we know what that shop sells!

They also catch all kinds of fish in the Suruga Bay. A lot are dried to become succulent himono/干物!

Yui is also famous for its citruses.
Organic oranges!

Most of those vegetables are locally grown!

When I came back around 4:00 p.m. the fishermen started arriving.

Boarding the ships.

One shipman on each boat will sprinkle different part with salt and Japanese sake every day for good luck!

This is all team work and the fishermen enjoy sharing a word before leaving. The only time of the day they can really socialize!

Official visit from the city hall. The fishermen are not really bothered…

I knew you were going to ask: these are the toilets!

All ships are powered by Yanmar Diesel engines.

This is night only fishing when the sakura ebi come up from the deep. Plenty of lights needed!

Antennae and flashing lights for mutual recognition.

Very powerful lights!

The next morning each catch will be weighed on named scales.

The actual sales will take place there.
I’m planning to witness those soon!

The crews (6 to each ship) are slowly getting ready.

The grilles protecting the propellers are hoisted up.

Each ship is equipped with a stove and chimney to heat water for hot drinks on cold and long nights!

Starting putting on protective gear.

The pilots are all the veterans of each team. These two are 75 years old!

Big wheels for such fine nets!

Not all ships are equipped with nets. Instead they have syphons for an easy and careful haul of the shrimps. Don’t forget all is done in teams!

Almost 5:30 p.m.!

Here they go!

Good luck guys, and great catch to you all!

Next, I will pay them a visit in the morning!

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Warren Bobrow, Bread + Butter, Zoy Zhang, Hungry Neko, Think Twice, Frank Fariello, Mangantayon, Hapabento, Elinluv Tidbit Corner, Tokyo Terrace, Maison de Christina, Chrys Niles,Lexi, Culinary Musings, Wheeling Gourmet, Comestiblog, Chronicles Of A Curious Cook, Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Palate To Pen, Yellin Yakimono Gallery, Tokyo Terrace, Hilah Cooking, More than a Mount Full, Arkonite Bento, Happy Little Bento; 5 Star Foodie; Jefferson’s Table; Oyster Culture; Gourmet Fury; Island Vittles; Good Beer & Country Boys; Rubber Slippers In Italy; Color Food daidokoro/Osaka;/a; The Witchy Kitchen; Citron Et Vanille, Lunsj Med Buffet/Estonian Gastronomy (English), Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Chrisoscope, Agrigraph, The Agriculture Portal to shizuoka!

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