Yaizu City is the most famous Bonito/Katsuo fishing harbor city in Japan!
Japan is increasingly becoming known all over the world for its gastronomy and more recently for its unequaled manhole covers. Shizuoka prefecture is no exception when it comes to either, or even better, to a combination of the two!
Shizuoka Prefecture has a lot to offer when it comes to gastronomy and is certainly above all when it comes to variety, be it vegetables, fruit or meat when it comes to land and a bounty of seafood when it comes to sea!
Yaizu City has no less than three different manhole covers depicting Katsuo/Bonito for the simple reason it is the most important fishing harbor in Japan as far as bonito is concerned!
Hirame/Soles or Flounders in Hamamatsu City!
But when it comes to seafood, Yaizu City is only a portion of it all!
Come to Hamamatsu City for example. They managed to make a pun out of their own manhole covers! In Sakana, an area in downtown Hamamatsu City they have no less than four covers representing fish because “sakana” written with a different kanji/Japanese character means “fish”!
“Tara” or Cod!
Another “Hirame”/sole or Flounder!
And “Maguro”/Tuna!
Shall we continue with seafood?
Hatsushima Island is one of the few islands administered by Shizuoka Prefecture. It can be easily reached by ferry boat from Atami City.
It is celebrated for its “Iseebi”/Spiny lobster and “Sazae”/Turbo shell!
Izu Inatori fishing harbor in south west Izu Peninsula is celebrated all over Japan for its “Kinmedai”/Splendid Alfonsino!
At the very tip of Izu Peninsula Minami Izu is also proud of its “Iseebi”?Spiny lobsters!
Heda, in North eastern Izu Peninsula, now part of Numazu City, is known for “Takahashigani”/Japanese Giant Crab, the largest crab in the World!
And to conclude with seafoods one must visit Yui, Shimizu Ward, Shizuoka City, known all over japan for its “Sakuarebi”/Cherry Shrimps. Actually there two more tiny covers depicting this little gastronomic treasure!
It is about time to switch to land products, and one cannot overlook green tea! Introduced to Shizuoka Prefecture more than 800 years ago, we are still the biggest producer in Japan. Interestingly enough, covers depicting tea are to be found only (that is, for the present!) in Kikugawa City with two different types, one of them representing the “Cha Musume”/Tea leaves handpicking girl/lady!
Shizuoka Prefecture is also renown for its strawberries and one can find them on covers in Nirayama, Izu City, also famous for World Heritage Hansharo and its beautiful views of Mount Fuji!
Hamamatsu City is not only famous for its fish, eels in particular, or oysters, but also for its oranges to be found in Mikkabi!
And we can conclude (that is, for the moment, as there must be others to come in the future, what with the booming tourism!) with a lesser known piece of gastronomy: back to the beginning of the 17th Century when Shogun Tokugawa Ieayasu retired to Sumpu (present Shizuoka City) he discovered “nasu”/egg plants exclusively grown in the Orito area (prensently Shimizu Ward, Shizuoka City) and grew so fond of them that he awarded them the appellation of “Orito Nasu”/Orito eggplants. These are still grown there and are a rare vegetable searched by all sorts of renown chefs!
Can you see it at the bottom right of the manhole cover?
Good search and bon appetit!
RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES
So Good Sushi Restaurant in Nice France
Navigating Nagoya by Paige, Shop with Intent by Debbie, BULA KANA in Fiji, Kraemer’s Culinary blog by Frank Kraemer in New York,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, Pie
rre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, 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, Hapabento, Kitchen Cow, Lunch In A Box, Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Ohayo Bento,
Must-see tasting websites:
-Sake: Ichi For The Michi by Rebekah Wilson-Lye in Tokyo, Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Another Pint, Please!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in Kansai by Nevitt Reagan!
ABRACADABREW, Magical Craftbeer from Japan
-Whisky: Nonjatta: All about whisky in Japan by Stefan Van Eycken
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery
Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents
SHIZUOKA GOURMET 