Shizuoka's food cultureKnow

Minamiizu Town is located in the eastern part of Shizuoka Prefecture, at the southernmost tip of the Izu Peninsula. The town's steep coastline, exemplified by the scenic Cape Irozaki, and complex rocky reefs create high-quality fishing grounds, making it a place blessed with an abundance of seafood. Among these, spiny lobster is one of the town's most iconic seafood, boasting one of the highest catches in the country and hosting the "Spiny Lobster Festival" every autumn. Having heard of a local dish that allows you to fully enjoy the charms of spiny lobster, I immediately set off to check it out.

The Koura district has long flourished as a port waiting for favorable winds, and is home to Shogun Nabe, a local dish that has been passed down in Minamiizu Town since the Edo period. This hot pot, beloved by locals, is still passed down today as a taste unique to Minamiizu.

One of the places where you can enjoy Shogun Nabe is Minshuku Isuzu Hamaso. This inn has been in business for over 60 years since 41, and is bustling with guests who enjoy diving and fishing. While dishes made with local fish are popular, it is the Shogun Nabe that many guests come to try.

"During the Edo period, when the 14th shogun, Tokugawa Iemochi, docked at the port of Koura to avoid strong winds, young men entered the cold winter sea to pull in nets and present him with a miso-based hot pot of spiny lobsters and turban shells. Since then, the dish has been known as 'Shogun Nabe' and has become a familiar name in the area."

That is what he says,3Kobayashi Noritoshi, the head chef of the restaurant, has been helping out in the kitchen since he was a child, and he remembers serving Shogun Nabe from that time on.

The recipe for Isuzu Hamaso's "Shogun Nabe" has remained unchanged since the first restaurant was established. In addition to the main ingredient of spiny lobster, the ingredients include freshly caught local fish such as grouper, rockfish, and parrotfish, as well as local turban shells and vegetables.

The soup is made by dissolving miso in bonito stock and adding mirin. A small amount of red wine is added to add flavor, which is a unique feature of the Isuzu Hamaso recipe.

"We purchase live spiny lobsters. The size is300About a gram is just right for making a hot pot. First, you put the spiny lobster in the pot to make the broth, but it's dangerous if it jumps around, so you put it in after it's cooled down."

The Shogun Nabe, which contains a whole spiny lobster, looks spectacular. The bright red color of the boiled lobster is sure to whet your appetite.

Add the vegetables and cook until done. Taking a sip of the soup, you'll notice that the lobster stock is more intense than you'd expect, with a rich, full-bodied flavor that seeps into your tongue. Peeling the lobster's shell and eating the meat, you'll find it has a plump texture. The natural sweetness spreads throughout your mouth, blending perfectly with the miso-based soup.

"Perhaps because they eat an abundance of shellfish and seaweed, the spiny lobsters of Minami Izu have little odor and are very sweet. People who have tried our 'Shogun Nabe' are delighted, saying, 'Just as the name suggests, it makes you feel like a Shogun in a luxurious pot,'" says proprietress Kobayashi Yuko.

 In addition to the Shogun Nabe, Isuzu Hamaso offers a variety of spiny lobster dishes, including Onigarayaki, in which the lobster is cut in half and grilled with sauce, Gusokuni, in which the lobster is simmered in a sweet sauce, as well as sashimi and boiled lobster.

Spiny lobster fishing is carried out in9from mid-month5It will be available until mid-May. If you want to try Shogun Nabe, be sure to visit Minami Izu during this period.

The general public can also purchase spiny lobsters from Minamiizu. At a direct sales store located right next to the Minamiizu branch of the Izu Fisheries Cooperative Association, live spiny lobsters caught at the port in front of the store are sold.

 "The fishermen belonging to the Minamiizu branch are approximately120They fish for spiny lobsters using gill nets.5~10The nets are set up at a distance of 100 meters for about half a day, but the time varies depending on the fisherman. A special hook-shaped tool is used to remove the caught spiny lobsters from the net, but the work is done quickly to avoid damaging them, as removing their legs reduces their market value. Spiny lobsters that are too large are cheaper because they are difficult to handle, but there is no difference in taste. If they are packaged properly, they will stay alive and healthy even if they are transported as far as Tokyo, so you can enjoy fresh spiny lobsters," says Tsuchiya of the Minamiizu branch office.

The annual catch of spiny lobsters in Minamiizu is about7Due to the influence of the Kuroshio Current,21At the peak of the year15%However, with the end of the Kuroshio Current's large meander, there is hope that the resource will recover in the future.

As the weather gets colder, it will be the season for delicious hotpots. Why not visit Minami Izu in winter and enjoy some Shogun Nabe?