Hiroshima and Miyagi prefectures are well-known for producing oysters, but at the Toyosu Market in Tokyo, Maruten Suisan of Rikuzentakata City, Iwate Prefecture, has won Japan’s top first-round competition in consecutive years since 2017 for its oysters in the shell. The company’s oysters are “three-year-old” oysters, which take three years to grow, and are highly valued for their size and flavor.

Grown in Hirota Bay, which is rich in nutrients and has excellent water quality

The Sanriku coast is considered one of the three best fishing grounds in the world, where warm and cold currents collide and attract many fish. Hirota Bay in Rikuzentakata City, where Marten Suisan is located, is part of this area, and the phytoplankton contained in the fallen leaves of the surrounding mountains flows into the sea through the underground water and the Kesen River, making it a rich fishing ground. Furthermore, there are no industrial areas in the surrounding area, and unlike urban areas, the amount of wastewater from daily life is low, making the water quality excellent. In addition, the bay’s calm waves have long been a source of seaweed, scallops, oysters, and other fish.

Local Kesen cedar is used for cultivation rafts.

There are two main types of oysters widely distributed in Japan: oysters and rock oysters. The former is in season in winter, and most of them are cultivated. The latter, on the other hand, is in season during the summer, and is available both cultured and wild, with the Sea of Japan being the main production area.

There are several methods of cultivating oysters, but Marten Suisan cultivates oysters using the “raft method,” in which oyster larvae, or baby oysters, are tied to a rope and suspended from a floating raft on the sea. Oyster seeds are purchased from Miyagi Prefecture. The oyster seeds are purchased from Miyagi Prefecture, because the oyster farmers need a shallow water environment in order to collect the seeds in the sea, which is difficult to do in Miyagi Prefecture, and Miyagi Prefecture meets the requirements. The rafts are also made of local Kesen cedar. The first cedar used for the rafts was one that grew in the surrounding mountains, and it has been used to this day because of its sturdiness.

The secret of the oysters’ high reputation is their “3-year-old” size, body, and flavor.

Generally, most oyster producers grow oysters for one or two years before shipping them out, but Marten Fisheries ships “3-year-old” oysters that have been grown for three years. Originally, like other oyster producers, “one- to two-year-old” oysters were shipped to the market, but at the end of the Showa period, Mr. Sasaki’s father and other producers of the same generation decided to grow oysters for three years in order to differentiate and brand them. Currently, there are 10 oyster producers in Hirota Bay, and four of them, including Mr. Sasaki, have taken over the business. The three-year-old oysters with shells that Mr. Sasaki ships come in three sizes (SML, L, and L), with the large size overflowing the palm of an adult man’s hand. Moreover, because the meat inside is large and tasty, they have won the top prize in Japan at the Toyosu Market’s first auction since 2017. They are also well-received by the restaurants to which they sell directly, and orders are increasing every year.

We want to handle “3-year products,” even if it is risky.

However, there are risks involved in producing three-year products. Since the fish are raised in the sea for a longer period of time, there is a higher probability that they will fall from the rafts or ropes during the time they are in the sea. Even with this risk, the market price is almost the same as for two-year-old fish. Even so, Mr. Sasaki insists on raising three-year-old fish because he does not want to waste the efforts of his parents’ generation, and also because he wants to meet the demands of restaurants that repeatedly order his fish.

Innovations to improve the meat content

As mentioned above, Mr. Sasaki’s three-year-old oysters with shells are highly valued because not only the shells but also the meat is large and tasty. The secret lies in the process of removing the oysters one by one from the rope, putting them in a net, and submerging them in the sea just before shipment. The oysters are then submerged in the sea for a month while the temperature of the sea water drops daily, which makes the meat bigger, whiter, and firmer.

Unlike peeled oysters, where you can tell the size of the oyster at a glance, the meat of oysters in the shell is not always clear whether it has grown well inside the shell or not, and there is always a chance of being wrong. For example, when a restaurant opens the oyster shell and offers it to a customer, if the oyster is small, the customer will be embarrassed, but if it is large, the restaurant will trust the oyster, which will lead to the next order. That is why we do this work as a ‘finishing touch before shipping’ to ensure that there are as few ‘outliers’ as possible,” says Sasaki. In fact, in western Japan, such as Hiroshima Prefecture, the fish is shipped by the kilogram, so the size of the fish can be estimated by weight. Reducing the probability of such a situation as much as possible is the key to gaining the trust of customers.

There are other ways to grow the body size. These are “thinning” of the young clams and “hot water treatment,” in which the clams are submerged in 75°C water for 30 seconds on the boat in the summer. By thinning out the oysters, the remaining oysters are able to consume plenty of nutrients from the sea, and the hot water treatment also removes seaweed, barnacles, and other attached matter from the shells. This prevents wakame seaweed and barnacles on the shell from taking away the nutrients in the sea that the oyster needs for growth.

Incidentally, because oysters have thick shells and are highly sealed, they will survive even if they are submerged in hot water at the temperature and for the time mentioned above.

Steamed oysters are recommended in addition to raw oysters

Mr. Sasaki’s oysters are also highly regarded for their flavor. In general, oysters from Sanriku have a higher salt content than those from western Japan or Hokkaido, and the more you bite into them, the sweeter they taste. Mr. Sasaki’s oysters are no exception to this rule, and their firm flesh gives them a crispy texture when eaten raw. On the other hand, Mr. Sasaki also recommends steaming the oysters for those who are not used to eating oysters, such as children. It is said to soften the flavor of the sea and increase the sweetness.

Direct sales to increase value-added and prices

In addition to restaurants, Marten Suisan also focuses on direct sales to individuals. As mentioned earlier, the price of three-year-old oysters is almost the same as that of two-year-old oysters, so the company aims to add value and increase the price of three-year-old oysters by selling them directly. Oysters are alive until they are shucked, so the shucked oysters that arrive at the store or home are still alive and fresh. I want people to taste the oysters in their best condition,” says Sasaki. It is difficult for those who are not accustomed to handling oysters in the shell to open them, but for those who wish to use an oyster opener (a special knife), which is available for a fee for direct sales, they can experience the milky taste and crispy texture of oyster meat that was alive until just before the oyster was delivered.

Many oyster producers in Rikuzentakata, including the company, do not engage in sea urchin fishing in summer or abalone fishing in winter, but specialize in oysters. That is why they are thinking about “how to grow good quality oysters” all year round and putting their efforts into oyster production. In fact, peeled oysters from Rikuzentakata are sold at the highest unit price in Japan at the Toyosu Market, and one can imagine that the efforts of these producers are behind this. The brand power of Rikuzentakata’s oysters is sure to grow even stronger.

The post Maruten Suisan” won the highest evaluation in Japan for its “3-year-old” oysters with large, flavorful shells / Rikuzentakata City, Iwate Prefecture. first appeared on NIHONMONO.

Abalone is known as a high-end shellfish. In Iwate Prefecture, which boasts the largest catch of abalone in Japan, Gensho Ei Kitanihon Suisan has been engaged in land-based aquaculture for more than 40 years. The abalone, which is cultivated by devising unique water and feed, is named “Sanriku Jade Abalone” and branded as such. The abalone is characterized as “thick, tender, and tasty right down to the liver,” and has been well received by chefs and consumers.

Both natural and dried abalone are available. Iwate is famous for abalone

Abalone is a type of mollusk, of which there are about 70 species in the world. They are characterized by their crispy texture and are especially suitable for eating raw.

Iwate Prefecture, where Ezo abalone are caught, boasts the largest catch of wild abalone in Japan. The abalone grows slowly when the sea water temperature is low, but in the Sanriku region of Iwate Prefecture, the warm Oyashio Current flows in and stimulates the growth of the abalone, there is an abundance of seaweed such as kelp and wakame (seaweed is the food for abalone), and the fishing season is limited to two months from November to December to protect resources. Incidentally, since the Edo period, abalone caught in Yoshihama, Sanriku-cho, Ofunato City, in the prefecture had been dried and exported to China as “kippin-kampo” (dried abalone). In the Meiji period (1868-1912), the production method was improved, and the abalone was regarded as the world’s best quality in China.

Land-based aquaculture cultivates abalone with quality that rivals that of natural abalone.

Founded in 1982, Motoshoei Kitanihon Suisan is engaged in land-based cultivation of abalone in Ofunato City, which has long been famous for its abalone production. Katsuhiro Furukawa, a local fisherman, originally took up the challenge of land-based abalone aquaculture because he was concerned that the catch of natural abalone was declining year by year. The cultivation method was a matter of trial and error, and even if he tried the same method as the previous year, the abalone did not grow in the same way. Furthermore, even after finally establishing the aquaculture method, it was difficult to brand the product and differentiate it from natural products, and the product did not sell as well as expected. The turning point came when he received support from a private organization that assists companies in the six Tohoku prefectures and Niigata Prefecture. After the Great East Japan Earthquake of 2011, the business has been taken over by his son, President Toshihiro, and grandson, Sales Manager Shota, who produce 1.2 to 1.3 million pieces per year. They produce 1.2 to 1.3 million pieces per year. The company produces 1.2 to 1.3 million pieces per year, which is said to be one of the highest production volumes for land-based aquaculture in Japan.

Why are abalone soft and tasty right down to the liver?

There are two ways of cultivating abalone: “sea cultivation,” in which abalone are raised in fishponds at sea, and “land cultivation,” in which abalone are raised in facilities on land. The former is the most common method in Japan because it is less expensive in terms of equipment and technology, but there is a risk of natural disasters such as typhoons and theft. The latter, on the other hand, is more costly in terms of equipment, etc., but the growing environment, including water quality and feed, can be controlled, and stable production is possible throughout the year. Shota explains the advantages of land-based aquaculture, “In particular, the fact that we know the history of the feed should give consumers peace of mind.

One of the key points of the company’s land-based aquaculture is that the fish are raised in “seawater that percolates underground. This is seawater that passes through the sandy layer of the seafloor, which acts as a “filtration system” to purify the water. The company pumps this water up, filters it further, and then spills it into aquaculture tanks 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, so the tanks are always filled with fresh water and are clean. When abalone eat food, they take in sand and dirt, which accumulate in their livers, but the water in the company’s tanks is clean and free of sand, which is why Sanriku Jade Abalone is “delicious right down to the liver.

Also, when abalone grow up in the ocean with currents, they are more active, their muscles develop, and their meat becomes tough. This is the reason why Sanriku jade abalone are described as “softer than natural ones.

Seaweed pigments give the shells a beautiful jade color.

The second key point is the bait. In addition to seaweed, mainly kelp, the company also feeds the fish artificial feed in the form of pellets made from Japanese kelp powder, white fish powder, and other ingredients. Because most of the abalone currently available in Japan is produced in South Korea, Motomasauei Kitanihon Fisheries believes that, as long as it claims to be domestically produced, it should focus on high quality rather than production volume first. Believing that the quality of the abalone is directly related to the quality of the feed, the company uses completely additive-free feed to which no antibiotics or other substances are added. This resulted in abalone that are thick, tasty, and free of any unpleasant taste. Incidentally, the beautiful jade green color of the abalone’s shell, which is the origin of its name, is due to the coloring of the abundant kelp that is fed to the abalone. It is clearly different from natural abalone, which eat a variety of seaweed and have difficulty producing a green color in their shells. “Individual customers are pleased with the beauty and appearance of this product,” Shota proudly states.

Integrated production with in-house breeding and hatching

While many abalone farmers raise abalone from young, the company is unique in its integrated production process, in which it breeds and hatches abalone in-house. After hatching, the abalone are raised in a container with a “corrugated plate” with seaweed on it until they reach 7mm in length, after which they are kept in an aquarium and fed the aforementioned artificial feed. Although there are individual differences, abalone grow to 3 to 4 cm in one year, 5 to 6 cm in two years, 7 to 8 cm in three years, and 9 cm in four years. Incidentally, it takes five years for a natural abalone to grow to 7 cm, the size of an adult edible abalone, while the company’s abalone grows at a faster rate of three years. The main reason for this is that the company selects fast-growing abalone for breeding. Abalone that resemble their parents also grow fast, so even though they are not given growth hormones, they grow quickly. Furthermore, the company sells half of the 2 million larvae it hatches to local fishermen. The fishermen release them into the ocean and harvest the mature ones, thus helping to conserve resources.

The company’s main product is a three-year old abalone that measures 7 to 8 centimeters, but some customers want a different size, so the company sells the desired size in the desired quantity. Shota says that 90% of the abalone is shipped fresh to restaurants and hotels, and the rest is processed into “steam-frozen products” and shipped mainly to private customers.

Undeterred by forest fires, the company is working to revive the industry.

The rise in seawater temperature due to global warming over the past few years has made it easier for bacteria to proliferate in seawater, and the company is considering installing sterilization equipment and switching to “closed-circulation land aquaculture” to prevent abalone diseases caused by bacteria. The “closed-circulation land-based aquaculture” is a method of raising abalone by circulating artificial seawater in a tank, and has been under research and development for the past five years in cooperation with a major general contractor. This method eliminates the use of seawater containing bacteria and is also environmentally friendly since the water in the tank is no longer discharged into the sea by “pouring” it over the tank.

Just as such a new experiment was being planned, a forest fire in Ofunato City destroyed part of the company’s facilities in March of this year, wiping out the approximately 2.5 million abalone in the tank. The damage amounted to approximately 500 million yen. Even if the company resumes aquaculture with new equipment, it will take three years to grow the few remaining juvenile clams to a size where they can be shipped, and there will be no income during that time. Nevertheless, both Suehiro and Shota have not given up for the sake of their employees, customers, and the local community, and have even taken on the challenge of crowdfunding to rebuild their business. We will continue to wait and believe that the day will come when Sanriku jade abalone will once again be available on the market.

The post Sanriku Jade Abalone” is thick, tender, and tasty right down to the liver, produced by land-based aquaculture. Motoshoei Kitanihon Sanriku Fisheries / Ofunato City, Iwate Prefecture first appeared on NIHONMONO.