Located in a large bay, the port town of Sutsu Town, Hokkaido, Japan. In this issue, we will introduce Kotobuki oysters, the pride of the town! We will also introduce the reason why they are so tasty, and the convenient "Kotobuki MAP" for purchasing oysters in the town. We also asked a store owner to tell us more about the oysters.

Spring in Kotobuki is full of delicious seafood such as konago (young sardines) and sakura-masu (cherry salmon). Among all the seafood, we must not forget the brand name "Kotobuki Oyster". Kotobuki oysters are usually available from late April to August, which is almost the opposite of the season for oysters, which are generally associated with winter.

The true oyster is in its spawning season in the summer, so its meat is thin after spawning. Kotobuki oysters, on the other hand, store nutrients from summer to winter, and are at their peak of deliciousness from spring to summer.

Why are Kotobuki oysters so tasty in spring, unlike other oysters? The secret is "melted snow water. Every spring, melted snow from the mountains flows into the Shuta River that runs through the town.

The minerals abundantly contained in this melted snow water are a source of nutrients for plankton, which are essential for oysters to grow. The excellent oyster that grows by eating plenty of plankton full of nutrients multiplied by minerals is the Kotobuki oyster.

In search of Kotobuki oysters, I went to the town of Kotobuki! But where can you buy them? In such a case, "Jukaki MAP", a list of 10 stores in the town that sell Jukaki, is useful. The Jukaki MAP is available at the roadside station "Minatomare Jutto" in Juto-cho and other places.

We interviewed Mr. Tetsu Yonezawa, the third-generation owner of Family Shop Yonezawa, a family-run business that has been in business for more than 60 years.

This year, we were worried about the lack of melted snow, but we were surprised to find that the catch was more than we had expected! We have fresh Kotobuki oysters ranging from 2-year old "small" to 5-year old "extra large" waiting for you!

When I asked to open a "extra large" Kotobuki oyster to try it, I was surprised to see a large, shiny, and plump piece of meat! Kotobuki oysters are described as having a light, unctuous flavor. When you bite into a raw oyster, the more you chew, the more the flavor and sweetness spreads in your mouth. ...... This is a must-try item at the local restaurant.

Mr. Yonezawa works with the town of Atsugishi-cho, the oyster capital of the east, and during the Kotobuki oyster closed season, he purchases brand oysters from Atsugishi, such as "Kaki-emon" and "Maruemon," to supplement each other's marine products. In addition, they promote the charms of Kotobuki through drone photography and YouTube distribution, so please check them out as well.

Why not take a drive to Sutsu Town to try the miraculous "Kotobuki Oyster," which can only be enjoyed from late April to August?