Autumn is the season of reading, sports, and appetite! Autumn in Hokkaido brings vegetables, fruits, seafood, and other delicious local delicacies to the dinner table. In this issue, we will introduce some of the fish caught in Hokkaido's waters that are in season in autumn!

1. "Sanma" is the most popular autumn delicacy in Hokkaido.

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The best autumn delicacy in Hokkaido is the sanma, or Pacific saury! When in season, the fish is fatty and tastes great as sashimi as well as grilled fish. Although it was cancelled this year, Nemuro City, which has the largest catch of Pacific saury in Japan, usually holds the "Nemuro Sanma Festival," where visitors can enjoy the fatty saury called "Toro Sanma" (fatty saury).

2. "Shishamo," a fish that can only be caught in parts of Hokkaido

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Many people in Hokkaido have grilled shishamo on the stove top! Shishamo are mainly dried and grilled, but they can only be found in parts of southern Hokkaido. Shishamo with eggs are called "baby shishamo," and you can enjoy their plump meat and chewy texture!

3. In Hokkaido, you can also make musuko at home! Aki-Salmon

Salmon is a representative fish of Hokkaido. Salmon caught between September and October are called "autumn salmon", and both the meat and roe are very tasty! In the fall, salmon roe is sold at supermarkets in Hokkaido, and some people make salmon roe at home. This fish is also used in many local dishes, such as "chanchan-yaki," a Hokkaido specialty seasoned with vegetables and miso, and "Ishikari nabe," a hot pot containing a large portion of salmon.

4. Sushi with soy sauce or sweet sauce is excellent "Aki-shako

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Caught in the fall, the "autumn shako" has a thick, pre-mature meat that is full of nutrients. It is also recommended to eat it with soy sauce or sweet sauce on sushi, or, as in Hokkaido, with wasabi on top! The Ishikari Bay, facing Ishikari City and Otaru City, is the only place in Hokkaido where shako fishing is allowed. The shako caught in Ishikari Bay is one of the largest in the country and is highly praised for its delicious taste, which is like a combination of crab and shrimp.

How was it? You will have more opportunities to see these fish in supermarkets from now on, so why don't you try them at home and enjoy the best of the season? Some of them have different characteristics and tastes depending on the region, so it might be a good idea to compare them with each other!

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