When it comes to the specialty of Mukawa Town, it's definitely "Shishamo". The fishing season is limited to October to mid-November, and during the autumn fishing season, many customers from both inside and outside Hokkaido flock to this small town in search of Shishamo. "Musashi" is a Japanese restaurant located in the center of Mukawa Town. I had a Japanese set meal for lunch over 10 years ago, but that was it... And this time, I tried the Shishamo pressed sushi after a long time. The soft, subtle flavor of Shishamo, along with the slightly vinegared rice, creates a great harmony, allowing you to enjoy the unique taste of autumn.

Hokkaido, facing the Pacific Ocean, is the town of Mukawa known for its shishamo fishing. While it is usually a quiet town, it becomes lively from October to November during the shishamo fishing season. One popular dish during this time is the limited edition "shishamo sushi," where fresh shishamo is hand-pressed into sushi. One unique variation of this dish is the "shishamo pressed sushi" at the traditional Japanese restaurant "Wakaba." Established in 1954 when Mukawa was known as "Mukawa Town," this restaurant offers various shishamo dishes such as shishamo sweet simmered rice, shishamo Yanagawa set meal, and grilled shishamo set meal. The most popular dish is the "shishamo pressed sushi," which is made using fresh shishamo during the fishing season. The vinegar rice is not too firm and has a nice softness, making it easy to eat. The shishamo itself retains its unique flavor and aroma while being marinated in vinegar. The flavors are rich and concentrated, making it delicious. The pressed sushi has a nice texture and is not too hard, which is different from other pressed sushi I have tried before. It is definitely worth trying, especially during the fishing season. I would love to have it again next year. If you make a reservation in advance, you can enjoy freshly made pressed sushi at the restaurant. Wakaba Address: 1-34 Matsukaze, Mukawa-cho, Hokkaido Phone: 0145-42-2032 Business hours: 11:00-13:00 (lunch), 17:00-20:00 (dinner) Closed: Irregularly

I happened to pass through Murekawa on the weekend, so I decided to buy it. It is sold as a limited edition at a roadside station, not at a store. It is available all year round, so it is probably frozen. There are two types of pressed sushi: one that looks like battera and one where the skin of the fish is visible. The taste is relatively vinegary compared to other places in Hokkaido. It may not have a strong "shishamo flavor," but it is interesting as a variation. It was a carefully made pressed sushi that felt like it came from a Japanese restaurant. There was also some thought put into the rice. It was a delicious meal. Yuriba Fish Sushi 840 yen. I would like to try shishamo dishes at a restaurant when I have the chance.