Murakami: City of salmon.
These were the catalysts that generated a spontaneous trip to Murakami. We first saw these in Ponshukan - the renowned Wall of sake.
I'm not sure just how big Murakami is, but I'm certain it's in Niigata Prefecture (where we live) and that, as an ocean town, the wind is relentless. In fact, they grow carefully designed forests of stout trees to soften the blow (pun intended) before the angry winds reach the houses. I was also struck by how traditional this area seemed. Streets were quite narrow and the wooden buildings burst with traditional Japanese flair.
Word has it that salmon come to spawn in the River Miomote (I don't know where that is) which flows through the city from October to December. Visitors are welcome to watch the fishermen in action whenever they like. More than 100 species of salmon have been farmed in this area. Salted salmon is often used in Murakami local dishes. They fish the salmon in the autumn, rub a liberal mound of salt all over the fish, then store it away for about a week. They then remove the salt before semi-drying the fish using the winter winds for a few weeks. This is why it is common to see salted salmon swinging to and fro on ropes in front of old houses during the Murakami winter.
I wanted to buy some of these salty souvenirs for kitchen decoration purposes, but one fish runs about $100 USD. So I was resigned take photographs instead. But this way they will last longer.
This (above) is where it all happens. That shop contains a fleet of those dried fish. It's just one of the shops; there were others we didn't get to see. Because we arrived rather late, we quickly discovered that Murakami restaurants close their doors by 3:00 in the afternoon and we didn't get to try their lunch specials. Besides the famous salmon fish, they are also known for their tea, onsen and beef. So clearly we have a good reason to return. Also, there were other things we wanted to do and see. Murakami is such a dainty little town. In my opinion it's a must-see when in Japan.
They had an endless salmon samples along with these little bottles of Amazake, all warmed up to pair with your sample if you so desired.
Here is where you can just relax next to a fire pit and enjoy your gently warmed Amazake.
This unexpected trip to Murakami was short yet sweet although nothing we had planned managed to pan out. We topped the road trip with Yasuda's ice cream, which is destined to have its own blog entry, so stay tuned for more Michael-Lovely- Japan-travel related stories! じゃあ, また こんど ね.