“SHIO KATSUO” is a salted and dried bonito, the origin of “dashi” soup stock.

It is a traditional local culture, decorated with straw and offered to kamidana (a household Shinto altar) for new year season as a good luck charm. I joined to the workshop of making “SHIO KATSUO”. The 16 participants include repeaters and people coming from far away.

At first, we walked around the town. Tago was once flourished in single-hook fishing of bonito, fisheries ship is disappearing with the times. Less dried bonito production shop remains now, too.

The parking lot of the fish market at the time of prosperity, the watchtower of the ships in the offing, the houses of fishermen densely located on a slope, the dried bonito maker logo on the wall, a panoramic view of the sea… all the scenery of the town made me feel their history and current trend while listening the nice and warm explanation of the guide.

The high transparency ocean and the superb view of sunset on the Suruga gulf haven't changed since the old days.

A nice walk makes us hungry.

Sliced SHIO KATSUO on Udon noodle is served. Local people slice and roast it and eat with sake, topping on ochazuke (boiled rice with green tea), use it for soup stock after a new year season.

Some participants conceive of a new idea or think it might be used instead of anchovy.

That is fun to know traditional as well as having a new idea in mind!

Both my stomach and brain is full of SHIOKATSUO, now it’s time to make it. Kanesa Katsuobushi store has 130 years of history, keep using traditional manufacturing method called ”Tebiyama-Shiki” which is now adopted only a few makers in all over Japan to make dried bonito

Single-hook fished bonitos are lined up and waiting for us in the plant, that is surprising me!

Mr.Serizawa who works for this store as well as a leader of Nishi-Izu SHIOKATSUO studies and promotions passionately makes a presentation and demonstration for us at first.

The participants choose one from the big trunk bonitos, remove guts, water from the eye and cutting along the middle bone carefully by using deba (Japanese kitchen knife for cutting fish which is thicker and heavier).

Then rub salt all over the fish, fill a large quantity of salt in the stomach.

I feel that keeping bonito which was very important ingredients for the people in the old times with salt, which is considered to have the power to drive away and cleanse the impure in Japanese Shintoism would represent the highest respect to the nature.

All is done, put a wooden plate on each SHIOKATSUO.

”My child is the best!” We blow our own trumpet. They are hung up, the wind of Nishi Izu dries them slowly and slowly.

Nowadays, the people offering SHIOKATSUO to kamidana are decreasing even in this cultural center of Tago area.

Nishi-Izu SHIOKATSUO studies and promotions is struggling to develop new menu or ways to use it and manage this workshop not to let the fire of tradition go down.

Not only SHIOKATSUO but large chunks of Katsuobushi itself are not so often used in present times, Mr. Serizawa wishes his work and action would also keep KATSUOBUSHI tradition and culture of other areas.

This workshop reminds me of something important which I forgot in my daily life in the city.

The SHIOKATSUO which I made will be delivered with a production serial number and certificate in December. I can’t help waiting the time it is done, I will be waiting it as if it is the child of me who have grown up.

report by Mayumi Soga