Mutsugoro no Kabayaki is a local dish eaten along the Ariake Sea coast in Saga Prefecture. The mutsugoro (mudskipper) is a rare fish found in Japan only in the Ariake Sea and part of the Yatsushiro Sea; because it can breathe through both its gills and its skin, it is able to crawl across the tidal flats. The fish is skewered live and first grilled plain over charcoal, then repeatedly dipped into and slowly grilled in a sweet-savory sauce made of sugar, soy sauce, and sake, and can be eaten whole, head to tail. The fishing season runs from April to August, with the best time to eat it limited to the summer months of May through August, and this seasonal delicacy has been passed down in homes and restaurants along the Ariake Sea coast. During the spawning season of May to July, males can be seen repeatedly jumping to court females, making the mudskipper a local tourism draw not only as a dish but also as a creature of the tidal flats.
Origin
The Ariake Sea has the largest tidal range in Japan, at 6 to 7 meters, creating an unusual body of water with some of the country's largest tidal flats. The mutsugoro, a fish that evolved to adapt to these tidal flats, can breathe through its skin as well as its gills, making it amphibious, and it has long been familiar to local people as a target of tidal-flat fishing. Kabayaki, in which the plain-grilled mutsugoro is simmered in a sweet-savory sauce, is a dish nurtured as a food culture unique to this region.
History
Mutsugoro have been caught using fishing methods unique to the Ariake Sea, such as 'mutsukake,' 'mutsugoro uke (takappo),' and 'gata-haze.' They were once commonly eaten during the Obon season as a 'bon fish' and are said to have also served as a nourishing food to ward off summer fatigue. Today, the dish has been selected by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries' 'Our Regional Cuisine' list as a local specialty of Saga Prefecture, and is introduced as a representative flavor of the Ariake Sea coast.
Features
Mutsugoro that have been soaked in salt water to purge them of mud are skewered live and slowly grilled plain over charcoal, then repeatedly dipped into a sauce made of sugar, soy sauce, and sake and grilled until the sauce reduces almost to a glaze. The fish is finished so tender that even the bones can be eaten, and it can be eaten whole from head to tail. Because the fishing season is limited to April through August, it is a seasonal dish that can only be enjoyed at that time of year.
Main Ingredients
Food Culture
This ingredient was nurtured by the unusual environment of the Ariake Sea's tidal flats, which have Japan's largest tidal range, and has been passed down not only as a home-cooked dish but also alongside the tradition of tidal-flat fishing. Other preparations besides kabayaki, such as sun-dried whole mutsugoro and mutsugoro sushi, are also passed down locally.
Famous Shops
道の駅鹿島 干潟レストランむつごろう
佐賀県鹿島市大字音成甲4427-6
A restaurant inside a roadside station serving the bounty of the Ariake Sea, including mutsugoro dishes
本家 峰松うなぎ屋
佐賀県鹿島市浜町甲4292
Founded in 1918 (Taisho 7); makes and sells mutsugoro no kabayaki grilled in a secret sauce
View details →FAQ
Q. What kind of creature is the mutsugoro?
A. It is a fish found in Japan only in the Ariake Sea and part of the Yatsushiro Sea. Because it can breathe through its skin as well as its gills, it can be seen crawling and hopping across the tidal flats at low tide.