[3 hours from Tokyo by Shinkansen + limited express!] "Echigo Murakami Sake Shiobiki Kaido" will be held in Murakami City, Niigata Prefecture! See the traditional food, salted salmon, being lowered

• Table of Contents
• What is "Shiobikizake"?
• How "Shiobikizake" is made
• How to enjoy the event
• Echigo Murakami Sake Shiobiki kaido

What is "Shiobikizake"?

Murakami City in Niigata Prefecture, which has long prospered from salmon fishing, is said to have more than 100 salmon dishes. Among them, salted salmon（Shiobikizake） is at the top of the list, and is a traditional salmon dish that is eaten not only on regular meals but also on special occasions such as New Year's Eve and festival days.

About "Salted Salmon"

In the past, every household made salted salmon, but now few people make it themselves. However, when the salmon start to swim upstream and fresh male salmon start to be sold whole, some people still buy several fish, make salted salmon according to the family recipe, and give homemade salted salmon to faraway family, relatives, and friends.

How "Shiobikizake" is made

In the past, salted salmon was made and eaten in every household, but there are many different ways to make it. It is no exaggeration to say that every household has their own recipe. Here is a simple introduction to the basic steps.

The salmon used in cooking is male salmon. The slime on the salmon's surface and fins is carefully removed, the belly is cut open and the innards and blood are painstakingly removed, and then the salmon is evenly rubbed with about 10% of its weight in salt (=salted). In Murakami, a castle town, seppuku is abhorred, and a technique called "tomehara" is used, in which part of the salmon's belly is left connected even when it is cut open.

The salmon that has been rubbed with salt is left to sit for about a week, and then it is rinsed under running water to remove the salt, after which it is finally ready for the drying process.

The tail of the desalted salmon is tied with a rough rope, chopsticks are placed in the cut part of the belly so that the inside of the salmon can dry out, and the salmon is hung in a well-ventilated place under the eaves for about two weeks. One of the characteristics of salted salmon is that the salmon is hung with its head facing down. This is said to be due to the fact that "hanging" was disliked in the castle town.

Among the processes for making salted salmon, the "drying" is said to be particularly important. From late November to December, when salted salmon is made, cold, humid winds blow through Murakami City from the Sea of Japan. It is said that this cold wind promotes the fermentation and maturation of the dried salmon, resulting in delicious salted salmon.

How to enjoy the event

Salted salmon are hung under the eaves of shops and private homes in the area from Komachizaka to Shonaimachi in Murakami City, Niigata Prefecture, where nostalgic rows of houses still stand today. The sight of many salted salmon hanging in a line is one of the seasonal sights of Murakami City. Please also pay attention to the distinctive features of salted salmon, such as the "stop belly" and the way they are hung head-down.

"Echigo Murakami Sake Shiobiki Kaido" (Event Information)

Around the "Echigo Murakami Salted Salt Road" venue, there are shops selling processed salmon products and restaurants specializing in salmon dishes, so you can continue your salmon-filled journey after the tour. In addition, the famous "Kurobe Street (Anzenkoji)" where you can feel the atmosphere of the castle town of Murakami, and the Murakami Castle ruins are also nearby, so use this event as a starting point to enjoy sightseeing in Murakami.

Echigo Murakami Town House Street

Kurobei Street (Anzenkoji)

Murakami Castle Ruins

Echigo Murakami Sake Shiobiki kaido

Event period: Sunday, December 1, 2024 to Friday, December 20, 2024 (tentative) Event location: Around Komachizaka and Shonaimachi, Murakami City, Niigata Prefecture Notes: Entry is free, but please be considerate of local residents as the street is lined with houses and shops.

"Echigo Murakami Sake Shiobiki Kaido" (Event Information)