🍲 Gube-jiru (Miso soup with “Gube(=limpet)”)

Mishima, located about 45 kilometers north of Hagi Port in Yamaguchi Prefecture, is a small island with a population of fewer than 1,000 people. This isolated island, floating away from the mainland, serves as a crucial resting point for migratory birds, and it is renowned as a sacred site for bird watching. Once a vital hub for trade with the continent, the island retains its unique culture as a place where Sakimoris(=Japan's ancient frontier guard conscripts) were stationed.Influenced by the Tsushima Warm Current, a diverse array of seafood is harvested, contributing to the allure of local cuisine. One such dish is "Gube-jiru", a miso soup made with richly flavored shellfish. "Gube" is a member of limpet, about 2 to 3 cm in diameter, found attached to the seashore and harbor breakwaters in coastal areas. It is sometimes called "Yomegakasa (=wife's plate)" because of the shell's umbrella-like shape. In Oi, Koshigahama, and Susa, it is also called "Bebe", and is ppularly known as "Bebe soup". In Mishima, it is a local dish eaten not only in the homes of fishermen, but also in farming villages near the coast for centuries. Originally, "Gube-jiru" was a miso-based soup made by cooking "Gube" as both broth and ingredients. However, in recent times when "Gube" has become a precious commodity, people sometimes add other shellfish such as "Kamenote"(=Japanese goose barnacle) and "Niina(=Top shells)" to create the soup.