🍱 Hakata Sesame Mackerel

Fukuoka's Hakata area has a history of serving fresh seafood. Due to its delicate nature, mackerel was not commonly eaten raw nationwide, but in Hakata, it has been enjoyed as sashimi for a long time. One well-known local dish featuring raw mackerel is "Hakata Sesame Mackerel." It consists of thinly sliced mackerel sashimi, mixed with soy sauce, toasted sesame seeds, and mirin (a sweet rice wine). Grated ginger, wasabi, and shredded seaweed might be added as condiments. This dish can be consumed as-is or served over rice with hot water, similar to ochazuke. It's believed that these preparations became popular in the late Edo period to the early Meiji period, coinciding with the availability of soy sauce.