🍱 Hamo Suki

‘Hamo Suki' is a famous hotpot in Awaji Island and simmered sea ell and onion locally grown in Awaji Island with Dashi (=broth). ‘Hamo' grown in Awaji Island has thin and soft skin because of muddy and soft seabed, and its meat quality is good with rich flavor due to the effect from Naruto Strait. It is one of the features of summer because it becomes fatty from early summer to prepare for bearing eggs in autumn. Onion in Awaji Island is the harvest season as well when Hamo is in season. Hamo's simple flavor from juicy white meat and sweetness from local onion match great with dashi (=broth), and the combination of ingredients makes ‘Hamo Suki' tasty. Fish caught in Awaji Island became available in the market in Osaka, Sakai, or Amagasaki although when there wasn't effective method to keep fish cool, after Hideyoshi Toyotomi, Japanese samurai governor, opened the fish market in Osaka called ‘Zakoba'. People could deliver Hamo while it's alive as it has strong vitality. As Osaka and Kyoto had been getting prosperous as a merchant city, many restaurants started to serve it. Hamo has been vital fish at ‘Gion Festival' in Kyoto and ‘Tenjin Festival' in Osaka until now.