🍲 Kinme no Nitsuke (Stewed Red Snapper)

The Izu Peninsula in Shizuoka Prefecture is a production area for Kinmedai (splendid alfonsino), and Shimoda Port is Japan's leading fishing port for the catch of Kinmedai. There are three types of Kinmedai caught in Izu: Jikinmedai (local Kinmedai, also known as Inatori Kinmedai or Himodori Kinmedai), Shimakinmedai (Island Kinmedai), and Okikinmedai (Offshore Kinmedai). Among them, Jikinmedai is considered the finest Kinmedai, known for its excellent richness and flavor. It is caught through single-line fishing, but the catch has dramatically decreased, making it a difficult-to-obtain brand of Kinmedai. The Kinmedai landed at Inatori Fishing Port in Higashi-Izu Town is this local Kinmedai, referred to as "Inatori Kinme." The representative dishes for Kinmedai include sashimi and simmered dishes. In the case of simmering, the fish, either in slices or as a whole, is sweetly simmered in soy sauce, sake, and sugar. In recent years, various menus beyond sashimi and simmered dishes have also been developed.