🐟 Kogyo-no-tenpura (Tempura of lake fish)

"Tempura of Lake Fish" is a classic dish in Shiga Prefecture, featuring small sweetfish, Isaza, and smelt caught in Lake Biwa. The freshly fried lake fish has no unpleasant odor and is delicious. Shrimp with its shell, known as suji ebi, is also used for tempura and mixed tempura. The ideal fish for "Tempura of Lake Fish" is the small sweetfish from Lake Biwa. These sweetfish, which grow to only about 7 cm in length, concentrate a delicious flavor and have a soft texture, making them easy to eat. Fishing for them takes place from around May to early August. Apart from small sweetfish, Isaza is also commonly consumed as tempura. Isaza, a type of goby, inhabits the deep waters around 70 meters in Lake Biwa, leading to fishing activities in the deep northern region of the lake. Isaza is distinctive for its unique flavor. Initially not native to Lake Biwa, smelt (Wakasagi) has become suitable for tempura following Isaza. While the exact reason for the appearance of smelt in Lake Biwa is not clear, their population has increased with higher catches, following the trend set by small sweetfish. Wakasagi inhabit almost the entire area of Lake Biwa, mainly in the northern region, and are also found in Lake Yogo. They come into season from late November to the end of January.