🍱 Namako no sunomono

Sea cucumbers have become a popular winter delicacy in the Noto Peninsula. The history of sea cucumbers in Noto is said to date back to the 8th century. A wooden plaque excavated from the Heijo Palace site (the Inner Palace of Heijo-kyo) states that six kilograms of sea cucumbers were transported from Noto to the capital. The Engishiki, a book compiled in the mid-Heian period and used to define the rituals of the Imperial Court, also contains a record of sea cucumbers from Noto. Nanao City, facing Nanao Bay, is known for its sea cucumbers. Surrounded by mountains, Nanao Bay has gentle waves that produce soft and tasty sea cucumbers. Sea cucumbers are caught using small bottom trawl nets, and in the late 1960s (late 1960s), the catch was over 1,000 tons. Today, the catch has dropped to the 300-ton level, but sea cucumbers from Nanao Bay account for most of the prefecture's total catch. The sea cucumbers are then processed by hand into kinko (dried sea cucumbers) and konokawa (salted intestines), which are distributed both domestically and internationally. Vinegared sea cucumbers" is a popular dish using sea cucumbers and is a popular snack with alcoholic beverages. Dried sea cucumber ovaries are prized as a luxury delicacy. Dried sea cucumbers exposed to the cold wind like a curtain in early spring is a local tradition.