🍱 Sanma zushi
From late October to March, Pacific saury migrate south to the Kumano-nada Sea on the cold current from the Sanriku coast to spawn. Pacific saury can be caught all along the coast of Wakayama Prefecture, but the saury caught in the Kumano-nada Sea in the south is especially suitable for sushi because it has been caught in the tides for a long time and its meat is firm, small, and has a good amount of fat. Sanma-zushi was originally made to preserve rice and fish, and was a feast served at autumn festivals, New Year's, and other gatherings. Especially in mountainous areas where rice cannot be grown, it was a valuable source of nutrition. In some areas, saury is called "saera" or "saira. Sansuma-zushi," or "saira sushi," is also called "saera no teppo" (saera gun) because of its resemblance to the barrel of a gun. Haruo Sato, a writer born in Shingu City, also loved sansma-zushi, and is said to have said, "The best food in my hometown is mehari (mackerel) first and saury second.