Tradition and Inheritance, a Prayerful Cuisine Passed Down - Sanma Sushi in Shimoda and Shirahama

Tradition and inheritance. If you look up the difference in a dictionary, "tradition" means to pass on and pass down ancient customs (systems, customs, beliefs, legends, etc.) and also the things that have been passed down. "Inheritance" means to take over something, especially property, rights, obligations, culture, traditions, etc., to the next generation or other people.

In other words, the word "densho" has a strong nuance of "to hear or pass on," while "keishou" seems to mean "to pass on" or "to take over" something tangible, such as technology, property, status, or organization, or a specific role, to future generations.
The Sanma Sushi that we will introduce this time is a local dish that combines tradition and succession. We will guide you on a journey to experience its history and deliciousness.

White sandy beaches are a gift from the volcano!

Head south on National Route 135, which runs along the steep cliffs.

The sky at the beginning of winter is clear and beautiful, and the deep indigo sea occasionally crashes against the reefs, sending up splashes. On a clear day, Izu Oshima looks closer than you might expect. Is the triangular shadow visible in the distance Toshima? Careful not to be distracted by the beautiful scenery, I carefully turn the steering wheel left and right as I make my way along the road, and in the distance, a pure white sandy beach comes into view. I've driven this route many times, and each time I find myself exclaiming in admiration, "Wow, it's beautiful!"

Shirahama Beach in Shimoda City is one of Japan's leading swimming beaches, with its pure white sand and emerald green sea. It is also known as a mecca for surfing, with major competitions held there every year.

The white cliffs, where shells and other fossils can sometimes be found, are layers of volcanic ash and pumice that accumulated on the seabed before this area became a peninsula (during the age of undersea volcanoes).The breathtakingly beautiful white sand coastline is a gift from the volcano, dating back approximately 1000 to 200 million years.

About 2 kilometers north of Shirahama Beach, in the Itado Isshiki area, is Aloe Village. Approximately 20,000 aloe plants grow along a 500-meter promenade, and the aloe flowers are in full bloom from mid-November to February.

The bright red flowers that evoke the tropics are of a species called Aloe vera. It is said that a fisherman from Shirahama brought it back from a southern island in the latter half of the Meiji period, and it gradually began to grow in number. This shows that this area has had a warm climate since ancient times.

The white sand of Shirahama Beach and the bright red aloe vera are gifts that have arrived from across the sea, transcending time.

By the way, this aloe vera is also known as "no need for a doctor," and is popular as a universal medicinal herb that is said to be effective for stomach upset, burns, cuts, etc. Come to think of it, our family used to have one planted in our garden. I have fond memories of my father asking me to pick some aloe leaves when he had a hangover as a child.

Of course, in this region too, aloe vera plants are planted under the eaves of many homes and have come to be treasured as natural first aid kits.

Aloe Village holds the Aloe Flower Festival to coincide with the flowers' blooming. This year, it will run until Sunday, January 4, 2026. During the festival, a temporary shop will be open, selling local products such as aloe vera products, and offering free aloe tea.

Ryugujima Island can be seen from the promenade lined with blooming aloe vera flowers. Apparently, you can cross to this island at low tide. Shirashima Shrine is enshrined here, and we could see the red torii gate. I was impressed by the sight of a woman, probably a local, praying towards the island while strolling along the river.

"When you look at it from here, it looks like a turtle," a woman at the shop told me, and when I looked again, it was indeed a turtle!

This seems to bring good fortune, such as longevity. However, this area is usually managed by the local fishing association and is off-limits to general vehicles. There is a walking route from the national highway, but the parking lot is open only during the Aloe Flower Festival, so it seems that it is only for a limited time that you can come by car and see it up close like this. It was my first time seeing a colony of aloe in bloom, and it was a very valuable experience.

A blue flag for "Sanma Sushi" fluttered in the wind in front of the shop. Sanma Sushi, the main attraction of this trip, can also be purchased at this shop during the Aloe Flower Festival. According to the shop staff, Sanma Sushi is a popular specialty that sometimes sells out quickly on weekends. Finally, we headed to the people who have preserved this flavor.

No effort spared and consideration for the person eating

"Sanma sushi is an essential dish at festivals and celebrations in Shirahama. Originally, each household had their own unique taste."

We spoke with members of the Shirahama Minshuku Research Association, who are preserving and passing down the recipe for Sanma Sushi. All of them are proprietresses who run guesthouses and pensions in the Shirahama area. Some have been helping out with the cooking since they were children, while others tried Sanma Sushi for the first time when they got married and learned the taste of it at their new homes.

Each homemade dish has its own unique flavor, but to prevent variations in flavor when sold at events or served at each inn, a research group decided to standardize the recipes about 20 years ago.

Currently, there are 10 members participating in the study group, 5 of whom make sanma sushi.

They are sold mainly on weekends at the shop at the Aloe Flower Festival we visited earlier, and at the tourist association in the parking lot at Shirahama Beach, and are usually made by five members who take turns. I was surprised to hear that it takes three days to complete. It seems that the time and effort put into making them is what makes them so delicious.

Furthermore, contrary to expectations, the fish best suited for sanma sushi is one that isn't too fatty.

"If it's too fatty, the flavor won't come through as easily and it won't keep as long. And most importantly, the skin on the surface will peel off easily, which makes it look unattractive."

This is what Mr. Nakata from Pension AIUEO told us.

It's not just the fat content of saury that's important, but also the size. Since there are sizes for pressed sushi, it's no good if the saury is too big or too small. There have been many reports of poor saury catches in the past few years, so it must have been very difficult for them.

"We've had a bumper catch of saury this year, so we're grateful to be able to get them in good condition. If the flesh is thin, it falls apart when you remove the bones."

said Mr. Fujii from Minshuku Minamikaze.

Right away, we were shown some of the work that goes into making it, which takes three days.

First, after one day, remove the head of the saury, split it open, remove the backbone, and carefully remove the innards with a spoon before washing.

"It must be hard work to open and gut 60 saury a day," I muttered, and everyone responded in unison.
"Once you get used to opening them, it's not that hard. Most people can open 60 bottles in about an hour."

"The most difficult part is removing the bones after this. Sanma has many small and thin bones, so we remove them one by one using a bone pick. If even a small bone remains, it will get stuck in the customer's mouth when they eat it, so we do this carefully. We spare no effort in this process."

Yes, that's what everyone was saying.

I see, so it's a careful process that pursues deliciousness and puts the customers first.

After that, sprinkle plenty of salt on the fish and let it soak for 12 hours. Work on it at night and let it sit overnight.

The next day, the process starts with removing the salt. After removing the salt from the saury, the next step is to remove the bones, which everyone agrees is "difficult." The saury is desalted for about 30 minutes, while the small bones in the belly are carefully removed with a desiccant. It's a race against time, but the process is done carefully so that no small bones remain.

Next is the marinating process. The time varies depending on the size and fat content of the sanma, but it is usually left to marinate for around 8 hours, and it is necessary to turn it over every few hours.

"It's not like I can leave it in the oven for eight hours, so it's hard to go out. I always work backwards."

Both Nakata and Fujii nodded vigorously in agreement with the words of Hasegawa from Kiemonso.

After turning the saury over several times, after 8 hours, remove it from the vinegar and sprinkle sugar on both sides. Again, turn it over occasionally for 8 hours until the sugar dissolves. So you soak the saury in vinegar and sugar separately, rather than in sweet vinegar?

　"When deciding on the recipe, I tried various methods, including pickling it in sweet vinegar. However, this method of mixing the ingredients separately gives it a mellower flavor. This is the Shirahama way."

"This is another example of the time and effort that goes into making Shirahama's Sanma Sushi," says Nakata.

The vinegared rice is made while the sugaring is taking place. Hot rice is mixed with sushi vinegar. After trying out various types of rice, they now use Yamagata's Tsuyahime brand rice. While local rice is ideal, Yamagata's Tsuyahime is delicious not only when freshly cooked, but also when cooled, and the saltiness of the vinegared rice makes it perfect for sanma sushi.

Eight hours later, the Sanma Sushi finally reaches the final stage.

After the candied saury is cooked, vinegared rice is placed on top, the saury is turned upside down, and thinly sliced ​​ginger (which has been lightly boiled and then seasoned with vinegar and sugar as a secret ingredient) is added on top.

The sushi rice was shaped like a rugby ball cut in half to fit the shape of the sanma, but it was surprisingly fluffy. Nakata demonstrated how to make it, and although he worked skillfully, his hands were very delicate.

Gently lift the vinegared rice so as not to break it, then quickly place it on top of the sanma, tuck the tail in, then flip it over and lightly squeeze it to mix the whole thing together.

If the vinegared rice is squeezed too tightly at this stage, it will become hard when pressed into the oshizushi. I was impressed that everything about the sushi is made with the eater in mind.

This is not the end! The work is still on. Sanma sushi is packed into a wooden box for pressed sushi, weighted down, and left for 8 hours.

And then the third day.

The sanma sushi that has been pressed overnight is taken out of the wooden box, cut into eight pieces, and packed, and finally, finally, it is complete. The sanma sushi is made with the landlady's generous time and effort, and love for the people who will eat it. Let's eat it!

The evolution of sanma sushi

I was surprised at how well the vinegared rice, saury, and ginger all blended together. Pressed sushi is often made with mackerel, but the mackerel can be too thick to chew, or the meat can fall apart from the rice. However, the saury's flesh was just the right thickness, so I was able to bite into it easily.

And the sushi rice has an exquisite firmness that melts in your mouth. That soft way of making sushi rice that we showed you earlier comes in handy here.

When I chewed it, the first thing I noticed was the umami flavor, which isn't too heavy because the saury isn't too fatty. The balance of sourness, saltiness, and sweetness was also exquisite. The saltiness was just right, so no soy sauce was needed.

The ginger on top adds a nice tangy accent, making it impossible to stop eating.

The size of each piece is not too big like mackerel sushi, making it easy to eat!

"Many older people prefer the traditional Sanma sushi, but our new products are also popular with younger people and children. Be sure to give them a try!"

He recommended seared saury sushi.

Since "grilled" sushi such as mackerel sushi was becoming popular, the members of the research group decided to try applying this to sanma sushi.

After pressing the sushi into this sushi, the surface is seared with a burner. Normally, the ginger would also be burned during this process, so the ginger is hidden between the sushi rice and the sanma.

This is also delicious!

Grilling the fish removes the fishy smell (which I didn't really mind as I love both sushi and fish) and adds a fragrant aroma that really whets the appetite. The ginger that blends well with the vinegared rice also works well, making it a delicious dish that you won't tire of. This seems like it would be easy for people who don't like the fishy smell and for children to eat.

"Which do you prefer?"

Fujii-san, who was watching me eat with a smile, asked me, "Hmm, that's a tough question! I like both!"

They sell each one individually, but apparently there's also a two-pack so you can compare the flavors. I'll definitely buy the two-pack (lol).

Speaking of which, the amount of salt used when salting the fish in the first place is apparently different from what it was in the past. In the past, sanma sushi was used more as a preserved food, so it was salted quite a lot. That's why the finished sanma sushi was apparently much harder, and didn't have the texture that easily falls apart in your mouth like it does today.

While preserving tradition, Sanma Sushi is also evolving to keep up with the changing times and tastes. I think this is also a form of passing on food culture.

Actually, this is not the first time I have eaten sanma sushi. The first time was when I was a child, on a family trip to the Kii Peninsula in Wakayama Prefecture. The second time was when I was a student, on a trip to Shimoda with my mother and grandmother, which I drove.

My mother, seeing the sign for Sanma Sushi at a drive-in along the national highway, suggested we make a detour, saying, "We ate Sanma Sushi in Wakayama a long time ago." We ate while thinking about the dinner that was waiting for us at the hotel soon after. To be honest, I couldn't remember the taste of the Sanma Sushi that I shared with my mother, grandmother, aunt, and cousins, but the memory is vivid.

A few years after that trip, both my grandmother and mother passed away, and unfortunately the shop no longer exists, but every time I pass by that place I remember my mother's cheerful smile.

During a break in the interview, I talked about my memories of Sanma Sushi.

"I think the power of food is huge. Memories of the food and the experience of eating remain with us. We see it with our eyes, smell it, eat it, and these remain as memories. I hope that the memory of the taste of this Sanma Sushi will trigger memories of places that people have visited, such as the sea of ​​Shirahama or Shirahama Shrine."

said Fujii.

Those who run guesthouses and pensions have an important job, as they are responsible for creating a page in the memories of the lives of their guests.

"Every year, some customers come to enjoy the sanma sushi that I start making at the end of autumn. Just recently, one customer asked me to send some to them because they couldn't come this year," so I sent some to them."

Nakata also shared an episode with a customer.

We are sure that for our guests, sanma sushi has become an indispensable part of their time spent at the inn, as a memorable taste unique to this season.

Tradition and inheritance: local flavors passed down through the generations

Sanma sushi is a local delicacy eaten in Shirahama during festivals and celebrations, but its history dates back to the Muromachi period.

"During the Muromachi period, a priest of Shirahama Shrine, saddened by successive poor harvests, prayed to the gods of the Izu Seven Islands, and soon after, countless saury washed up on the shore. The priest served the saury on top of rice, and since then, it has become a custom to treat people to saury-cooked rice at the annual autumn festival."

The origin of the name is also listed on the Shimoda City Tourism Association website.

Originally a rice dish cooked with mixed ingredients, it evolved into the modern-day sanma sushi around the end of the Edo period.

"The documents say it was in Kawachi, but the reverberatory furnace was actually located in a place called Takouma in Shimoda City. Even now, there is a bus stop named "Remote Reverberatory Furnace Site." Apparently, when Commodore Perry came to Shimoda at the end of the Edo period, he was worried that he might find the reverberatory furnace while walking around the city, so it was moved to Nirayama."

Mr. Nakata, who is originally from Rendaiji, Shimoda City, spoke to us based on materials from the tourist association.

At that time, as food for the many laborers involved in the transportation, they created sanma sushi, inspired by sanma rice, but it turned out to have a sour taste and an indescribable flavor, so they started using sweet vinegar as a seasoning, and it is said that this developed into the Kansai-style pressed sushi-style sanma sushi.

"Sanma sushi is sometimes served in Shimoda, but it's just a regular saury on top. The pressed sushi style is a traditional method that has only been passed down in the Shirahama area."

Everyone was saying the same thing.

We also spoke with Yoshitaka Hara, the chief priest of Ikonahime-no-Mikoto Shrine (also known as Shirahama Shrine), which is mentioned in the legend. Unfortunately, there are no documents remaining about the legend.

"But if it has been passed down in the form of folklore, then perhaps that was the case."

Even now, Sanma Sushi is offered at the shrine's annual festival held in October, and is also served to guests.

"In the past, people would offer it as a special treat to the gods at annual festivals and receive it as hand-me-downs. It was a treat that people looked forward to. We also give it as souvenirs to our guests, and it is very popular every year."

That's what he told me.

Even if it is in the form of folklore, the name of Shirahama Shrine has been passed down with gratitude, likely because the shrine was an object of faith and a source of spiritual support for the people of this area. Let's finish this trip by paying a visit to Ikonahime Shrine, commonly known as Shirahama Shrine, which has a deep connection to Sanma Sushi and is a place of faith for locals.

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Sanma Sushi sales locations/contact information

Izu Shirahama Tourism Association

415-0012
2745-1 Shirahama, Shimoda City, Shizuoka Prefecture
TEL：0558-22-5240
https://www.izu-shirahama.jp/

*Sanma sushi is usually sold from early November until Golden Week in May.

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To the oldest palace in Izunokuni, a land of legends

Ikonahime Shrine (hereafter commonly referred to as Shirahama Shrine) is the oldest shrine in Izu, with a history dating back 2,400 years. According to the shrine's history, Mishima Daimyojin, who would later become the queen of the enshrined deity, Ikonahime no Mikoto, is said to have crossed the sea from the south to this land of Izu. Therefore, worship begins at the crimson coastal torii gate, standing on a cliff with the blue sea and sky of Shirahama as a backdrop. Here, worshippers can offer distant homage to the gods of the southern islands. From the rocky outcrop where the torii gate stands, one can overlook the Pacific Ocean, and on clear days, even the Izu Islands can be clearly seen. On this clear day, a divine view awaited, making it easy to believe that the gods came from across the sea.

After visiting the coastal torii gate, head out onto National Route 135, cross Taiko Bridge and enter the shrine grounds.

Near the Chozuya (purification fountain), your eye will be drawn to two enormous sacred trees that stand out. On the right is the sacred white dragon tree, which lived for 1,000 years and has continued to stand for 1,300 years even after it withered. On the left is the Yakushi Byakushin (cypress tree). This sacred tree is said to bestow the blessings of Yakushi Nyorai, the original Buddha of Mishima Daimyojin. Inside is a small shrine where a statue of Yakushi Nyorai is enshrined, so be sure to peek inside through a cleft in the tree and pray.

Many people go home after praying at the worship hall at the front of the temple grounds, but we highly recommend you visit the main hall at the top of the stairs on the left. With each step you take, you'll feel the air getting thicker and thicker as you walk through the paulownia forest, a nationally designated natural monument.

This is my second visit, and I have often seen people who had been chatting loudly up the stairs stop chatting as they approached the main hall, and quietly pray with their hands together.The atmosphere is so mystical and solemn that it naturally makes you refrain from chatting.

Shirahama Shrine is a place of prayer that has continued to watch over the history and culture of this land, as well as the lives of its people.

Be sure to visit while thinking about the local delicacy, Sanma Sushi.

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Ikonahime Shrine (Shirahama Shrine)

415-0012
2740 Shirahama, Shimoda City, Shizuoka Prefecture

TEL: 0558-22-1183
https://ikonahime.jp/

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Date of coverage: July 2025, 12

Writer: Gohantsubu Labo Aoki Rika
Photo: Ikoma Kanko