Akita Autumn Feast

Akita Prefecture is located 450 kilometers north of Tokyo. American actor Charles Glover visits the northern land in late autumn when local people are busy preparing for the long winter. They cover garden trees and buildings in straw sheets, in a practice known as "yuki-tsuri" and "yuki-gakoi," to protect them against the heavy snow and strong winds. These elaborate landscape wrappings are entirely functional, but look like works of art. Women make large batches of "gakko" pickles with locally harvested vegetables. People developed the pickling style hundreds of years ago to help them survive the long, harsh winters. Late autumn to early winter is the peak season for fishing sailfin sandfish, or "hatahata" in Japanese. People in Akita love the fish, which was long a traditional source of protein during the winter. They especially enjoy it as the main ingredient in a "nabemono" hotpot that is also seasoned with a hatahata by-product, "shotsuru." Shotsuru is unique to Akita and is made from aged, fermented sailfin sandfish. The hotpot dish is called "shotsuru nabe" and "hatahata nabe." Being one of Japan's snowiest regions and one of the top production centers of sake, Akita has developed a tradition of enjoying the long winter nights with friends in neighborhood bars and restaurants. Evenings are warmed with the camaraderie, fine sake, and cuisine that is heavy on the blessings of the sea. Fish from the waters off Akita taste the best in winter, because the colder the water is, the richer their flavor... Our traveler Charles Glover enjoys to his heart's content the singular culture of the land of snow, Akita, which unfolds in late autumn.