Production of “karasumi,” or dried mullet roe, is in full swing in the central Japanese prefecture of Mie.
Karasumi is a highly coveted delicacy in Japan. The roe sacs of the fish are first salted, then dried in the sun.
At a long-established fish shop in Owase City, around 600 pieces of karasumi were laid out on wooden boards on the rooftop. Employees were seen flipping them one by one while adjusting their shapes.
This task is carried out every two or three hours on sunny days over a one-month period until the karasumi turn an amber color.
The fish shop plans to sell the karasumi at its store and also ship it to traditional Japanese restaurants and customers as year-end gifts.
Hashimoto Isako from the shop said karasumi is dried and hardened, so it doesn’t have a fishy smell. She recommended that it be enjoyed with drinks. She added that the staff are working hard to maintain the same high quality this season as well.