SPECIAL PRODUCTS OF IWAKI｜Welcome FUKUSHIMA

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Iwaki strawberries: Sweet and splendid!
Iwaki strawberries are grown in different types of greenhouses including large glass hothouses. The main type, “nyoho,” have a good balance of sweetness and sourness, and when they are in season we can enjoy picking them.
*Picking season is from February through April.

DRIED FLATFISH (YANAGI): This fish is served at the best Japanese restaurants.
Hand-sized yanagi are caught from September until February and in springtime, when especially valuable egg-bearing yanagi are taken. The drying process further enhances the wonderful flavor of the fish.

SEA URCHIN (UNI): Cooked in shells, sea urchin is a savory summer treat in Iwaki!
In Iwaki we sometimes call sea urchin “gazze”. Fishermen take the purple urchins from the open sea and after cleaning, stack several of them in hokki (Sakhalin surf clam) shells and roast them carefully on small stones over charcoal. The strong smell of salt and the taste that result are closely associated with Iwaki.
*On limited sale from May to August.

SUNSHINE TOMATOES /OYABAKA TOMATOES: This area has the most hours of sunlight in Japan, and this makes for particularly delicious sun-ripened tomatoes. The light gives the tomatoes a full red color, plenty of vitamin C and juicy sweetness. We offer tomatoes that are nearly chemical and additive-free and safe to enjoy.
* On sale from November-June

BONITO: Spring, summer, and fall. During these three seasons we can easily find these delicious fish which fatten up in nearby waters.
Even in southern Shikoku Island, famous for its bonito, locals say, “Iwaki bonito! They are the best!”
*On sale from May to the beginning of November.

PACIFIC SAURY (Sanma): THE KING OF IWAKI FISH
In the offshore fisheries, the saury develop an exquisite taste as they fatten up on nutrients from the chilly waters of the Kurile Current coming from the north. As they migrate south they spawn in the agreeable waters off the shore of Iwaki. Saury sashimi is the taste of autumn in Iwaki. Only the saury just pulled from the sea can be used for sashimi.
*On limited sale from September to November.

IWAKI PEARS: An abundance of good soil and sunshine produce this delicious fruit.
Near the end of summer, these pears ripen and become juicy.
We are proud of the crispness and use a special sensor to decide when each pear has its ideal sugar content. At Iwaki orchards many people enjoy picking the fresh and juicy fruit and eating on-site. *Kousui and Housui types are on sale from the end of August until the middle of September, and the pick-it-yourself season is at the same time.

IWAKI FIGS: Good effects on health and beauty-Iwaki figs!
For a long time family fig orchards have been popular. These days, use of health-foods and natural beauty products is on the rise. Recent cultivation produces many varieties, but the large size and sweetness of Masui Dauphines are special features of Iwaki figs.
*On sale from the end of September until mid-November

MONKFISH/ANGLER FISH (ANKO): Monkfish stew using all parts of the fish is the perfect winter dish.
The best quality angler can be taken from waters from Choshi to Joban, and Iwaki’s catch is one of the best in Japan. “East equals anko, west equals fugu,” goes the saying. Monkfish is very tender so it is hung on a hook under the chin to be cut up.
*Angler stew is flavored with miso and has a rich, full-bodied taste. The tender white meat goes so well with the miso.
*Iwaki Ankodobujiru stew uses only liver and kimo, the offal.
*Ankimoponzu ae is the wonderful taste of the fish with ponzu sauce.
*Anko no tomoae is perfect beach cuisine, with grated daikon radish and miso and sugar sweetening the meat.
*Ankou no tomozu is boiled with a sauce, vinegar and sugar and using the pectoral fin and stomach section.
*In Onahama from December-March, Inns and hotels provide for a winter anko festival.

RED SNOW CRABS: Snow crabs, also known as echizen crabs or matsuba crabs, are the best tasting. In offshore fisheries, the crabs are trapped and kept alive so they keep fresh until they are pulled out just before eating.
*On sale from the end of November until the beginning of April.

IWAKI SCALLIONS: Sweet, fat, and tender!
As the highest producer of onions in Fukushima Prefecture and a major supplier for the entire country, from north to south the Iwaki name is well known. Recently aquaculture is actively producing the “hanegi” which has a small bulb like an onion, only the entire plant is sweet and tasty.
*On sale from the end of November until the beginning of April.

TOKKURI YAMS: This smooth consistency of this tuber really induces an appetite. It has a body naturally shaped like the “tokkuri” sake flask. The stickiness of the yam is lower than many other kinds like jinenjo potato but has more elasticity than the nagaimo. Just chop it up and then rub without worrying about great change in color. The smoothness and subtle taste are special characteristics.
*Can be found from the end of November until the middle of January