年に一度の熱狂から生まれる秋田のシンボル食
秋田の日本海沿岸部では、初冬のほんの短い時期、神の魚と書くハタハタ（鰰）が大挙して押し寄せる。水揚げしたハタハタの一部は、塩漬けにしてドロドロに溶かして魚醤「しょっつる」に、そして麹や米とあわせた飯寿司「ハタハタ寿司」に加工して調味料や保存食とする。県北の八森では、婦人会や地域のお母さんたちが年に一度の熱狂のなかでハタハタを醸しまくっていた。秋田における食の「さしすせそ」の「し」は「しょっつる」、すは「ハタハタ寿司」だ。（ちなみに「さ」は「酒」）
A symbol of Akita born of a yearly mania.
Along the Akita coast of the Sea of Japan, for a short period of time at the beginning of winter, hatahata (or Japanese sandfish), the “god-fish” in Japanese characters (鰰), surges forth in huge numbers. Part of the catch is cured with salt and made into a thick sauce known as shottsuru, which is then used as a seasoning. Hatahata is also processed to make into hatahata sushi together with rice or rice-malt, which is used as a preserved food. In Hachimori, in the north of Akita, local mothers and women’s associations get together in a yearly spree of pickling hatahata. In Akita, the locals have their own unique version of the “sa-shi-su-se-so” (the five fundamental seasonings of Japanese cuisine), where the “shi” is for shottsuru, the “su” is for “hatahata sushi” (and the “sa” is for “sake”).
どう作って食べるか / HOW TO MAKE & EAT
＜ しょっつる ＞
❶ハタハタを洗い、まるごと樽のなかの塩の海に沈める。
❷たまに撹拌しながら1年ほど漬け込むと身が溶け魚醤になる。
＜ ハタハタ寿司 ＞
❶ハタハタの頭と内臓を取り、1日塩漬けにする。
❷塩漬けを洗って、1日酢漬けにする。
❸酢漬けにした身を麹と米、人参や生姜などと混ぜて2週間ほど漬け込む。
< How to make shottsuru >
❶Clean the hatahata, and immerse it in a sea of salt inside a barrel.
❷Allow it to ferment for around year, agitating it occasionally, until the flesh of the fish has dissolved to form shottsuru.
<How to make hatahata sushi >
❶Cut off the head of and gut a hatahata. Cure the flesh in salt for a day.
❷Wash off the salt and pickle the hatahata in vinegar for a day.
❸Mix the vinegared flesh with rice, koji, carrots and ginger, then let it pickle thoroughly for around two weeks.
醤油のかわりに（しょっつる）
お寿司として（ハタハタ寿司）
As an alternative to soy sauce (shottsuru)
As sushi (hatahata sushi)
▶食べられている地域 / Regions where it is eaten
秋田県一帯
Throughout Akita
▶微生物の種類 / Types of microorganisms
乳酸菌類・酵母菌など
Lactic acid bacteria, yeast, etc.