Funazushi
鮒寿司DishNov to Dec
Funazushi suits curious eaters who like strong cheese and old sake, and its sour, ripe smell puts plenty of people off at the first slice.
The name
funa-zushi
鮒寿司Crucian carp sushi.
japanese
Funa (鮒) is crucian carp, and sushi keeps its old sense of fish preserved in fermented rice. Japanese Wikipedia gives this plain reading.
SourceWhere to eat Funazushi · 3 places
- UojiTakashima
The Kaizu maker has sold funazushi since 1784 and has a second shop by JR Makino.
Funazushi is narezushi, the old form of sushi where rice ferments the fish. The fish is the nigorobuna carp, which lives only in Lake Biwa. Makers salt it with the roe left in and pack it in rice until lactic fermentation does its work. The rice is scraped off and the fish sliced thin, and the roe tastes like a sharp aged cheese. Wooden tablets from the Nara period already name it.
Shiga counts it among its food cultural assets. On a ride, the easy way in is one piece of funazushi nigiri at Hisago-zushi in Omihachiman. For the full thing, book the funazushi kaiseki at Korian in Kaizu, where Uoji has fermented carp since 1784.
Quick answers about Funazushiよくある質問
What does funazushi taste like?
Funazushi is sour and salty with a ripe, cheesy smell from the fermentation. The roe is the prized part.
Where can I try funazushi near Lake Biwa?
Try a single piece of funazushi nigiri at Hisago-zushi in Omihachiman, or the funazushi kaiseki at Korian in Kaizu, Takashima.
How do you order Funazushi?
Ask for funazushi and expect thin slices with the orange roe in the middle. Eat a slice on its own with sake, or pour hot tea over it on rice as ochazuke.
When is Funazushi in season?
Funazushi: Fishers take the spawning nigorobuna in spring. The fish are salted, packed in rice around midsummer and left to ferment, so the first new funazushi comes ready from late autumn; some batches age for one to three years.