Shiro-ebi
白えびIngredientApr to Nov
Shiro-ebi suits anyone eating their way round Toyama Bay, and its one catch is the price of the peeled raw kind, which is shelled by hand.
Where to eat Shiro-ebi · 1 place
- Tanabe Suisan
A shop by Kaiwomaru tram stop where staff peel shiro-ebi behind glass; closed Wednesdays.
Shiro-ebi is a small translucent shrimp that glows a pale pink when it comes out of the water, and fishermen call it the jewel of Toyama Bay. Deep sea canyons run close to Toyama's shore, and the agriculture ministry says Toyama is the only place in Japan where enough are caught to support a fishery. Most of the catch lands at Shinminato and Iwase, and the prefecture lists shiro-ebi with yellowtail and firefly squid among its official fish.
Families once dried it whole to make stock. Better freezing made peeling practical, and now restaurants serve it raw on rice and as sushi. At home people fry it as kakiage (a loose fritter with onion and carrot), and the shell stays pale when it cooks.
At Tanabe Suisan in Imizu you can watch staff peel shiro-ebi by hand behind glass between 8:00 and 10:30. The Toyama Bay Shiro-ebi Club runs dawn boat trips to watch the fishing from late April to mid-May and again from July to September, for ¥5,000 an adult.
Quick answers about Shiro-ebiよくある質問
How do you order Shiro-ebi?
Ask for shiro-ebi sashimi or a shiro-ebi don to eat it raw, and shiro-ebi kakiage to have it fried.
When is Shiro-ebi in season?
Shiro-ebi: Boats fish for shiro-ebi from April to November. The catch is frozen fast, so restaurants serve it all year.
Where can you eat Shiro-ebi in Japan?
Places we list for Shiro-ebi include Shinminato Kittokito Ichiba.