insights from frontier Japan

The western Kushiro region coast (spanning Shiranuka Town, Kushiro City, and Kushiro Town) boasts the one of the largest shishamo fish hauls in Hokkaido, and Shiranuka Fishery Cooperative associated fishers were first in the area to launch this season's shishamo fishing on October 18. The first day haul brought in 2.6 tons, which was 1.4 tons less than last year. The red tide phenomenon has been confirmed along the Eastern Hokkaido offing from late September to the present. And while this did not affect the first day haul, the season start did leave behind a sense of doubt regarding subsequent fishing.

Amid the mountains in the town of Shiranuka in eastern Hokkaido, as the greenery becomes denser and the butterbur stems grow higher day by day, I encounter an Ezo red fox cub that was born this spring.

"Farm Restaurant Cuore" in the town of Shiranuka in Eastern Hokkaido's Kushiro region was selected for the Japanese edition of "Gault&Millau 2021". The restaurant was recognized for its usage of local ingredients and homemade beverages. "Gault&Millau" is a gourmet dining guidebook from France that is akin to the "Michelin Guide", a book which rates eateries, bars, and lodging facilities.

Foliage in mountainous areas and around lakes in the Kushiro and Nemuro regions is turning red and yellow as October progresses in eastern Hokkaido. The autumn scenery is on full display as the colours of the trees contrast beautifully with the evergreens.

Eastern Hokkaido's town of Shiranuka entered its peak harvest period for red shiso (perilla), the leaf used to make the distilled alcoholic shiso shochu beverage by Godo Shusei (Tokyo) called "Tantakatan".