Shishamo

Found only off Hokkaido's Pacific coast, roe-bearing females are prized as 'ko-mochi shishamo'. Grilled whole, it eats head to tail with a smoky char, the roe's pop against the flesh's faint bitterness — a texture and taste distinct from the imported capelin often sold under the same name, and its season is confined to the autumn spawning run up the rivers.

Fishing is only possible during the river spawning run, making the season extremely short. Netted fish are rushed to processing while still fresh, then sun-dried or frozen to extend shelf life — and because the range is so narrow and the catch so small, each fish tends to get careful handling. Males and females are sorted by whether they carry roe, then processed differently.

The species' habitat, confined entirely to Hokkaido's Pacific coast, narrows its home ground to almost a single point. River mouths like the Mukawa running through Mukawa town are among the few places the fish runs upstream to spawn each autumn, and the fact that fishing works only during that run gives it a scarcity unlike most other fish. In recent years, some seasons have even seen the fishery closed to protect stocks.