Last month, I mentioned that I was treated to a few days in Saga Prefecture, courtesy of both the Japan Times and the Saga Prefectural Tourism Organization to write an advertorial to promote the prefecture. On my final day, following a massive breakfast in Karatsu, I was driven up the northern coast to the port town of Yobuko.
Luckily, I had time to snap this pretty cool manhole cover:
See the squid? There on the bottom, swimming along with some fish and what looks like it could be shrimp? That was my lunch. But not just any squid. Squid is the pride and joy of Yobuko and they serve it as fresh as they possibly can. As the ordering of my meals was basically beyond my control for the entire trip, a short time after we sat down I was served with my appetizer – a beautiful platter of clear squid sashimi … with the still wriggling body of the squid itself underneath.
Now, I’m not vegan (though I do love my plant-based foods) and I do enjoy a good platter of seafood. But I also prefer my meals to have as quick a death as humanely possible and this … well, this was pushing my limit. I have to say, the squid WAS delicious. And this is a compliment, as I generally avoid squid due to its chewiness and general texture in most preparations. As long as I didn’t look at this squid, it was tasty. But I couldn’t help looking at it. After all, it sure seemed like it was looking at me!
Yobuko is a great destination for adventurous eaters (of the Anthony Zimmern variety) and those curious to the scenic wild coast of Saga Prefecture. But if you’re squeamish in your food choices … stick to the non-wriggling sashimi!
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