Newly Crafted Japanese Gourmet Dishes Showcase Seafood from Hyogo Prefecture’s Naruto Strait

By Ayumu Nishimura / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer

16:00 JST, March 29, 2026

KOBE — A recent lineup of Hyogo Prefecture local delicacies features new dishes that showcase ocean treasures from the Naruto Strait and fresh produce from coastal farms.

In a vibrant showcase of regional cuisine, this year’s “Uzuno Sachi Gourmet” (Gourmet food from the whirlpools) and “Gourmet-in-a-Cup ” menus were unveiled at Michi-no-Eki Uzushio roadside station in Minami-Awaji, Hyogo Prefecture.

As part of a collaborative project with the city of Naruto, Tokushima Prefecture, connected by the Ohnaruto Bridge, restaurants and accommodation facilities in both cities will offer locally sourced dishes featuring seasonal ingredients.

The two cities launched a partnership to increase the number of visitors and promote extended-stay tourism centered on the Naruto whirlpools.

Since fiscal 2021, they have been promoting Uzuno Sachi Gourmet, featuring dishes that combine at least three types of seasonal seafood from the Naruto Strait with vegetables and seaweed harvested in both cities.

With the Ohnaruto Bridge Bike Path across the strait scheduled for completion in fiscal 2027, the cities launched Gourmet-in-a-Cup in fiscal 2023 to offer easy-to-carry meals for cyclists. The initiatives have proven popular, with cumulative sales reaching about 117,000 for Uzuno Sachi and 175,000 for Gourmet-in-a-Cup.

This year, 22 establishments from both cities are participating in the Uzuno Sachi Gourmet project, while 21 are taking part in the Gourmet-in-a-Cup initiative, each offering their own specially crafted signature dishes.

At the unveiling ceremony on Feb. 12, chefs and staff from each establishment presented their original menus. The showcase featured colorful dishes that highlighted ingredients such as onions, lotus root and sakura shrimp, as well as French cuisine and parfaits with generous portions of Naruto Kintoki sweet potatoes.

“Sea bream raised in the Naruto Strait have firm, delicious meat. I hope people will get to know their appeal through the various styles of cooking,” said Masaki Kimura,the manager of Irori Shokudo Uzushio in Minami-Awaji, which serves seared sea bream bowls and sea bream somen noodles using the whole fish.

A certification ceremony for Uzuno Sachi meisters, who promote the culinary charms of the two cities, was also held on the same day, with 22 new individuals appointed.

Detailed information on participating facilities and menus is available on a dedicated website.