Sakura Shrimp Fair Held in Shizuoka Mall; Suruga Bay Specialty Offered in Various Food Items

The Yomiuri Shimbun

17:49 JST, May 1, 2024

SHIZUOKA — Sakura shrimp, or sakuraebi is a specialty of Suruga Bay. The tiny, bright-pink shrimps are a feature of a variety of food and merchandise products, such as kakiage fritters, croquettes, ice cream and key chains, at shops and restaurants in the S-Pulse Dream Plaza facility. The event runs through May 26.

Springtime shrimping started in late March this year.

This is the first time a fair specifically for sakuraebi is being held at S-Pulse Dream Plaza. During the event, visitors can enjoy original fair menu items, such as sakuraebi-koboshi sushi (¥340) at Kaitenzushi Nobu-chan, a conveyor-belt sushi restaurant, and sakuraebi cream pasta (¥1,380) at family restaurant Freely.

Local fish processing company Harato Shoten sells a sakuraebi rice mix for ¥810 at the fair’s souvenir section.

“You can cook sakuraebi rice just by putting this [and rice] in the rice cooker,” said Toko Hara, the 15th-generation head of the shop. “I hope customers will enjoy authentic sakuraebi at home without any fuss.”