Ono Asari

Ono Asari is a type of short-necked clam (sand clam) that grows to a shell length of 35 mm or more. Its flesh is meaty and plump. Ono Asari is a registered Geographical Indication (GI) product in Japan.

Harvest and Method

Fishermen manage their fishing areas within their assigned blocks and harvest oysters only on their own blocks, using hand-digging with rakes at low tide. During harvest, small oysters lacking the characteristics of Ono Asari are returned to their designated fishing grounds. Only viable oysters are selected for shipment by inspecting their appearance and sifting sound. The small area of ​​the scattered tidal flats along the strait has led to a fishery management system based on allocating a block to each fisherman and harvesting exclusively by hand-digging. Zoning has been practiced for a century, and local records document the allocated block area in 1926. Today, approximately 200 fishermen harvest Ono Asari, and annual production remains stable at around 50 tons.

Production Area and Natural Environment

Ono Asari is harvested from the shortneck clam fishing grounds in Onoseto, off Hatsukaichi City, Hiroshima Prefecture. Onoseto Strait, the fishing ground for Ono Asari, is a channel 9 km long and 600 m wide at its narrowest point. These waters are calm, with tidal currents, and receive river and groundwater flow from the abundant forests. The tidal flats scattered along the strait average less than 5 hectares in area.

Geographical Indication (GI) Status

Ono Asari is a registered product. It is listed in the "Fish and Shellfish" class with registration number 89 and its protection date is December 10, 2019. Applicants include Onocho Fisheries Cooperative, Ono Fisheries Cooperative, and Hamakebo Fisheries Cooperative.