Tagonoura Shirasu is the name given to whitefish caught off Tagonoura in Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan, and brought to Tagonoura Port in the same prefecture. The Tagonoura Shirasu name is protected as a registered Geographical Indication (GI) in Japan.

Features and Quality

Tagonoura Shirasu stands out for its freshness, transparency, and chewy texture. While raw whitefish typically loses its freshness and fades in color, when stored properly, Tagonoura Shirasu can maintain its transparency and chewy texture from the moment it's landed in the morning until the evening of the same day. This freshness allows it to retain the same chewy texture even after being frozen and thawed, with no noticeable difference.

^{About Tagonoura Shirasu (地理的表示産品情報発信サイト)}

Freshness Management and Fishing Method

The freshness of this product stems from a standardized freshness management process. Immediately after being caught, the fish are transferred to a sieve on board the ship, drained, and cured on ample ice. After curing, the fish are brought directly to the port to preserve their freshness and immediately marketed.

Tagonoura's fishing grounds are located in the northernmost part of Suruga Bay, where food resources are abundant, brought by melting snow from Mount Fuji and the Southern Alps. After the port's completion in 1961, fishing began with fishing boats. While fishing with a net stretched between two boats is normally preferred for large catches, this method is unsuitable due to the steepness of Tagonoura's fishing grounds. Therefore, fishing is always carried out with single-boat nets. This method is also an effective method for landing the shirasu without harm.

Consumption Patterns

Tagonoura Shirasu is a form of raw food consumption. It is also consumed boiled, known as "Kamaage" (straight from the pot). After boiling, it is bent into the shape of the Japanese hiragana character "shi" in a dish called "Kamaage shirasu."

Geographical Indication Information

Tagonoura Shirasu was registered on June 23, 2017, and is protected by a Geographical Indication (GI). The registered class for this product is "Fish and Shellfish." The production area is the marine area off the coast of Tagonoura (Fuji City and Numazu City) in Shizuoka Prefecture. The applicant organization is the Tagonoura Marine Cooperative.