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Beauty may well be in the eye of the beholder, but when it comes to scenery in Japan, the identity of the most picturesque spots is something that has long been beyond considerable debate. Centuries ago, it was decided that the Three Most Beautiful Sights in the country most certainly included Matsushima. Located in Miyagi Prefecture, some 300 kilometers to the northeast of Tokyo, the classic vista of over 260 pine-covered islets set in Matsushima Bay is one that has served as a potent inspiration to generations of poets and painters.
Appropriately for a place with such a celebrated seascape, Matsushima also enjoys quite a reputation for its excellent seafood, and the fish market in the town of Shinagawa, located on an inlet of Matsushima Bay, is one of the busiest in the country. Though the tuna catch is probably the most conspicuous, practically every kind of fish and seafood can be seen somewhere within the vast area of the market.
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Reflecting this huge traffic in fish, Shiogama is home to the greatest concentration of sushi restaurants in Japan. As well as tuna, seafood aficionados can look forward to a first-rate feast on such delicacies as prawn, octopus and sea urchin on local menus.
Those who sample Shiogama's fine will most certainly wish to try also this town’s sake. And the best choice here are the products of Saura Brewery, founded in 1724. Though Saura Brewery makes various kinds of sake, its most prominent product is Urakasumi Zen, an exquisite sake whose well-rounded flavor has won it a surprising degree of popularity in faraway France. Other favorites are Urakasumi, made using only Yamadanishiki, the highest grade of sake rice, and Shiboritate Urakasumi, a kind of unpasteurized sake (nama-zake) that is an out-standing match for all that local seafood. |
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