Sakura Ebi: Suruga Bay's Rare Pink Shrimp

Sakura ebi is a small, translucent pink shrimp caught almost exclusively in Suruga Bay, off Shizuoka's coast, in what is effectively the only significant commercial fishery for the species in Japan. It's harvested in two short seasonal windows, roughly spring and autumn, using a paired-boat net method, and catch limits are managed carefully since the population is small and localized. Because supply is limited to these windows and this one bay, prices for fresh sakura ebi can be high, and it's genuinely seasonal rather than available year-round.

Fresh sakura ebi is eaten raw as sashimi, lightly done as tempura (kakiage, mixed with vegetables into a crisp fritter), or simply boiled and served over rice. Dried sakura ebi, which keeps far longer, is more widely available outside its fishing season and works well as a topping for rice, salad, or okonomiyaki-style dishes. If you're visiting outside the fishing windows, dried is the more realistic option — ask locally or check current season dates if fresh is what you're after.