Meguro Sanma Matsuri

The fish called ‘sanma’ in Japanese are full of bones, hard to eat, don’t contain that much meat anyway, but in each and every mouthful are absolutely delicious; more than worth the effort at getting at the flesh in amongst all the bones and scales.

Nothing really compares to charcoal grilled fish on a hot summer’s day and in recent years, the annual summertime gathering of locals and tourists to chomp down 5,000 fish caught that very morning off the coast of Iwate Prefecture to the north of Tokyo, along with more than a few cool ones has become something of a festival in this corner of South Tokyo.

In recent years, and 2008 will be the 13th time the festivities have taken place, up to 15,000 have attended making the Sanma Matsuri one of the more popular ‘niche’, if still quaint of festivals in Tokyo.

Added to the mix of late has been the addition of dozens of box loads of Tokushima Prefecture ‘mikan’ (satsuma / mandarin / tangerines in English), shipped into the capital specially from the Shikoku based prefecture.

Combine the tangy taste of fresh oranges from central Japan with delicious sanma from north Japan – grilled before your very eyes – only in Meguro.

Timings: September 7th – all day near the main station area (look for the smoke from the grills) of JR Meguro Station.

Access: JR Meguro Station on the Yamanote Line