１ Try Oki’s Local Delicacies!
Beko boiled in soy sauce
In the Oki dialect, sea hares are called beko, a vernacular term for cows. Apparently, the creature’s plump rounded body and horn-like features resemble those of a cow.
Sea hares are only eaten in Shimane, Kagoshima, Chiba, and Tottori Prefectures. They carry a poison within their bodies which is removed beforehand so they can be eaten safely. After sea hares are boiled and prepared, they are finely sliced and then cooked for about an hour until ready.
This delicacy had texture similar to that of turban shell or abalone; one bite will fill your mouth with a burst of umami flavor, and a hint of seaweed.
Sea hare (Amefurashi)
Aplysia kurodai
Related to shellfish, sea hares have a reduced shell underneath their dorsal surface. They are usually found living in shallow areas of the ocean with depths of 1 to 3 meters and eat mainly seaweed. They eject a purple liquid in response to stimuli.
２ Traditional Oki Fishing Methods
Kanagi Fishing
The people of Oki have practiced kanagi fishing methods to catch turban shell, abalone, and seaweed since ancient times. In this method, fishermen board a small boat called a kanko boat and use a glass-bottomed wooden box, referred to as “box glasses”, to see into the water. While searching the sea floor with “box glasses”, a long spear is used to peel and collect turban shell and abalone from rocks.
