Let’s Enjoy Clam Digging “Shiohigari” at Beach in Spring

What is Shiohigari”?

Shiohigari is a pleasure excursion to dig and gather clams on the beach at low tide.
It has been popular for long time since Edo period(1600-1868).
The best season for Shiohigari is Spring.(So just now is best!)
Some beaches which are shallow off the shore, get crowded by the people digging clams.

The way to enjoy Shiohigari

It is not possible to do Shiohigari at any beaches and it is not possible even in Spring.
There are a certain conditions, detailed below

• The location
  The fissherman’s union determines where you are allowed to do Shiohigari.
  • Uminokoen
    The popular Shiohigari aite in Yokohama is “UminoKoen” whereyou can reach from Uminokoen station of Seaside line or KanazawaHakkei station of KeihinKyuko line.
    TheMap of UminoKoen
  • Odaiba KaihinKoen(Odaiba Beach Park)
    Another common Shiohigari destination in Tokyo is Odaiba KaihinKoen.
    You can reach there from Odaiba Kaihinkoen station of Yurikamome line.
    (The map of Odaiba kaihinKoen)
• Right date and time
  The recommended timing is from March to June when tidal flats become wider at gently sloping beaches.
  There are certain dates and times you can get more clams.
  You had better go to the right time of low tide of certain dates.
  Please see the link below. You can check the UminoKoen website to confirm the suggested time s and dates for Shiohigari at UminoKoen.
  The suggested time and dates
• Necessary stuff for Shiohigari
  • Bowl or container to put clam s into
  • PET bottle to take sea water for sand removal
    (It is necessary for the clams to be soaked in sea water for 5-6 hours befor you cook clams in order to make them discharge sand.)
  • Grand sheet to sit on
  • Towel to wipe feet after walking on the beach
  • Beach sandals
  • Plastic bag to temporarily store gatthed clams
• Rule
  There are some rules that need to be followed at each Shiohigari sites.
  Fore example UminoKoen has the rules below.
  • Do not use thespecialized tool that is wider than 15cm.
  • Donot take little clams that are smaller than 2cm.
  • Do not take more than 2kg of clams in total waight.
    

How to cook the clams you gather

How to cook the clams you gather can be a big issue.
If you don’t have the environment to cook them, my reccomendation is to teke the clams to restaurants or “Izakaya” drinking places and ask to cook them for you.
Some restaurants or Izakaya may accept ingredients that you bring in for cooking.

The following Izakatain Yokohama region welcomes the fish or clams you catch for cooking.

FRYING FISH
If you are looking for a place to eat near the UminoKoen beach where you do Shiohigari, you can get to the FRYING FISH restaurant. Check out their Facebook page at
https://www.facebook.com/seafoodpubfryingfish/
Map

SAKANAKAYA
https://sakanakaya.com/concept/for_customer/
Map

If you can cook. my recommended cuisine is “Sakamushi” Sake-Steamed Clams.
You can see the recipe as below link.
https://www.justonecookbook.com/japanese-sake-steamed-clams/

After the season of cherry blossom viewing, The Shiohigari gives you the pleasure of another aspect of Japanese nature.

I had a great time doing Shiohigari on April 22, 2023.
It’s a valuable experience that allows me to enjoy the activity and feel like a child again while also feeling relaxed.
It’s also a fantastic experience to eat the fresh clams that you gather yourself.