The shipment of "Blackberry Lily", which is popular as a gift for the year-end and New Year holidays, began on the 1st in Ainan Town, Ehime Prefecture.
"Hiougi shellfish" is a bivalve that features beautiful shells in various shades such as yellow, orange, and purple, and is popular as a gift for the year-end and New Year holidays.
In Ehime Prefecture, 44 aquaculture companies, mainly in the Uwa Sea, produce about 400,000 a year, and shipping for gifts began on the 1st.
At the Utsumi branch of the Ainan Fisheries Cooperative, aquaculture companies brought in oyster shells that had been raised to a diameter of about 9 cm over a year and a half, and packed them in boxes in a colorful manner.
The oyster shells are shipped year-round, which means that the shells will be the brightest in color and the umami will be even darker during this time of cold weather.
Continuing from last year, inquiries from restaurants have been somewhat sluggish due to the influence of the new coronavirus, but the Fisheries Cooperative will continue shipping until the end of the year and expect to ship 500 cases as usual.
Mitsunobu Kuroda, the representative of the Blackberry Lily Subcommittee of the Ainan Fisheries Cooperative Utsumi Branch, said, "Although there was a slight delay in growth, the taste is delicious. It gets cold, so it is recommended to put it in a pot and eat it."