On February 9th, which is known as "Fuku no Hi" in Japanese, a Shinto ritual was held to pray for the safety of pufferfish fishing in Shimonoseki City, Yamaguchi Prefecture, where the local puffer fish is called "Fuku".
In Yamaguchi Prefecture, mainly in Shimonoseki City, puffer fish is associated with misfortune, so instead it is called "Fuku" as it leads to "fortune". The 9th day of the month is defined as "Fuku no Hi" by punning.
Every year on Fuku no Hi, a Shinto ritual is held to pray for the safety of pufferfish fishing. On the 9th, about 50 people, including fishery and wholesalers, gather at Ebisu Shrine in the city, which enshrines the deity who brings seafood. visited.
At the altar, two 4-kilogram wild tiger pufferfish caught off the coast of Tsushima were offered, and the Shinto priests prayed for the safety of fishing and the promotion of pufferfish food culture.
According to the Shimonoseki Fuku Federation, this season's natural tiger puffer fishing has been poor due to the effects of the storm that has continued since the end of last year. It means that
Yuichiro Goda, chairman of the Shimonoseki Fuku Federation, said, "The amount we can catch this year is small, but the pufferfish we catch is delicious with soft roe in it, so I hope you'll eat it. We'd like to gradually consider expanding domestic consumption and exporting to overseas." I was talking to