Abalone

　It is said that Yamatohime-no-Mikoto, who is believed to have founded the Ise Shrine after travelling through various regions, arrived in Toba whilst searching for offerings for the shrine. She is said to have been deeply moved by the abalones offered to her by a female diver, and it is for this reason that, ever since, the abalone has become a sacred offering at the Ise Shrine.

　The Japanese black abalone, caught off the coast of Honshū, is currently in season. It is delicious as sashimi, of course, but also when steamed with sake.

　Nicknamed the ‘black diamond of the sea’, abalone catches have fallen sharply due to overfishing and rising sea temperatures, with the result that three species of abalone, including the Japanese black abalone, are now threatened with extinction. At present, most of the abalone sold in Japanese markets come from Korean farms.