Hamo-Otoshi

　Tomorrow is ‘Yoiyoiyama’, the eve of the festival held two days before the Yamahoko Procession of Gion festival.

　Hamo (Pike Conger) is a fish traditionally eaten in Kyoto at this time of year. Although sourcing fish was difficult in Kyoto, which is far from the sea, hamo—a fish with extraordinary vitality—was reportedly the only species that could be transported alive from the Seto Inland Sea to Kyoto.

　However, hamo has sharp teeth and many small bones. Through trial and error, Kyoto’s chefs established a technique known as ‘honekiri (bone-cutting)’, in which only the fine bones are removed without cutting the skin. When the finely sliced hamo flesh is briefly blanched, it opens up like a blossoming flower.

　During this season, when the hot and humid weather tends to dampen the appetite, the refreshing ‘hamo-otoshi’ helps to restore the appetite of the people of Kyoto. Enjoying it with bainiku (pickled plum) sauce, which pairs perfectly with it, further stimulates the appetite.