On the afternoon of July 18, I was driving for Kasari-cho. Soon after I passed Akaogi Village, Tatsugo-cho, I noticed a lot of people in the sea at low tide, hunting for something in waist-deep water. I pulled up my car on the side of the road and asked a man nearby what they were doing. “They are gathering Mozuku.”, was the answer. From what I hear, there are some areas in the shallow water where Mozuku grows naturally. But he said, “Maybe Mozuku seedlings came drifting from a nursery and propagated here.”

That day was May 17 according to the lunar calendar and fell on a spring tide day. Interestingly some people came by boat and gathered Mozuku while diving. The harvest a girl showed me was enormous. She said she gathered them together with her parents. The fresh Mozuku looked so delicious.

First of all, you should try Mozuku raw with Sanbaizu (flavored with soy, sake and vinegar). You can also use Mozuku for broth or tempura. And salted Mozuku can be long preserved.