Sakura Shrimp Fair held at Shizuoka Mall; Suruga Bay specialty offered in various food items

SHIZUOKA — Sakura shrimp, or sakuraebi, is a specialty of Suruga Bay. The small, bright pink shrimp are a feature of a variety of food and merchandise products, such as persimmon fritters, croquettes, ice cream and key chains, at stores and restaurants in the S-Pulse Dream Plaza facility. The event runs until May 26.

Spring shrimp fishing started in late March this year.

This is the first time that a fair specifically for Sakuraebi will be held at S-Pulse Dream Plaza. During the event, visitors can enjoy original fair menu items such as sakuraebi-koboshi sushi (¥340) at Kaitenzushi Nobu-chan, a conveyor belt sushi restaurant, and sakuraebi cream paste (¥1,380) at family restaurant Freely.

Local seafood processing company Harato Shoten sells a sakuraebi rice mix for ¥810 at the fair’s souvenir section.

‘You can cook Sakuraebi rice just by doing this [and rice] in the rice cooker,” says Toko Hara, the 15th generation head of the store. “I hope customers can enjoy authentic sakuraebi at home without any fuss.”