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Mikuniya Ryokan The Snow Crab, also known as Matsuba Crab, is a local delicacy caught in the waters just north of Kinosaki Onsen.
Residents and tourists alike praise the taste of snow crab for its unique sweetness and ability to go with a variety of other dishes.
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What Makes Snow Crab Taste so Good?
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So what exactly makes this ocean dweller a gourmet prize among seafood connoisseurs? The praise starts with its legs - with an average length of 70 centimeters, the legs of a Snow Crab pack an impressive amount of sweet, briney flavor in their succulent meat. You can thank the clear, cool waters of Kinosaki Onsen’s nearby ports for the high standard of meat - the Sea of Japan doesn’t disappoint! Especially adventurous foodies can also try “kani miso” a buttery, soup-like dish made from the paste found inside the body of a Snow Crab.
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When can visitors get a taste?
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Part of the Snow Crab's allure is its elusive, seasonal exclusivity. While frozen Snow Crab is available all year long in Japan, Kinosaki Onsen prides itself on timing - guests are served this sumptuous delicacy in winter, when the Snow Crabs are freshly fished from the nearby Sea of Japan.
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Where can visitors try Snow Crab?
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At restaurants
Terakawa
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Snow Crab specialty shop with exclusive reservation-only dinner.
A chartered guest room on the second floor can be reserved for the night,
To book dinner, contact info@visitkinosaki.com.
Address: 113 Kinosakicho Yushima, Toyooka, Hyogo 669-6101
Okesho Sengyo & Dining Room Kaichuen
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Century-old seafood market and restaurant. Live Snow Crabs are sold on the ground floor and enjoyed in the second floor restaurant.
Walk-ins welcome.
Address: 132 Kinosakicho Yushima, Toyooka, Hyogo 669-6101
Inaba Seafood Market
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Seafood shop and restaurant with live Snow Crabs. The iconic Snow Crab on the front of the building is impossible to miss.
Walk-ins welcome.
Address: 224 Kinosakicho Yushima, Toyooka, Hyogo 669-6101
In kaiseki banquet dinners at ryokan inns
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Mikuniya Ryokan Anyone who has experienced a kaiseki banquet dinner during a stay in Kinosaki Onsen has gone home with memories of a luxurious meal fit for a king. This bountiful "kaiseki" banquet is a type of traditional Japanese meal, a decorated spread of succulent, small dishes, each a shining jewel in the crown of one fantastic feast. Almost all inns in Kinosaki Onsen offer plans with kaiseki banquet dinners included in the pricing, and during November to March, these meals more often than not feature Snow Crab.
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In street food around town
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In Japanese, "tabe aruki" means "eating and walking." Along with hot spring hopping, tabe aruki is a quintessential pastime in Kinosaki Onsen. During the Snow Crab season from November to March, many gift shops sell Snow Crab meat buns outside for passersby. Some stores even offer warm Snow Crab soup to fight the winter chills!
The Snow Crab’s queen - the Sekogani
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Sekogani, the female counterpart to the large Snow Crab, is another gourmet treasure in her own right. While Sekogani Crabs are significantly smaller than male Snow Crabs, their red roe eggs are prized for their taste and abundance - one Sekogani Crab has an average of 100,000 eggs inside!
From sea to table: Tsuiyama Port Snow Crab Festival + Auctions
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Every November with the start of crab season, the nearby Tsuiyama Port honors the local Snow Crab fisherman with a festival. Browse food trucks and peruse the crab sale displays as locals and visitors search for their ideal purchase of the season! You may even see some tourists in Kinosaki Onsen toting their fresh catch in a styrofoam box!
Tsuiyama Port address: 248 Tsuiyama, Toyooka, Hyogo 669-6121
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Danielle Leveille
Junior Local Expert
Originally from Chicago in the USA. She currently works for Visit Kinosaki as a coordinator for international relations. A lover of Tajima beef and hidden sightseeing spots, she can be found either at one of her favorite restaurants or exploring a secret nook in town.