Journeys in photographs and words.

Cook the local flavors once more

Nachikatsuura, Wakayama

Charcoal-grilled tuna collar

From: Nachikatsuura: the sea from a fishing-village window

A close-up of the tuna collar, charred and glistening over the coals
A close-up of the tuna collar, charred and glistening over the coals

Nachikatsuura is a fishing town that boasts Japan's largest landings of fresh tuna. The people of Katsuura port are committed to longline fishing, and the port has admitted only longline boats since the 1970s. I bought the collar of a line-caught, never-frozen tuna at a self-service shop near the harbor and grilled it over charcoal on the terrace of the house on the hill.

Ingredients

  • Fresh tuna collar
  • Charcoal

How I made it

  1. Light charcoal in a shichirin grill
  2. Lay the collar on the wire mesh and grill it slowly
  3. It is ready when the skin has tightened and browned

Sources: pref.wakayama.lg.jp

This moment in the journey

The bay at dusk

On the grill, the skin of the collar tightened and the fat dripped onto the coals with a fragrant sizzle. Beyond the sink, the bay sank into deep blue, and lights came on in the houses across the water.

I ate the collar hot off the grill, looking out over the darkened bay. What a peaceful way to spend an evening.

Watch this scene on YouTube5:20

Read this scene in the full journey

The tuna collar grilling on the wire mesh
The tuna collar grilling on the wire mesh
The grill and tuna collar at dusk, lights blurred behind
The grill and tuna collar at dusk, lights blurred behind
Standing by the grill with a glass as the bay fades into dusk
Standing by the grill with a glass as the bay fades into dusk
The outdoor tap and the bay sinking into blue
The outdoor tap and the bay sinking into blue
Sitting on the terrace at night, lights across the bay
Sitting on the terrace at night, lights across the bay