SABA

Our saba journey begins at Tokyo's Toyosu Market. We then visit Kyoto Prefecture for some festival food that remains a key part of local tradition before heading to Obama, Fukui Prefecture, at the other end of the Saba Kaido, a historic trade route. Regional synergy continues to this day, with sake lees from Kyoto playing a key role in aquaculture at Wakasa Port. Also discover the expanding world of canned saba, and cook outside with our reporter, Michael, using organic veggies from his farm. (Reporter: Michael Keida)

At an aquaculture farm
Saba sushi
Various kinds of canned saba
Eating his own dish using canned saba

Transcript

00:02

Tokyo: this world-class metropolis is a veritable gourmet wonderland.

00:11

Discover the stories behind the ingredients that make this city so delicious - so "oishii."

00:21

Today is all about saba, or mackerel.

00:24

It's eaten all over the world, and has firm roots in Japanese tradition as well.

00:34

Canned saba is also gaining traction, especially for use in home cooking.

00:45

"Oishii!"

00:47

In Kyoto, Japan's old capital, saba is a key part of local tradition.

00:55

This is salted saba.

00:59

Discover ancient routes that connected landing areas to the inland capital.

01:08

And see how fishers are using aquaculture to put Wakasa Bay back on the map.

01:17

Take a dive into the vast world of saba.

01:25

Trails to Oishii Tokyo.

01:33

Alright, so this is my first time coming to the Toyosu fish market since it moved to this area.

01:37

I'm here to find all about Japanese saba, or mackerel.

01:40

Let's go check it out.

01:41

Ah! I can smell the fish already.

01:43

Let's get going!

01:46

Our American reporter Michael is at Toyosu Market in search of saba.

01:54

He visits a wholesaler established in 1863.

02:02

Saba connoisseur Kato Satoru is here to tell us more.

02:10

This is "ma-saba."
This is "goma-saba."

02:13

What's the difference?

02:16

At first glance, they have different patterns.

02:25

The two types mainly caught around Japan are ma-saba and goma-saba.

02:31

Goma-saba prefer warmer waters.

02:34

Goma means sesame - you can see they have a lovely spotted pattern.

02:42

Ma-saba are the most common.

02:45

They have softer lines, with a light-green back.

02:53

Saba are caught all over Japan, from
Hokkaido all the way down to Kyushu.

03:01

The whole country.

03:04

They're mostly caught in the fall.

03:06

What's different about fall saba?

03:09

- Fattiness.
- I see.

03:12

Saba eat a lot to nourish their eggs.

03:19

They keep eating after they spawn
to re-energize and fatten up.

03:25

Ma-saba swim north in the spring,

03:31

and then south in the fall.

03:33

They return nice and fat, making them tastiest in the fall.

03:41

Saba are nutritious, right?

03:46

Yes. It's a great fish.

03:48

- I want to try some.
- You can't here.

03:53

Not only healthy, saba have been easy to come by for ages - it's no wonder they're popular.

04:01

According to a document on medicinal herbs and ingredients dating back to the Edo period,

04:08

saba wasn't supposed to be eaten raw, but pickled in salt.

04:15

Fatty meat tends to spoil quickly.

04:17

So in the past, saba was often grilled with salt or cooked in miso.

04:28

Michael's off to the historic capital, Kyoto.

04:33

He's here for a history lesson, and to eat something special!

04:42

This traditional home unique to Kyoto is an Important Cultural Property.

04:52

Hello.

04:55

Hi. We're here.

04:57

Sugimoto Setsuko is an expert on Kyoto tradition.

05:03

Her family opened a kimono business here in the mid-18th century.

05:08

Now open to the public, the building, that's been preserved for over 150 years, keeps Kyoto tradition alive.

05:20

- This is the kitchen.
- I see.

05:24

It has a special name in Kyoto.

05:28

This hearth is called "kudo," so we
call the room "o-kudo-san."

05:34

We add the honorifics "o" and "san"
to each end of the word.

05:40

It's a polite name that shows our affection.

05:45

This is cool.
I want this at home.

05:48

- May I touch it?
- No way.

05:55

This written record has been passed down through the family.

05:59

Michael gets to see a page about saba.

06:06

This was written by our ancestor
in 1841, during the Edo period.

06:14

It's a memorandum.

06:19

This says, "During Shinto celebrations,
salted saba is sent to the following."

06:27

This says "shio-saba," or salted saba.
"Shio" in kanji and "saba" in hiragana.

06:35

Salted saba was sent to relatives
during festival season.

06:46

This is a list of those relatives.

06:50

In Kyoto, it's custom to eat
saba sushi on festive occasions.

07:04

The Gion Festival is one of Kyoto's largest annual celebrations.

07:10

It's been held for over 1,000 years.

07:13

Floats are paraded around to ward off disease.

07:22

The family document mentions the festival in the part about sending saba to relatives.

07:33

Salted saba came all the way from Wakasa Bay in Fukui, which was known as a "miketsukuni" -

07:40

a province that provided high-quality food to the imperial court.

07:50

Kyoto residents got their fill as well -

07:53

loved ones enjoyed salted saba together during festive occasions.

08:01

Time to make festival sushi.

08:04

Saba was preserved in salt to keep it from spoiling on its way to Kyoto.

08:09

This was then seasoned with vinegar before use.

08:17

Vinegar is also added to rice, the age-old food that invites good fortune.

08:28

After cooling, the rice is shaped and put over a cut of saba.

08:39

This is then wrapped in a bamboo leaf.

08:42

Such a beautiful presentation. Wow.

08:47

Let the flavors settle for about 12 hours.

08:54

And saba sushi - an old-school party food.

09:01

- "Itadakimasu."
- Enjoy.

09:04

It's beautiful.

09:05

I'll eat it whole.

09:15

The vinegar just really kicks in and brings out the flavor of the saba.

09:22

And it's also... it's got a really creamy texture to it.

09:25

It just melts in your mouth, but still the rice has got a nice chewy bit to it.

09:32

My ancestors also made this,
to celebrate the same festivities.

09:41

Saba sushi keeps us connected to our past.

09:46

It's like we're communicating
with our ancestors.

09:53

It's a special food in that way.

09:57

A food with a storied past continues to warm hearts.

10:04

Inland trade routes leading to Kyoto and surrounding areas were known as the Saba Kaido.

10:10

Michael heads to the starting point - Wakasa Bay.

10:18

Welcome to Obama.

10:19

The city once landed a large amount of saba, giving birth to a rich food culture

10:25

with many recipes that have lasted generations.

10:32

"Heshiko" is saba pickled in brine and fermented rice bran.

10:38

This is "nare-zushi," heshiko that's fermented longer with rice and "koji."

10:43

These are two examples of how saba can be enjoyed all year round.

10:55

Michael heads to a local fishing port.

11:03

Okay, so it's first thing in the morning. A bit crisp out here.

11:05

I heard that close by they're doing aquaculture - raising fish close to the ocean.

11:10

So, I'm gonna go check it out.

11:15

Floating rafts are set up in a nearby inlet.

11:21

Michael will help with unloading and feeding today.

11:24

The port started aquaculture about six years ago.

11:31

Saba caught in nature are raised in enclosures until they're ready to be shipped.

11:43

Nets are raised to bring up the fish.

11:53

A light-green color on the back means the saba are healthy.

12:01

Full of energy.

12:05

They're moved to ice water to keep them fresh.

12:08

Saba of a certain size are collected until the quota is met.

12:20

That'll do.

12:24

Time to feed the fish.

12:26

They're fed by hand every day to keep them healthy.

12:36

Feeding takes about 20 minutes.

12:41

They learn quickly.
They know food is coming.

12:47

Wow!

12:53

They must be hungry.

12:57

What's the food made of?

12:59

It's made by a compound feed manufacturer.

13:03

It has a good balance of nutrients.

13:07

We add minced yellowback bream head,
small shrimp, also minced, and sake lees.

13:21

- Does it smell sweet?
- It does.

13:24

A bit like strawberries.

13:27

Yeah, it's a fruity smell.

13:31

The feed gives the meat aroma
along with extra nutrients.

13:37

Sake lees are yeast deposits left over from sake brewing.

13:42

Rich in proteins, amino acids, and vitamins from rice malt and yeast, it's commonly used in Japanese cooking.

13:56

Here, they use sake lees from Kyoto - at the other end of the saba highway!

14:02

The saba seem to enjoy the stuff, earning them a nickname to be proud of: Obama drunken saba.

14:12

Hey, alright, here you go.

14:17

I think they like it.

14:20

I'm happy they gobble it up.

14:23

So, why do aquaculture?

14:28

The saba population is greatly decreasing.

14:32

Sardine and horse mackerel hauls are down too.

14:39

We need to raise saba so that
they're good enough to eat.

14:52

Catch numbers in Obama, once massive, have been dropping since around 1990.

14:58

Global warming and a decline in saba seine net fishing are just two possible reasons.

15:10

In 2016, Obama began its current saba cultivation project.

15:20

This port was big for saba.
Farming will revive that.

15:26

That could also revive the community.

15:32

Within five years, we hope to
be able to raise them directly from birth.

15:45

To achieve this, saba research is underway in a local facility.

15:53

Healthy parents are raised by retrieving and incubating eggs.

16:01

And feed that fosters growth is being developed to shorten the overall raising process.

16:08

Born and raised in Obama.

16:14

The environment is always changing,
and saba adapt to those changes.

16:19

That makes it difficult to choose
the right conditions for them.

16:23

Giving them an ideal environment
requires a lot of trial and error.

16:33

The future of Obama's food culture lies on their little shoulders.

16:41

Time for some drunken saba!

16:46

Michael heads to a seafood restaurant near the port.

16:49

They get fish straight from the Sea of Japan.

16:54

This is my first time eating raw saba.

16:58

It looks great. Beautiful fish.

17:01

It's best to prepare and eat it
the same day it's caught.

17:08

This saba is fresh.

17:12

Delivered the same day, the saba is truly farm-to-table.

17:17

And since it's farmed, it's safe to eat raw.

17:30

Wow. The texture, it's just so tender, yet chewy.

17:36

And the flavor's so mild, but it has a...

17:39

the oils start coming out, start sweetening as you chew it.

17:44

Very tasty.

17:45

I was expecting a fishier flavor,
but this is very refreshing.

17:51

The fat has a sweetness to it.

17:59

Next, the skin is flame-seared.

18:03

Juicy cuts are placed over a bed of rice with a Japanese herb called "shiso."

18:15

How do I start?

18:16

With a pinch of salt. That'll
bring out the saba's umami.

18:33

It retains its true flavor,
with an added smokey aroma.

18:40

To shake things up, he adds a special miso vinaigrette.

18:48

After that, bonito and "kombu dashi" broth.

19:02

Very nice.

19:04

The oils come out in the broth.
It's yet another way to enjoy saba.

19:11

How has the availability of drunken saba
changed things for you?

19:16

I'm grateful to get such good saba.

19:20

Saba is a tourist attraction for Obama.

19:25

Repeat visitors are increasing too.
It's a chance to promote drunken saba.

19:36

This makes it very luxurious.

19:41

It rivals the sea bream.

19:46

Obama's future is bright with its new brand of saba.

19:53

Back in Tokyo, Michael stops by Shinbashi, a business district.

20:00

This shop opened in March 2022.

20:03

They specialize in canned goods, and the saba section keeps growing.

20:14

The canned saba is here.

20:20

Nowadays, canned saba production is
higher than canned tuna.

20:25

It keeps growing.

20:28

Ones with Western seasonings
are particularly popular.

20:31

Where is saba canned?

20:34

Usually close to landing and production sites.

20:40

Canning means you can enjoy saba
of a certain season at any time.

20:45

That's a key point.

20:49

Also, it's heated after it's canned.
That reduces the need for preservatives.

21:00

That's a big advantage.

21:04

They have cute designs.

21:06

Right. That helps them fly off the shelves.

21:11

I could see myself buying
one just for that reason. Impactful.

21:20

New canned saba flavors are popping up left and right.

21:25

Michael picks a few to take home to his outdoor kitchen.

21:31

Alright, so I picked up a couple different flavors that I'm gonna give a try.

21:34

We've got chocolate, habanero, and black pepper, which is one of my favorite spices.

21:40

So, let's just open these up and see what we've got.

21:43

Oh, wow.

21:44

It does have like a cacao color to it.

21:48

I cannot imagine what the flavor of this is.

22:00

Wow, that's remarkably delicious, but not like anything I've ever had before.

22:09

For anyone who likes dark chocolate,

22:11

if you let the dark chocolate melt in your mouth and kind of slowly build up,

22:15

and the flavors spread out...

22:16

You don't get any of the fishiness, but it backs up the saba with just a really light coating of your palate.

22:30

Surprising.

22:32

I love spice. Ooh, that looks really delicious.

22:35

That looks like it could also be good for using in cooking.

22:41

You can see the red oils from the habanero coating this saba.

22:46

Let's give it a try.

22:54

Oh, wait for it, wait for it! Wow.

22:58

At first I was just tasting those rich flavors of the saba, but then slowly that heat started building up.

23:04

I'm gonna need a glass of milk.

23:06

But that's great. It's a great way to have this canned saba.

23:11

The soft punch of black pepper goes great with a cold drink.

23:19

Excited to cook up some saba, Michael picks organic veggies from his farm.

23:24

Let's see what he makes!

23:34

So I like to try to use as many different color vegetables as possible.

23:39

Just, you know, it looks much nicer that way.

23:44

Give this a little... just let this go for a little bit.

23:49

Now I've got my two cans open with the juices inside still.

23:56

One of the great things about the saba-can is that the juices inside,

24:00

you can put them in there and you don't need to add any other flavors, any other...

24:04

like consommé or some type of fish stock.

24:08

This is just enough to add all the flavor that you need for it.

24:11

Afterwards, you just kind of add a little bit of salt and pepper and finish it up that way.

24:17

As you can see, it's not like a flake,

24:22

the actual mackerel is in these - it's a crosscut, and it's still in full form there.

24:30

So, it makes it really easy to work with.

24:34

Just add the juice first.

24:36

First, he only adds the juice.

24:42

Once the veggies have cooked a bit, the saba meat goes in.

24:47

He then adds basil and other seasonings, and lets it simmer for about five minutes.

24:55

Wow, look at that.

24:58

All the vegetable juices and the saba juices have come out and they're dancing together.

25:04

Smells so good.

25:07

Perfect for a cold evening - it's basically umami soup!

25:15

Next, Michael will integrate saba into a special recipe.

25:19

He uses saba in tomato sauce.

25:24

He sautes garlic in olive oil before pouring in the saba.

25:30

I'll add my saba and break that down.

25:38

He adds home-dried tomatoes and chilies to taste, and tops it off with salt and pepper.

25:46

I got my tasty salt from Noto Peninsula.

25:53

It cooks for five minutes.

25:58

I've chosen penne this time.

26:01

Mix in boiled penne noodles, and it's ready.

26:11

As we say in Japan...
"Itadakimasu."

26:15

Get some of this soup.

26:24

That is to die for.

26:26

It's got just a deep... that deep mackerel punch to it.

26:31

And they just slowly melt to the rest of your mouth.

26:33

And the sweetness from the vegetables comes out.

26:36

Oh, my goodness. What a wonderful medley.

26:39

Using canned saba cuts the cooking time in half.

26:44

But the flavor has depth,
like using fresh saba.

26:54

That is so good.

26:57

Now for pasta, almost from the can...

27:07

This is a much different...

27:08

It's got that salty punch that saba also brings.

27:14

This makes me want to drink so red wine.

27:16

Oh, this is so good.

27:18

This is heaven.

27:22

Canned saba could turn you into a bona fide chef!

27:29

Saba has been bringing joy and flavor to the dining table for centuries, and continues to impact regional cuisine.

27:40

In the face of new challenges, it's clear that historic saba is here to stay.

27:52

In Tokyo, every ingredient has its own story.