Journal — Mukawa Shishamo
A rare endemic fish, explained from public records.
Journal | 2026.09.05
This journal is about shishamo, the fish tied to the neighbouring town of Mukawa. Shishamo lives only along Hokkaido's Pacific coast, and it is the town fish of Mukawa.
It is worth saying at the start: you cannot count on eating this year's catch. Mukawa Town says its shishamo fishery has been suspended since the 2023 fiscal year, as stocks have declined.
Here is what shishamo is, and why it is rare, drawn from a public research body and the town's own guidance. Mitsu sits in Atsuma, and Mukawa is the next town over.
Shishamo belongs to the genus Spirinchus, in the smelt family. According to the Hokkaido Research Organization, it lives along the Pacific coast of Hokkaido.
The rivers it enters are very few. It runs up only a dozen or so, from the Bekanbeushi in Akkeshi in the east to the Yurappu in Yakumo in the west, and it is found nowhere else.
So the true shishamo of Hokkaido is a fish of very limited range. That scarcity is part of what makes it valued.
Shishamo was named the town fish of Mukawa in July 1995. It stands for the town as its own fish.
Then, on 17 November 2006, the name Mukawa Shishamo was registered as a regional collective trademark. It was filed by the Mukawa fisheries co-operative.
In this way, the name Mukawa Shishamo is protected as one bound to this particular place.
The Mukawa shishamo season ran from October into late November. In recent years it opened in early October and lasted just forty days from the opening day.
Now, however, no fishing takes place. Mukawa Town says the fishery has been suspended since the 2023 fiscal year, because stocks have declined.
So even a visit in autumn does not mean you can taste that year's fresh catch. This is the first thing to know.
Shishamo is mainly processed by drying on reed screens. About one per cent salt is added to the catch.
It is then dried in the cold sea wind for two or three days. When the fishery was open, the screens lined the fronts of the processing shops in season.
That row of screens was a familiar sight of autumn along the Mukawa river.
In March 2025, Mukawa Town designated 1 November as Mukawa Shishamo Day.
The first of November falls within the time when fishing was once at its height. Even with the fishery suspended, the town keeps the culture of this fish alive.
The town fish, the trademarked name, and now a day of its own: through all of these, Mukawa has long held this fish dear.
Mori no Auberge Mitsu is in Atsuma, Hokkaido, and Mukawa is the next town over. It is about 30 minutes by car from New Chitose Airport, and about 20 minutes from Tomakomai. For directions, see the Access page.
Mukawa faces the Pacific and is rich in the gifts of the sea. Autumn is a good season to travel this coast, and Lake Shikotsu is about an hour away by car. You can find more nearby on the Around page.
Dinner at Auberge Mitsu is an omakase kaiseki course that follows the Hokkaido season, and breakfast is served too, except on room-only plans. You can see the meals on the Dining page.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Rooms | Three groups a night, three rooms (Ki, Mi, Tsuki) |
| From New Chitose Airport | About 30 minutes by car |
| Check-in / out | 15:00–19:00 / 10:00 |
| Parking | 10 cars, free, no booking |
Can you eat Mukawa shishamo now?
Mukawa Town says the fishery has been suspended since the 2023 fiscal year, as stocks have declined. The season used to run from October into late November, but no fishing takes place now.
What kind of fish is shishamo?
It belongs to the genus Spirinchus in the smelt family, and lives only along Hokkaido's Pacific coast. It runs up only a dozen or so rivers, from the Bekanbeushi in Akkeshi to the Yurappu in Yakumo, and is found nowhere else.
What is Mukawa Shishamo?
It is a name registered as a regional collective trademark on 17 November 2006. Shishamo had already been named the town fish of Mukawa in July 1995.
What is drying on reed screens?
About one per cent salt is added to the catch, which is then dried in the cold sea wind for two or three days. In season the screens lined the fronts of the processing shops, a familiar sight of autumn.
Related: Around / Dining / Access / Staying in Atsuma | Back to the journal