JELLY FISH MOCHI
One of the most impressive attractions in the district of Shonai, is the Kamo Aquarium. Who’d have thought the quiet fishing town of Kamo, would be home to one the world’s largest variety of Jellyfish.
A few years ago the aquarium was facing bankruptcy, until it decided to focus on Jellyfish, with the 35 varieties of jellyfish turning the fortunes of the aquarium around.
I wont lie, I was stunned to learn that such an impressive aquarium lay hidden on the remote coastal road that travels from Shonai down to Niigata, with coach loads of tourists coming from afar to enjoy the aquarium.
Having wandered through the impressive displays of Jellyfish and watched an entertaining performance from one of the Sea Lions, I head over to the souvenir shop where I was confronted with a variety of Jellyfish infused sweets and snacks, including amongst other things, Jellyfish ice cream.
However, the best snack in my opinion was the Jellyfish mochi, which tasted like traditional red bean mochi, with small pieces of transparent, chopped jellyfish inside. Whilst the slices of jellyfish were flavourless, it made eating the mochi an unusual and unfamiliar experience. The only way I can describe it would be to imagine the hard taste and texture of orange peel (without the bitter taste).
Visit Kamo Aquarium for the magnificent displays and be sure to grab a few unique jellyfish related snacks afterwards. You won’t find them anywhere else!
WHERE: Kamo Aquarium
