Yamato-ya Suzunami Factory Direct Store - Home to the Luxurious Seafood Mirin Kasu-zuke

"Seafood Mirin Kasu-zuke" is made by slowly marinating selected seafood in a unique mixture of sake lees and mirin lees. This kasu-zuke is the signature product of "Suzunami", and is popular not only at department store stores but also at restaurants, where it is crowded with people every day.

This Seafood Mirin Kasu-zuke is produced at the Yamatoya Suzunami Oguchi Factory. The factory also produces products for Yamatoya Moriguchizuke Sohonke (hereafter referred to as Yamatoya), the parent company of Suzunami, and has a direct sales store on the premises. As it is a store that you can stop by by car, it is very convenient to be able to purchase Nagoya specialties without having to go all the way to the city center.

This time, we will introduce recommended products from Yamatoya Suzunami Oguchi Factory Direct Store, as well as tips on how to enjoy them.

*Information from the time of coverage in July 2024.

Exterior view of Yamatoya Suzunami Oguchi factory direct sales store

Entrance to the direct sales store

A store filled with products

I like that the products on the shelves are easy to see.

Manager Mr. Miyajima of the Oguchi Plant of Yamatoya Moriguchi-zuke Sohonke

We spoke with Mr. Miyajima, section manager of Yamatoya Moriguchi Tsukemono Sohonke Oguchi Factory.

The secret behind the deliciousness of Suzunami Seafood Mirin Kasu-zuke

Yamatoya's Moriguchi-zuke, which originated in Nagoya and have been loved for a long time, are Yamatoya's signature product. Using that pickling technique, Suzunami's popular Seafood Mirin Kasu-zuke were born.

The lees used in both are sake lees that still drip with sake when squeezed, and high-quality mirin lees. The lees are mixed using a secret recipe to match the ingredients being pickled, and the ingredients are slowly pickled, allowing the flavor to seep in thoroughly.

At the Oguchi factory, production is centered around the pickling process, which is the core of our products.

Display case of Suzunami's signature product, "Seafood Mirin Kasu-zuke"

Popular gift sets for summer gifts are also available.

You can order from the pamphlet, and local delivery is also available.

During the Thanksgiving months of May and October, we hold events where we offer special gift sets, gifts depending on the amount of your purchase, and discounted shipping fees.

Available at Yamatoya Suzunami Oguchi Factory Direct Store!
Popular Products

A luxurious accompaniment to white rice, Suzunami's popular product is "silver cod"

Popular Seafood Mirin Kasu-zuke (Japanese Spanish mackerel, white fin, and silver cod)

Popular Seafood Mirin Kasu-zuke (silver salmon, barracuda, black sole)

Popular Seafood Mirin Kasu-zuke (mackerel, trout salmon, silver fin)

Popular Seafood Mirin Kasu-zuke (assortment)

You can also order customized gift sets (prices and gift contents are subject to change)

The most popular fish among Suzunami's Seafood Mirin Kasu-zuke can be purchased at the direct sales store is gindara (cod). It is so popular that restaurants have a sablefish set meal on their menu. With its soft flesh, it is a familiar fish on the dinner table, and is popular with a wide range of generations, from adults to children.

Mr. Miyajima: "In addition to gindara (cod), I personally recommend white flounder and flatfish for their tender meat. Barracuda and Spanish mackerel have firm and tight flesh, so please choose according to your preference.

It has a strong flavor, so it goes really well with rice. It's fun to find your own way to eat it, whether it's as a snack with alcohol or with soy sauce to taste.

The longest radish in Japan! Yamatoya's signature product is Moriguchi pickled radish

Fuso Town, located near the Oguchi factory, is the main production area of Moriguchi radishes, which can only grow in specific soil and are long, thin radishes that can reach over 100cm in length.

Popular pickles such as Moriguchi pickles and Narazuke pickles

A poster comparing the height of a Moriguchi radish to that of a 180cm tall person.

The Guinness certificate on display in the store

Mr. Miyajima: "We organized this event with contract farmers and local residents and challenged the Guinness record. The certified Moriguchi daikon was 191.7 cm long."

Moriguchi-zuke and Nara-zuke pickles are carefully seasoned by twice pickling in salt and three times pickling in sake lees for over 270 days. Moriguchi-zuke, which is dyed a beautiful tortoiseshell color, is also called the jewel of pickles.

Various pickles

Cutely wrapped sake lees pickles

There are also other types of pickles with various vegetables pickled in them, as well as Nara pickles cut into bite-size pieces that can be eaten with the whole lees. The cute wrapping of the Narazuke makes it a perfect gift that is both unexpected and delicious.

[Oguchi Factory Direct Store Limited Edition]
If you spend over ¥1,000, you will receive a free pickle lees.

Gifts for purchases over 1,000 yen

At this direct sales store, Yamatoya's pickling lees (500 g) are given as a free gift to customers who purchase 1,000 yen or more. Simply dip the ingredients in the sake lees and refrigerate for a few days to make a simple, flavorful asa-zuke (lightly pickled vegetables).

This is the pickle lees we sell: 1kg

Mr. Miyajima: "We also sell 1 kg of this pickle lees, which is twice the size. We have many repeat customers who come back to buy it because they want to put pickles on it. I would be happy if people become familiar with the sake lees by trying the smaller size first.

All of the products are the same price as other retailers, but this gift adds to the convenience of being able to purchase products without going to a department store.

Don't miss out on our other products!

Moriguchi pickled fresh furikake and black beans

Nagoya Cochin chicken wings (Rokugyoutei)

There are many other products of interest, including black soybeans, a popular item at the restaurant, furikake and pickled plums from Moriguchi-zuke, and other pickled plums. Rokugyotei, an affiliate of Moriguchi-zuke, offers pickled Nagoya chicken wings, while Hakko-ya offers pickled plum with sake lees and pickled cheese with honey lemon flavor (limited time only), making it easy to browse through their unique products.

Tips for eating deliciously

I actually bought the popular cod and silver salmon from Suzunami's Seafood Mirin Kasu-zuke, and Yamatoya's Moriguchi pickles.

Seafood Mirin Kasu-zuke is ready to eat when it has a nice golden brown color.

Convenient individual packaging so you can eat it fresh anytime

When you open the package, you'll find fish soaked in plenty of lees.

The fish is wrapped in washi gauze (Japanese paper), so slowly peel it off.

The fish fillets are shiny after the lees have been wiped off.

Each piece of fish and Seafood Mirin Kasu-zuke is individually wrapped and contains so much sake lees that it almost spills out when the seal is opened. The fish is wrapped in washi gauze and marinated, so the washi gauze is carefully peeled off and the sake lees on the fish is removed with kitchen paper.

Easy to understand! Leaflet on how to grill properly

It may be difficult to work with if you are not familiar with the process, but just follow the instructions in the leaflet on how to bake.

This kasu-zuke can be easily and deliciously grilled in a frying pan. Grill over medium heat for 3 minutes, then flip and cook for another 3 minutes. Watch the fish and when it is nicely browned, it is ready to serve. Be careful not to overcook the sake lees, as they burn easily.

The fluffy baked cod looks even bigger than the previous one.

The beautiful pink color becomes more and more vivid! Grilled and fragrant silver salmon

It's ready to eat when the fragrant aroma rises and it's nicely browned. Once it's done, the slightly sweet aroma of mirin rises, whet your appetite.

The well-seasoned Moriguchi-zuke can be sliced to your desired thickness.

Double-packed for peace of mind

A whole Moriguchi-zuke, longer than you'd think

Moriguchi-zuke is really a whole Moriguchi daikon radish as it is, and it is actually surprisingly long when you see it! Remove from the pack, clean off the lees and cut into thin slices to your liking. No rinsing is necessary.

The flavor penetrates all the way to the center, giving it a beautiful tortoiseshell color.

Since it is well seasoned, I personally recommend slicing it a little thinner rather than thicker. It is extremely chewy, and the mellow flavor of the sake lees pickles that escapes through the nose is superb, making the rice go down a treat on its own. It is also a perfect accompaniment to sake.

Very popular with children and adults alike!
A dish unique to Nagoya

The large curtain hanging in front of the store is the landmark

At the Yamatoya Suzunami Oguchi Factory Direct Store, you can purchase that popular specialty at a store where you can easily drop by. Whether as a unique Nagoya souvenir or gift, or as a daily side dish at home, we recommend this tasty dish for the whole family, from adults to children. Please stop by on your way out.