2019年06月12日朝刊
入梅いわし
Rainy season got you down? Chiba sardines said to soothe the spirit
[中文译文]
梅雨季节，也是千叶县的銚子渔港一年之中鱼最肥的季节。这个季节大概从六月末一直持续到7月中旬。在当地被叫做“入梅”。
銚子市水产课称，这个说法在江湖后期的文献里面也被提到过。在銚子站前和丈夫一起共同经营饮食店的，61岁的长谷川政代说：“这是在銚子无论谁都知道的词汇”。“从脊背中央剥开薄薄的皮，就能看到3毫米左右的白色脂肪，入口即化的甘甜，真的是绝品”。
为了把他们引以为豪的鱼推广开来，长谷川和朋友们一起成立了“銚子美食研究会”，并于4年前开始了“沙丁鱼节”。仅限6月和7月，生鱼片加天妇罗，泡菜盖饭，鱼丸汤和沙丁鱼，想吃多少就吃多少。虽然参加的店铺只有6家，但是第一年就吸引了上千人参加，并于去年人数还翻了倍。
依据记录打渔的历史的《大船头的銚子沙丁鱼故事 》（仑书房），这片地方的渔业是从江户初期开始的。昭和初期这片地方的打渔大丰收，一直到现在还为人称道。“沙丁鱼被过度捕捞，实在很为难”，“当时大片大片成群在海面上浮起来，好像在水上游走一样的”。
孕育了这极美之味的是营养丰富的大海。銚子海域是亲潮和黑潮交汇碰撞的极佳渔场。在海水上翻程度国内第一的銚子渔港里面，1600多艘渔船鳞次栉比，里面的餐饮店也是连成一片。
斑点莎瑙鱼的鱼获在进入平成年间后，在各地都呈现减少的态势，在銚子也是，现在的鱼获连峰值的1/5都没有。但即便是这样，岸上还是一样人来人往，车站里面宣传沙丁鱼节的旗子高高飘扬。和沙丁鱼共同走过的这条街在梅雨季节也同样热闹异常。
[日文原文]
梅雨の訪れと共に、千葉県の銚子漁港には年間を通じて最も脂が乗ったマイワシがやってくる。旬は6月末から7月半ば。地元では「入梅（にゅうばい）いわし」と呼ぶ。
銚子市水産課に聞くと、江戸後期の文献でも言及されているという。「銚子では誰もが知っていることばです」と長谷川政代（まさよ）さん（６１）。銚子駅前で、夫婦で飲食店を営む。「背中の薄い皮を剥くと３ミリほどの白い脂が見えます。とろりとした甘さが絶品です」。
自慢の魚を広めようと、長谷川さんたちは「銚子うめぇもん研究会」を立ち上げ、４年前に「入梅いわし祭」を始めた。6月と7月に限って、刺身に天ぷら、漬け丼、つみれ汁とイワシを存分に堪能してもらう試みだ。参加しているのは６店舗だが、当初１千人だった客足が昨年は２番に伸びた。
漁の歴史を記した『大船頭の銚子イワシ話』（崙＜ろん＞書房）によれば、漁の始まりは江戸初期。昭和の初めの大豊漁ぶりは今に語り継がれる。「イワシが取れすぎて困った」「大群で海面が浮き上がり、水の上を歩ける様だった」。
極上の味を生むのは栄養たっぷりの海。銚子沖は親潮と黒潮がぶつかる絶好の漁場だ。国内随一の水揚げを誇る銚子漁港には１６００隻もの船が所狭しと並ぶ、飲食店が軒を連ねる。
マイワシの漁獲は平成に入って各地で落ち込み、銚子でも最盛期の5分の１に満たない。それでも岸を人々が行き交い、駅には祭りを告げるのぼりがはためく。イワシと共に歳月を重ねた街は梅雨時も賑わう。
[英文译文]
The "Tsuyu" rainy season spells the arrival of "Maiwashi" sardines at the peak of their fatty lusciousness at the Choshi fishing port in Chiba Prefecture.
The fish are in season from mid-June through mid-July, and go by the local name of "Nyubai iwashi" (start of tsuyu sardine).
The term can be traced back to a late Edo Period(1603-1867) document, according to the city's fisheries department.
"Around here, everybody knows nyubai iwashi," said Hasegawa Masayo, 61, who runs an eatery with her husband in front of Choshi Station. "When you peel the thin skin off the fish's back, you see a layer of white fat that's about 3 millimeters thick. Its melt-in-your-mouth sweetness is absolutely heavenly."
To promote the treasured local treat, Hasegawa formed 'Choshi Umemon Kenkyukai' (group to study Choshi's delicacies). The group started organizing an annual event called "Nyubai Iwashi Matusri" four years ago that is held from June throght July.
It invites the public to savor sardines as sashimi and tempura, "Zuke don" (rice bowl topped with soy marinated sardines) and "tsumire jiru" (soup with balls of minced sardines).
With six local restaurants participating, the event attracted about 1,000 visitors in the first year, and double that number last year.
According to "Dai-sendo no Choshi Iwashi Banashi" (Great boatman's tales of sardines), a book on the hitory of sardine fishing by Ron Shobo, the industry took off in the early Edo Period.
The book mentions the legendary bumper hauls in the early Showa Era (1926-1989), when fishermen lamented the glut and "massive schools of sardines made it appear that people could walk on water."
The fish's exquisite taste comes from the nutruent-rich waters off Choshi. The Oyashio and Kuroshio currents converge there, reating a perfect fishing ground.
Some 1,600 fishing vessels crowd the Choshi port, which leads the nation in fishery hauls. The port's immediate vicinity is packed with rows of eateries and drinking establishments.
Sardine catches started declining all over Japan in the early Heisei Era (1989-2019). Even Choshi's level today is less than one-fifth of its peak years.
Still, the port bustled with people when I visited, and the train station was festooned with banners proclaiming the coming festival.
The town of sardines is vibrant even in this dreary rainy season.
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