Sakura shrimp (sakura-ebi) are tiny, translucent deep-water shrimp with a delicate pink colour like cherry blossom, caught commercially nowhere in Japan but the deep waters of Suruga Bay, making them one of the country’s most localised delicacies. The fishing seasons run in spring and autumn from the port of Yui, whose restaurants serve the catch raw over rice, fried into crisp golden kakiage fritters, or dried, and in season the drying yards spread the shrimp in pink carpets against a backdrop of Mount Fuji.
🗓️ At a Glance
| Location | Yui / Shimizu, Shizuoka |
| Hours | Restaurant hours vary; fishing seasons spring & autumn |
| Admission | Meals typically ¥1,000–2,500 |
| Time needed | 30–60 min for a meal |
| Best time | Spring (Mar–Jun) and autumn (Oct–Dec) seasons |
What to Try
- Raw sakura shrimp over rice, the freshest way in season.
- Crisp golden kakiage fritters packed with whole shrimp.
- Dried sakura shrimp, an umami-rich pantry staple.
- Pink drying yards with Mount Fuji behind, in season.
Combine Your Visit
- Combine with Suruga Bay , the shrimp’s only home.
- Pair with Miho no Matsubara nearby.
- Read our Shizuoka overview .
Getting There
- By train: JR Yui Station, with shrimp restaurants near the port.
- By car: convenient for combining Yui with the coastal sights.
Tips
Raw sakura shrimp is only reliably available during the spring and autumn fishing seasons, so check the calendar if that’s your goal — kakiage and dried shrimp are served year-round. The famous pink drying-yard scenes with Fuji behind also depend on season and weather, so treat a sighting as a bonus.
