Hey there fellow travelers and Hivers out there! Our unexpected adventure to Shimonoseki, the land of the pufferfish..
When we planned our trip to Japan, we had a list of all the places we wanted to visit, but Shimonoseki was not even close to making the cut. However, when we got our hands on a bullet train unlimited ticket, we decided to use it to its full potential and travel as far as it could take us.
That's when we stumbled upon this little gem of a city, tucked away in the far west of Japan. We did a bit of online research and discovered that Shimonoseki is renowned for its seafood, and more importantly, for its pufferfish! As soon as we found out about this, we knew we had to add it to our itinerary.
Let me just say, I have never seen so much pufferfish in my life. From the sewer covers to the toilet doors, curtains, statues, and basically everything else, it was all pufferfish, all the time! Oh! Can't forget all these pufferfish looking dessert and snack.. damn cute! The locals are so proud of their beloved fish, and I can see why. It's cute, it's quirky, and it's just so darn Japanese!
But the real treat was yet to come - the fugu restaurants! We found out that there are places all around the city that only serve pufferfish dishes. Can you imagine? It's a foodie's dream come true! We tried everything from the classic fugu sashimi to the more adventurous fugu hot pot. It was all delicious. And the best part? We didn't even have to worry about getting poisoned, because the chefs in Shimonoseki are trained to prepare the fish without any of the toxic bits.
Shimonoseki is so unique and has such clear concept. I totally love it! Also the fact that not so many tourists know or make an effort to come all the way just for seafood, make it peaceful and untouch. Just be prepared to see a lot of pufferfish, and maybe even eat one or two! It's yum!