Oysters grown in tsunami-ravaged Miyagi town hits restaurants across Japan

Oysters raised in a tsunami-ravaged town in Miyagi Prefecture will be available at restaurants in Tokyo and other major cities starting June 17, a huge turnaround after a local oyster farmer almost gave up on his business in the wake of the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and ensuing massive tsunami.

Named "Amakoro oyster," the seafood delicacy is a new oyster brand from the town of Minamisanriku developed after the 2011 disaster by the Miyagi Prefectural fisheries research center and local fishermen. Shoki Sasaki, a representative for local oyster farmers, lost his home, farming facility and boat to the tsunami in March 2011.

"I thought I would have to give up oyster farming," Sasaki recalls. He found hope just two months after the disaster, however, when he stumbled upon oyster seeds while cleaning up tsunami debris.

In Miyagi Prefecture, a lengthy two-year oyster farming period is common, but it takes only about 10 months to raise the Amakoro oyster. Farmers shortened the farming period to speed up disaster recovery efforts.

Hiroyuki Yamauchi, senior researcher at the research center's Kesennuma lab, says the Amakoro oyster is bite-size. "Because they have never reproduced (before being harvested), they don't have that distinct smell and you can taste the sweetness."

Instead of raising them in densely populated cages as seen in conventional farming, each Amakoro oyster is raised separately in a basket under the sea.

Twelve oyster farmers, including Sasaki, plan to ship out some 20,000 oysters this season, and hope to raise 100,000 oysters for shipment in the future, after making improvements in quality.

The Amakoro oyster can be enjoyed at 33 restaurants across Japan, from Sendai to Fukuoka, operated by General Oyster Inc. Restaurant operator CEO Hidenori Yoshida says the company aims to sell out all available Amakoro oysters in about two weeks.

"I'm grateful for all the support from across Japan. I want to return the favor by making good oysters," Sasaki commented.