Pond Smelt Dishes

Japanese pond smelt fishing at Lake Akan is a popular pastime for families between January and March every year. There are even services that will deep fry the fresh Japanese pond smelt you caught on the spot as tempura. This means in the wintertime you can enjoy the bounty of Lake Akan from atop its frozen surface. The Japanese pond smelt in Lake Akan are bred and caught in April. Every year, the Lake Akan Fishing Cooperative sells Japanese pond smelt as a preserved food boiled in soy sauce, which is also a popular souvenir item. Japanese pond smelt fishing is a truly special experience where you can enjoy fishing atop the lake where the marimo live backed by the majestic Mt. Oakan. Some shops at Lake Akan offer Japanese pond smelt tempura or nanbanzuke (whole fish deep-fried after being soaked in a sauce). Feel free to drop in and taste these lake dishes for yourself.