These Japanese Oyster Farmers Know How to Throw a Good Party, and Everyone Is Invited

"Occasionally an oyster, pressurized from the heat of the grill, explodes, sending shell shrapnel flying and cuing a collective Ayy! Shinichi Sasaki and his wife, Kozue, were among the first to open a kakigoya on Itoshima 25 years ago. Our family has always worked along the seaside. We used to farm sea bream until the price of feed got too expensive to be profitable, said Shinichi, so we became oyster farmers, and we're still here today."

Kakigoya are pop-up oyster shops where customers wear colorful plastic ponchos and gather over grills with family and friends. Shops line up in front of oyster boats so oysters can be received straight from the water. Drinks are poured and songs are sung as winter chill shifts toward spring on Japan’s coast. On the Itoshima Peninsula, fishermen welcome travelers to enjoy fresh catch in a local way, with more than two dozen kakigoya across five fishing ports. Oysters are described as rich and creamy due to minerals carried from mountains into the sea. Ponchos protect from oyster spray, shell bits, and charcoal smoke. Oysters steam in their shells, open when ready, and sometimes explode from grill heat, prompting a shared reaction.

Read at www.nytimes.com