“Mugen,” located in Soma City, Fukushima Prefecture, is a Japanese pub (“izakaya”) operated by Loop Foods, a local seafood processing company. Opened in 2018 as the area was recovering from the Great East Japan Earthquake, the pub is famous for serving fresh local fish called “Joban-mono.” What is the secret of tasty “Joban-mono” that is highly rated by the market and foodies in Tokyo alike? We interviewed Mori Takuya, the representative of Mugen and Loop Foods.
Serving soy-marinated Joban-mono brand flounder
on top of rice in a bowl
Please tell us the characteristics of the pub Mugen and what you are particular about.
Mugen is a Japanese style restaurant & pub popular among local people, located in the center of Soma City. Our specialties include dishes using local fresh fish called “Joban-mono” caught on that day, rice produced in Fukushima Prefecture, and fresh local vegetables.
The name of the pub is Mugen. This name embodies my wish to contribute to the infinite (“mugen” in Japanese) possibilities and future of Soma. The Kanji used to write the name also have a special significance. “Mu” in “Mugen” comes from kiba-musha (mounted warrior) of “Soma Nomaoi” (wild horse chase festival), a traditional Shinto ritual in Fukushima. “Gen” in “Mugen” suggests the idea of pale ink becoming darker. Together this name represents my wish to actively add to the charm of “Joban-mono” products and local ingredients.
Soma’s seafood product brand “Joban-mono” is popular among foodies in Tokyo too. Why do “Joban-mono” products taste so good?
Off the coast of Fukushima Prefecture is the junction line between two sea currents, the warm Kuroshio Current and cold Oyashio Current. These currents create a rich fishing ground where plankton and other prey are abundant, drawing schools of small fish, which in turn attract large fish that feed on the small fish, resulting in large catches of fish throughout the year. The junction where the Kuroshio Current and Oyashio Current meet is rich in baitfish, so the fish and shellfish that feed on them become fatty, firm and delicious.
Seafood caught off the coast of Fukushima Prefecture has commanded high prices since the time of the former Tsukiji Market, and has established its brand status of “Joban-mono.” While in recent years Torafugu (Japanese pufferfish) called “Fukutora” has been drawing attention, flounder has been highly prized for a long time, and it is known as a representative of fish of “Joban-mono” as it meets all three important conditions: fattiness, moderate sweetness, and elastic crunch. It is a local ingredient we are proud of, and it is also praised by fish traders and chefs in Tokyo.
So the soy-marinated flounder rice bowl (Hirame (flounder)-no-Zuke (marinated)-Don (rice bowl)) you serve at Tokyo Tokyo Delicious Museum 2023（TTDM 2023）is of course a “Joban-mono,” isn’t it?
Absolutely. The flesh of “Joban-mono” flounder is very thick because it swims around in the fast flowing sea chasing its main prey of anchovies. When you slice it with a knife, you feel the elasticity to push the blade back, and that is a wonderful feeling. The flesh has a springy texture when it is first prepared, and it becomes chewy and increases its umami after it has matured for a while.
For the “Hirame-no-Zeke-Don” we are going to serve at TTDM 2023, we use flounder with just the right firmness and umami and marinate it with local soy sauce and other sauce bases. Of course we use rice produced in Fukushima Prefecture. You can taste flounder, a gift from the sea, and rice, a gift from the land, at the same time. It is a luxurious bowl packed with the deliciousness of Fukushima.
erceiving the infinite possibilities and future of Soma,
Fukushima Prefecture
What is your vision for the future of food in Fukushima, Tokyo and Japan?
The “Joban-mono” that “Mugen” serves is seafood purchased by Loop Foods, a seafood processing company of which I am a representative, at Matsukawaura Fish Port in Soma City. Our goal is to discover and circulate (loop) local ingredients that we can be proud of, from “Joban-mono” fresh and live fish, to processed products, to rice and vegetables from Soma, and to build a platform that can provide “Joban-mono” products and local ingredients with complete traceability.
In fact, many of the “Joban-mono” products are shipped directly to the Tokyo market, making them a luxury out of reach of the local people. Therefore, I believe that it is important to reduce intermediate costs by handling “Joban-mono” products and local ingredients for ourselves and keeping them accessible for local people as well to recognize again their deliciousness and value.
We will continue to discover products that the local people can be proud of and improve them. This will be the guiding light of Soma’s fishing industry and of the reconstruction of the area. We will do our best to help in any way we can.