VISIT TOTTORI CITY

Matsuba crab is the name given to male snow crabs in the San'in region. Even along the same coastline of the Sea of Japan, the name of this crab varies depending on the region where it is caught. In Fukui Prefecture, it is known as “Echizen crab,” while in Ishikawa Prefecture, it is called “Kano crab.”

The Matsuba crab season opens in early November each year and runs until March 20.

Female snow crabs are called “oyagani” (literally translated as “parent crab”) in Tottori Prefecture. Like Matsuba crabs, they have different names depending on the region where they are caught, such as "mesugani" and “sekogani.”

Oyagani may appear small, measuring 7 to 8 cm in length, but their most delicious parts are their roe (known as “sotoko”) and the ovaries (known as “uchiko”), which are enjoyed for their texture and rich flavor.

Oyagani have a short harvesting season that runs from early November, when Matsuba crab season begins, until the end of December.

First, crabs that feel heavy when held in the hand, and which have hard shells, are said to have good meat content. Sometimes, black specks may be seen on the crab's shell. These are the eggs of a parasite attached to the crab (called “kanibiru”), which are harmless to humans even if they remain attached to the shell. The presence of many of these black specks indicates that some time has passed since the crab’s molting, so it serves as a useful criterion for assessing meat quality. Additionally, freshly molted crabs have white abdomens, so a key point is to choose brown crabs and those with larger claws.

Matsuba crab, for which fishing season begins in early November, is a must-try delicacy if you are visiting Tottori. We recommend sampling and comparing various ways of eating it. In addition to the classic boiled crab, we also recommend fresh crab sashimi that allows you to experience the natural flavors of the crab, grilled crab that enhances its flavor and sweetness, crab shabu-shabu in which the crab meat is quickly dipped in hot broth to bring out its rich flavors, and crab hot pot or crab congee for enjoying every last bit of the crab's delicious essence. You can also enjoy crab innards grilled in the shell, shell liquor, rice bowl topped with oyagani, miso soup, and crab cooked with seasoned rice, among many others. 

This section features some popular restaurants (all requiring reservations) in Tottori City where you can indulge in crab.

We also recommend taking your time to enjoy crab dishes at a ryokan (traditional Japanese inn) at Karo Port or in an onsen ryokan (traditional Japanese hot spring inn) in the four hot spring areas.

For more information about the four hot spring areas of Tottori City (Tottori Onsen, Yoshioka Onsen, Hamamura Onsen, and Shikano Onsen), please refer to this special feature.

Area-based recommendations of onsen (hot spring)s in Tottori City that are close to the Tottori Sand Dunes