Product Summary (Registration No.171)

Registration No.171 宍道湖産ヤマトシジミ

Registered name (Transcription) : 宍道湖産ヤマトシジミ（Shinjikosan Yamato Shijimi）、宍道湖しじみ（Shinjiko Shijimi）、Lake Shinji Brackish Water Clam
Reference information : Lake Shinji Brackish Water Clam

Category of product

Class 4 : Marine product（Brackish Water Clam）

Production Area

Matsue City and Izumo City, Shimane Prefecture

Registered Group

Lake Shinji Fisheries Cooperative Association

Characteristics

Lake Shinji Brackish Water Clams are large and meaty, rich in minerals and amino acids, and are highly regarded by consumers as a delicious, natural health food. They are an essential ingredient in the local dishes Shijimi-jiru (brackish water clam miso soup) and Sumashi-jiru (clear soup), staple menu items both at home and in restaurants, embodying the flavors of Shimane Prefecture.

Link with the Production Area

Lake Shinji is a brackish lake with a salt concentration of about one-tenth that of seawater. It possesses natural conditions suitable for Yamato Shijimi (Japanese basket clams), as numerous nutrients flow in from surrounding rivers, leading to an abundant growth of the phytoplankton they feed on. During the Edo period, they were designated as the official brackish water clams for the Matsue Domain, and have long been cherished as a commoner’s delicacy. In 1981, brackish water clam harvest from Lake Shinji became the largest in Japan. As of 2024, Matsue City has ranked first in Japan for 14 consecutive years in terms of brackish water clam purchases per household.