Tokyo ward welcomes return of autumn saury festival

In a residential corner of Tokyo the sights, sounds — and smells — of autumn were alive and well as the Meguro no Sanma Matsuri festival was held Sunday.

Skilled chefs cooked sanma Paci c saury over a charcoal grill during the event in Meguro Ward where participants can get free tastes of the seasonal sh.

is was the rst time the event has been held since the COVID-19 pandemic started.

Given a decrease in saury catches, the organizers had considered canceling the festival for the third straight year. e shing community of Kesennuma, Miyagi Prefecture, which established friendship-city ties with Meguro Ward in 2010, was eager to provide saury in thanks for the help received in the aftermath of the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake.

This generosity made the event possible, even if a month later than usual. (Oct. 10)

Kota Kiriyama / The Yomiuri Shimbun Pacific saury are grilled during the Meguro no Sanma Matsuri in Meguro Ward, Tokyo, on Sunday.