The busiest season has begun for the production of traditional salted salmon in Murakami, Niigata Prefecture.

Salted salmon is said to have been produced in Murakami since the Edo period (1603-1867), and it is now a popular dish in Japan over the New Year holiday period.

 Local residents have a custom of eating it on New Year’s Eve to close out the year. 

At Sennenzake Kikkawa, a salmon processing and sales company, salmon is rubbed with salt, left for four to five days in a tub and washed in water.

 After that, the salmon is hung from the ceiling.

About 1,000 fish are hung and exposed to a cold wind for three to four weeks, so that fermentation can proceed and a unique aroma and flavor can be developed, according to the company.

“It's part of the local food culture. I hope that many people enjoy the flavor of salmon,” said Shinji Kikkawa, president of the company.