Found 5 Creatures at Koshienhama Including Some Surprises

One day in May at Koshienhama. Iroha, our nature correspondent for the Naruo area and a Nishitsu supporter, went to check it out.

The temperature that day was 20°C.

There was a gazebo that looked like it belonged at a resort! The breeze blowing through it must feel so nice.

Here it is on the map↓

The address is 1-19 Hamakoshien, Nishinomiya City, Hyogo Prefecture.

We Found Living Creatures at Koshienhama

Apparently there were lots of living creatures at Koshienhama.

Ishidatami Shell

This shellfish is called an “Ishidatami-gai.” I’d say it’s one of the classic shells people often find and pick up.

There are tons of them, but apparently they’re not eaten. Seems like they don’t have much flavor. And they might even contain shellfish toxins. Scaryyy.

Uminina

Uminina are pointed shellfish about 3 cm long. Their shells look like the kind you might see used in accessories.

Apparently they’re edible. This page says they can be salt-boiled or put in miso soup. And apparently you can use a toothpick or a 5-yen coin to break the shell and get the inside out. Seriously?! ※Nishitsu does not recommend this〜

Oysters

There are oysters at Koshienhama!! I had no idea!!!

Oysters are apparently like the sea’s cleanup crew. They feed on suspended matter, like sediment and other stuff that makes the water cloudy.

So they can filter about 200 liters of seawater in a day. Wow. If you’re curious, check the search results

Jellyfish

Maybe this is the season for them. Moon jellyfish are everywhere when they’re around. True to the “water” in their Japanese name, apparently about 90% of their bodies are water.

Moon jellyfish are technically edible, apparently, but preparing them involves using alum to remove the water and takes way too long, so we absolutely do not recommend it.

Little Egret

Koshienhama has a lot of birds, and you’ll even see people birdwatching there. By the way, little egrets apparently tap the surface of the water with their beaks to make fish think, “A bug landed!” and lure them closer. Smart.

So,

The seawater looks obviously cold. And it’s beautiful, too.

Finally

I’m sure there are plenty of other living creatures at Koshienhama too〜. If you discover any creatures that didn’t appear here, please send us photos via LINE or our information submission form. Once we’ve collected about five, we’d like to make another article.

※Thank you to Iroha, Nishitsu supporter, for the information!!
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