The Sanaton (サナトン), an inn in Kasumi, Kami Town, Hyogo Prefecture, begins serving winter-only live Matsuba crab dishes to coincide with the opening of the Matsuba crab fishing season on November 6, 2026. Every winter crab plan at the inn uses tagged live Matsuba crab landed at Kasumi Port.
The inn buys its crab as an intermediary buyer (仲買人) at the port's auction, choosing each crab by eye, keeps the crab in its own tanks, and maintains its quality until just before serving.
Why Every Plan Uses Tagged Live Matsuba Crab
Kasumi is a port town known as one of Japan's leading Matsuba crab landing ports. The Matsuba crab fishing season, which opens on November 6, has long supported local life and shaped the food culture of the town.
The Sanaton also works in Kasumi as an intermediary buyer of seafood. In winter, it takes part in the morning auction and checks the condition of each live Matsuba crab before buying. The inn's aim is to serve Matsuba crab that is truly in good condition, so all of its winter crab plans use only tagged live Matsuba crab. The amount differs by plan, at one crab, one and a half crabs, or two crabs, but the quality of the crab stays the same.
From Auction to Table
The inn's work does not end with buying at the auction. The crab it purchases is kept alive in the inn's own dedicated tank until just before it is served. By following the process from auction to dining table, the inn aims to deliver the natural sweetness, aroma, and texture of live Matsuba crab.
Three Live Matsuba Crab Plans
The Sanaton offers three live Matsuba crab plans to suit guests' stays and preferences. Dishes include boiled crab, grilled crab, kanisuki (crab hot pot), and a closing zosui (rice porridge) that makes the most of the crab's flavor.
Select Winter Live Matsuba Crab Cuisine: Light Portion, Fine Taste (少量美味) – 1 Crab
This plan features one tagged live Matsuba crab prepared in a variety of ways, including live sashimi (活刺し), ceramic-plate grilling (陶板焼き), boiling, and shabu-shabu. It is a winter-only dish that values quality over quantity, letting guests enjoy the delicate sweetness and aroma that only live crab offers.
Select Winter Live Matsuba Crab Cuisine: Superior (上) – 1.5 Crabs
This higher-tier plan uses one and a half tagged live Matsuba crabs. Guests can enjoy each cooking method, such as live sashimi, kanisuki, ceramic-plate grilling, and boiled crab, in a more generous amount.
Select Winter Live Matsuba Crab Cuisine: Supreme (極み) – 2 Crabs
This is the top winter plan, using two tagged live Matsuba crabs. Along with live sashimi, kanisuki, ceramic-plate grilling, and boiled crab, it offers a wide range of dishes that let guests fully enjoy the appeal of live Matsuba crab.
The amount of crab differs from plan to plan, but the inn's commitment to the crab does not change. Every plan delivers the natural flavor of tagged live Matsuba crab.
About The Sanaton
The Sanaton is an accommodation facility on Mita Beach (三田浜) in Kasumi, Kami Town, in the northernmost part of Hyogo Prefecture and inside San'in Kaigan National Park. It opened on September 5, 2026, and offers a stay that draws on Kasumi's nature, culture, and food.
The inn faces the Sea of Japan, with views of Mita Beach that change with the seasons and the food culture handed down at Kasumi Port. Guests can choose from several stay styles, including the ocean-view Suite Nagaya Villa, Airstreams by the sea, and glamping.
The inn describes itself as a place where nature, culture, and scenery quietly stir the senses and memories of visitors, and where the act of feeling returns to life. Through its tagged live Matsuba crab dishes, it hopes more people will learn about the appeal of Kasumi and be inspired to visit.
Facility Information
- Facility name: The Sanaton
- Opening date: September 5, 2026
- Address: 1591 Tochimita, Shimohama, Kasumi-ku, Kami-cho, Mikata-gun, Hyogo
- Official website: https://thesanaton.com/
