Octopus Jars
Octopus is one of the main sources of food in the Toba region. The traditional method of catching the cephalopods uses a special “octopus jar” called a takotsubo. Though such jars used to be ceramic, today they are more commonly plastic, weighted down with concrete. Piles of these distinctive-looking vessels are a common sight on the island, particularly during summer and fall, the off-season for octopus fishing. Octopus can be boiled and served sliced as sashimi, but it is excellent sun-dried or steamed. Tako-meshi, rice cooked with chopped octopus, is a popular island dish.