マテ貝
豊後高田の真玉海岸は、美しい夕日と干潮で有名なだけではありません。マテ貝も有名です。
マテ貝は干潮時には簡単に見つけられます。貝を獲る一番簡単な方法は、貝がいる砂の穴に塩をまいて地上に現れるようにすることです。すると、手で簡単に引っ張り出せます。マテ貝の最高の調理法の一つは、シンプルにバターで素早く炒めることです。マテ貝を獲るのを楽しみにしている人には、真玉海岸沿いのビーチ近くにいくつか店があり、鍬やバケツ、塩などの用具を無料で貸してくれます。マテ貝堀りは、1月～8月、11月～12月まで可能です（9月、10月は禁止されています）。しかし、マテ貝を獲る最良の時期は、3月～5月で、シーズンで最も多い時期です。日本の他地域と違い、アサリやハマグリなどの他の貝類はこのビーチでは見られません。
Razor Clams
The Matama Coast in Bungotakada isn’t only famed for its beautiful sunsets and low tides––it’s also well-known for razor clams.
The clams can easily be detected when the tide is low. The easiest way to catch them is to sprinkle salt over the holes in the sand where they are located, which makes them pop out and appear at the surface. The clams can then easily be pulled out of the sand by hand.
Shops located near the beach along the Matama Coast lend out tools such as hoes, buckets and salt, free of charge for gathering razor clams. Once caught, one of the best ways to cook razor clams is to simply sauté them in butter.
Digging for razor clams is permitted from January through August and from November through December, but is prohibited during September and October. The best time to catch them is the high season from March through May. Unlike many other coastal areas in Japan, other species of clams such as Asari and Hamaguri cannot be found on the stretch of beach along the Matama Coast.
