EKIBEN ABC Station Lunch Box

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Train Station Lunch Box (ekiben)

***** Location: Japan
***** Season: Kigo for late spring
***** Category: Humanity

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Explanation

ekiben 駅弁 famous lunch boxes at every train station,
Bahnhofs-Bentō
a box lunch (sold at train stations or on trains), railway boxed meal
railroad boxed meal, railway lunchbox


Ekiben Mark 駅弁マーク
Every officially approved ekiben carries this mark, since 1988.
日本鉄道構内営業中央会

On April 10 is the day of the Ekiben
ekiben no hi 駅弁の日!
The Chinese character 弁 looks like a 十 (ten) and the image of number 4 are combined in the image pun for this day.
Thanks to Mariko Shimizu for this info.


Bento, bentoo 弁当　lunch box, lunchbox, Lunchpaket

bentoobako, bentobako, boxes for this lunch 弁当箱

Bentō; O-Bentō, Lunch-Paket
Bentō-Schachtel; Frühstückskasten, Bentoschachtel


source : keionet. order bento online


Many department stores have special sales of famous EKIBEN. You can order them also online.
The containers too are attractive and many collect them. They can be made from ceramic, wood or plastic. Some can later be used as something else, for example a piggy bank.

Others are not so special on the outside and just have a nice label.

Ekiben should contain some rice to live up to its name.

There are also many sandwiches sold at stations.

There is also a museum, EKIBEN Hakubutsukan
駅弁博物館
external LINK
驛弁博物館


ekiben gurume 駅弁ぐるめ gourmet who travels to eat ekiben

In 2007, there were special ekiben prepared along the Tokaido line for its 120 years of existence.
東海道線１２０周年記念


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History of the Ekiben 駅弁の歴史

The first train lines opened in 1872.
A lot of written material has been lost during the war.
The first Tokaido line between Tokyo and Kobe opened in 1889 and since then the dining cars and lunch box operations became a general busines.
The first lunch boxes were simple nigiri rice balls.
In 1888 the first "maku no uchi bento 幕の内弁当" with more ingredients was sold at Himeji Station. It contained one box with rice and one box with the ingredients.
In 1890 the first lunch boxes with local specialities were sold at Ichinoseki and Kurosawajiri (Iwate). They sold sushi.
In 1899 the first dining car operated.

Some stations take pride in being the really first ones to sell this kind of lunchbox.

Utsunomiya 宇都宮 (Tochigi) in 1885
梅干入りごま塩握り飯
A simple nigiri with black sesame outside and a dried plum inside, and a slice of takuan pickled radish to go with it.
First made by the restaurant Shiragiya 白木屋.

Umeda 梅田(Osaka) in 1877
Kobe (Hyogo) in 1877
Travellers had to buy it before boarding. Mostly for soldiers of the "Seinan War" with Kagoshima and Kyushu. The ships with the soldiers sailed from Kobe to the south, and soldiers moved from Osaka station to Kobe station.

Koyama 小山駅 (Tochigi) in 1885
Okinazushi 翁ずし with nori seaweed, abura-age tofu and an egg.
Made by Kashiwaya 柏屋. An old maid called OKINA made very good sushi by hand and sold it.

Ueno 上野 (Tokyo) in 1883
made by Fujinoya 弁当料理ふぢのや

Kumagaya (Saitama) in 1883
Since the first day of the train line, they sold sushi and bread.
Ueno and Kumagaya lines opened in the same year and some sold the lunch boxes "outside the station" (eki mae).

Takasaki 高崎 (Gunma) in 1884
mentioned in a survey of Ekiben in 1956.
Some trains seemed to have had a dining car, shokudoosha 食堂車.
Takaben later became famous because they used a container with Daruma san.



Takaben - Takasaki Bento Daruma


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Bentoobako ― Lunchboxes with Daruma Bentoobako 弁当箱



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In 1914 the modernism of the Taisho-Period began and also the first world war started. More lunch boxes were sold at many stations. The wrapping paper for lunch boxes became more elaborate with special local designs.

During world war 2 rice became scarce and many lunch boxes served bread or other grains instead. Since 1945 after the war people got used to eating out and the consumption of lunch boxes soared. Also "army lunch boxes" (gunben 軍弁) became popular.

source . http://www.ekibento.jp/nos-senzen-gunben1.htm


After 1956 the Tokaido Main Line became electrified, in 1969 the Tokaido Shinkansen 東海道新幹線 started to run. Along with the travelling boom came the need for more and more specialized local ekiben.
Since 1960 there is an annual "Ekiben Meeting" ekiben taikai 駅弁大会 with a competition to win.
Even now, when people can buy cheap lunch boxes at convenience stores in front of a station, many still prefer the real EKIBEN.

The most expensive, by the way, is the one with special Matsuzaka beef and costs more than 100 dollars.
極上松阪牛ヒレ牛肉弁当

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Ekiben selling(駅弁売り) - The man or woman who sells "Ekiben"
on the platform to the passengers in the train,while the train stops at the station.
This work has gone since the current train window will not open, but The window from the Meiji to the Showa period was easily opened by hand.

Railway advertisement in the Meiji Taisho period
Lithographic Printing, a Beauty riding at the first class train and Ekiben Selling
36.5 cm × 25.5 cm
- source : Hiromi on facebook 2017 -


Georges-Ferdinand Bigot (1860-1927)
"Railroad between Tokyo to Kobe" published in 1893.
on the platform Ekiben selling · · · only for 1st,2nd class cars
- source : Hiromi on facebook 2017 -

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Famous Ekiben A B C

Aizu Wakamatsu (Fukushima)
Kurisansai bentoo with chestnuts and mountain vegetables


Goshokawahara (Aomori, Tsugaru)
Dazai bentoo だざい弁当 lunchbox a la Dazai


Hamamatsu (Shizuoka)
unagi meshi eel with rice


Hachinohe (Aomori)
tako ninniku buta kimuchi don 田子にんにく豚キムチ丼
Rice with garlic and pork kimchee




Hitoyoshi (Kumamoto) 人吉駅弁
kuri bentoo 栗弁当 with sweet chestnuts
kuri meshi 栗めし, served in a container shaped like a chestnut
ayuzushi 鮎すし sushi of a whole sweetfish
. . . CLICK here for Photos !


Kamogawa (Chiba) 鴨川
umi to sazae meshi うにとさざえめし rice with uni and sazae
. . . CLICK here for Photos !
oraga don おらが丼」"my very own bowl" rice with seafood
. . . CLICK here for Photos !


Kanayama (Chiba) 金山
biwa bentoo びわ弁当
ichigo mochi
kujira bentoo くじら弁当　



Kareigawa (Kumamoto ) 嘉例川駅
百年の旅物語　かれい川 Kareigawa : Hyakunen no Tabi Monogatari



Kisarazu (Chiba) 木更津
asari bentoo アサリ弁当 / 漁り(あさり)
nanohana bentoo 菜の花弁当　
. . . CLICK here for Photos !



Kobe (Hyogo)
Shin-Kobe Shinkansen
Toomasu ranchi トーマスランチ
Lunchbox with Thomas, the locomotive




Koriyama Kooriyama 郡山, Fukushima
Aizu Jidori Torimeshi 会津地鶏 Local Chicken Meat from Aizu Wakamatsu



Kuji 奥久慈駅弁 Oku Kuji Ekiben
Shamo Bento しゃも弁当 , Local Chicken Lunchbox


Kuroiso (Tochigi)
Kijiyaki, fried pheasant
. . . CLICK here for Photos !


Matsue ( Shimane )
Oyogi-ushi no bentoo　およぎ牛の弁当　 with beef from the "swimming cows" of Oki no shima 隠岐の島.


Matsuzaka (Mie)
Mootaroo bentoo モー太郎弁当

With the famous Matsuzaka beef!
also
極上松阪牛ヒレ牛肉弁当 : The most expensive one in Japan.
. . . CLICK here for Photos of the most expensive beef filet !
COWS in Japan and the World
The Daily MOOOO BLOG / Amy Chavez



Miyajima (Hiroshima)
Anago Meshi 穴子飯弁当 . あなごめし Rice with conger eel



Miyako 宮古 (Iwate)
Ichigo bentoo いちご弁当
Lunchbox with uni and awabi, sea urchin eggs and abalone


Mitsuwasoo (Miyazaki)
Mitsuwasoo 三ツ和荘道弁
sono manma そのまんま　宮崎地鶏丼 jidori don with local chicken




Nagoya (Aichi)
ganso misokatsu monogatari "元祖みそかつ物語”
Original cotelette with miso Story,
with cutlets on a stick
. . . CLICK here for Photos !

. "Nobunaga Bento"　「信長膳」Nobunaga Zen .



Nikko 日光 Tobu Line
masu sushi 日光鱒寿し Sushi from masu, local trout



Numazu Shizuoka
Minato Ajizushi mackerel sushi with extra wasabi



Oarai, O-Arai (Ooarai 大洗駅弁) Kagoshima
Isobushi Bento 磯節弁当 "Seashore Lunchbox"


Odawara (Kanagawa)
tai meshi たいめし


Odate (Akita)
大館駅, Oodate eki
Matagi na torimeshi マタギな鶏めし
Chicken with rice like the bear hunters




Okayama 岡山
Momotaro bento　桃太郎
. . . . . Matsurizushi 祭り寿司 Sushi with various toppings
. . . . . おかやま和牛肉弁当 Bento with beef from Okayama with 牛時雨（しぐれ）煮



Orio Kashiwameshi 折尾駅　 かしわめし Kitakyushu


Osaka
Shin-Osaka Tokaido Shinkansen and Tokaido
Hakkaku Bento 八角弁当 with eight corners
Conger eel roll, koya-dofu (freeze-dried bean curd), kelp roll, eggplant cut into pieces, taro and lotus root cooked in mild-tasting Kansai style. No deep-fried food.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !




Shimizu (Shizuoka)
Sakura ebi sushi 桜えびすし
sushi with sakura shrimp


Shimonoseki (Yamaguchi)
gansoo fukumeshi 元祖ふくめし
the original puffer fish with rice


Shizuoka
tai red snapper


Shuzenji (Shizuoka)
Ajizushi no ekiben あじ寿司 駅弁 Horse makerel sushi



Takamatsu (Kagawa)
Anpanman bentoo アンパンマン弁当
. . . CLICK here for Bentoo Photos !
anpan あんパン bread or bun with an (sweet bean paste)



Tateyama 館山 (Chiba)
Kujira bentoo
くじら弁当 Whale meat bento


Tokyo Station 東京駅
Shookadoo Bentoo 松花堂弁当 Shokado Bento


Toyama　(Fukui) 富山
masu no sushi 富山ますのすし Sushi from trout
. . . CLICK here for Photos !


Toyohashi 豊橋 (Mikawa)
Handheld fireworks bento 手筒花火 Tezutsu Hanabi Bento




Wakayama
Kodai suzume sushi, 小鯛雀寿し small sea bream sushi
. . . CLICK here for Photos !



Yatsushiro 八代駅 (Kumamoto)
Ayuya sandai 鮎屋三代 "Third Generation of Sweetfish"
with one whole sweetly simmered ayu fish. Forelle.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !



Yokohama (Kanagawa)
Kiyooken shuumai 崎陽軒 シウマイ
Kiyoken Chinese shumai dumplings


Yokokawa (Gunma)
Tooge no Kamameshi, Toge no kamameshi 駅弁　峠の釜飯
Started in 1958 at 横川駅 as one of the oldest "travelling souvenier bento".
. . . CLICK here for Photos !


Yonago (Tottori)
Gozaemon sushi 米屋吾左衛門寿し Sushi
from sea brass or crabs. with a thick layer of konbu.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !


Yonezawa (Yamagata)
gyuuniku domannaka　牛肉どまんなか Beef Domannaka Yonezawa beef and Domannaka rice.

Yonezawa gyuuniku Matsukawa bentoo
米沢牛肉松川弁当
CLICK here for PHOTOS !


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Lately there is a trend toward extra big ekiben:
mega ekiben　メガ駅弁 . 特盛



Special size Shumai Bento from Yokohama, since 2008



oomori ekiben 大盛り駅弁 Large-size ekiben
. . . CLICK here for Photos !


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Worldwide use


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Things found on the way

日本列島駅弁
source : BS JAPAN　駅弁列島

Ekibengaku kooza　駅弁学講座
Hayashi Junshin / Kobayashi Shinobu
ISBN 4087200523

Ekiben History
http://www.ekibento.jp/study-ekibenhistory.htm

Ekiben Museum
http://eki-ben.web.infoseek.co.jp/index.html


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HAIKU


駅弁に掌のひら程の鮭がつき　　
ekiben ni te no hira no shake ga tsuki

station lunch box ...
a piece of salmon
the size of my hand　　　　　　　

Hoshi Reiko 星令子


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ekiben -
my thoughts follow
the rails


a little drama
at every station -
ekiben


Gabi Greve, June 2009


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Related words

***** WASHOKU : General Information

***** WASHOKU : Regional Japanese Dishes

***** WASHOKU
Roadside stations (michi no eki 道の駅) Highway Service Areas


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***** WASHOKU : EKIBEN 駅弁 Station Lunch Boxes


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Ni Ku ... February 9 and MEAT

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Day of Meat (niku no hi)

***** Location: Japan
***** Season: Early Spring
***** Category: Humanity

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Explanation

NI means 2, February
KU means 9, day number 9 of the month

NIKU also means MEAT in Japanese　肉　（にく）

niku no hi　肉の日　（にくのひ） day of meat
February 9 2月9日


English Reference


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The 29 of each month is also a "small NI KU" day of the meat.

CLICK here for PHOTOS !


uruo niku no hi 閏肉の日（日本）"leap day of meat"
2月29日 February 29
the most special day of meat, every 4 years only.
Last in 2008


yooniku 羊肉の日（日本）yooniku no hi
4月29日
April 29, Day of mutton and lamb meat in Japan


Most supermarkets offer a lot of cheap meat on these days.


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The custom of eating meat from four-legged animals in Japan, especially beef, became more popular after the Meiji restauration.
Buddhists are not allowed to eat meat of animals with four legs.
Before modern times, beef was not eaten, only the hides of cows were used for drums and other items. But the meat of killed animals was a waste of food, so it was turned into a kind of "medicine" 薬食 and eaten by the rich.

The daimyo of Hikone Ii Naosuke　井伊直弼　had meat from Omi cows 　近江牛　prepared as misozuke, pickled in miso paste, and send it to Edo to the Tokugawa Shogun, especially also to Nariaki of Mito　水戸斉昭.
Nariaki even wrote a letter to thank for the meat.

徳川斉昭書状別紙, 嘉永元年（1848年）12月
（彦根城博物館蔵）

The beef from Hikone was also dried in the cold 「寒」の干牛肉 during the coldest month of January and then eaten as "medicine".
When Ii Naosuke was killed in the Sakuradamon incident on March 24, 1860, by a group of samurai from Mito, the shipments to Mito Tokugawa Nariaki stopped and Nariaki was quite unhappy about this turn of events.

. Ii Naosuke 井伊直弼 and 桜田門 Sakuradamon .



In Edo, meat was offered at the market of Kojimachi 麹町.
chiku 畜 referred to four-legged animals that should not be eaten by Buddhists and kin 禽 referred two-legged animals, birds to be eaten.



. kajikibashi 鹿食箸 chopstsicks to eat "mountain meat" 　
from Suwa Shrine, Nagano
Meat from four-legged animals was not allowed for the pious Buddhist to eat and also not approved in Shinto. But there were exceptions, especially for ill people and for the poor mountain villages and hunter areas, since the Heian period.

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Bikuni Bridge in Snow - Utagawa Hiroshige - with a signboard for
yamakujira　山くじら wild boar
advertising for for the dealer Owariya　尾張屋, who also served dishes with wild boar meat.


momonjiya ももんじ屋 ・百獣屋　
selling meat "from one-hundred wild animals" in Edo
kedamonoya　獣屋 dealers in wild animals
yamaokuya 山奥屋　dealers with stuff from the far-away mountains
kusuriguiho　薬食舗　restaurant serving "medicine" meat

momonji referes to the meat of wild animals, like wild boar, deer or tanuki badgers.
The first momonjiya shop in Edo was most probably the Kooshuuya　甲州屋 Koshuya in Koojimachi　麹町 Kojimachi.

A senryu refers to this shop

麹町狐を馬に乗せてくる
koojimachi kitsune o uma ni nosete kuru

Kojimachi town -
a fox comes riding
on a horse

百獣屋（ももんじや）and senryu
source :　tachibana2007

a fox riding a horse means things that do not fit together.
But it seems Koshuya sold meat from fox and wolf too.


Eating meat was allowed for ill or weak people, as medicine.
. kusuri gui, kusurigui 薬喰 "eating medicine" .
kigo for winter

. Food vendors in Edo .

. Kōjimachi 麹町 / 麴町 Kojimachi district in Edo .



百獣屋の猛者たち - 御助宿控帳

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aibikiniku, aibiki niku あいびき【合い挽き】
mixture of ground beef and ground pork
gemischtes Hackfleisch



Baniku
Horse meat, baniku (ばにく/ 馬肉) basashi, sakuranabe
Pferdefleisch


Butaniku
Buta ... Pig and Pork (buta, ton 豚　ぶた) Schwein
bunaniku 豚肉　pork meat



Jidori, toriniku
Jidori 地鳥 (じどり) Local Chicken types
toriniku chicken meat



Konchu Ryori, konchuu ryoori 昆虫料理 Insects as food
Insekten



Matagi, Bear hunters and other mountain meat
inoshishi 猪　wild boar botannabe
kiji 雉 pheasant
kuma 熊　 bear
shika 鹿　deer　and momiji nabe



Sakana ... 魚 FISH of all kinds


Usagi ウサギ肉 rabbit meat


Wagyuu, wagyu 和牛 Japanese beef
biifu ビーフ beef
gyuuniku 牛肉 beef, often steak
roosuto ロースト― roast



Yagi 山羊料理 . Goat meat in Okinawa
Goats and Goat Meat .. in Kenya



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Worldwide use


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Things found on the way


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HAIKU



meat day !
grandma remembers
an old recipe

Nakayama Ishino, February 29, 2008


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Related words

. Places of Edo 江戸の名所 .

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Gyuuniku Beef Cows

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Beef (gyuuniku) Rindfleisch, Rind

***** Location: Japan
***** Season: Various
***** Category: Humanity

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Explanation

gyuuniku 牛肉 beef, often steak
Japanese beef is often very fat, with marble fat, "like frost" (shimofuri).
There are quite a few regional varieties of cows, some are treated like royalty and classical music is played in the shed to keep them happy.



wagyuu, wagyu 和牛 Japanese beef
from Japanese cattle.

biifu ビーフ beef
roosuto ロースト― roast


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Wagyū (和牛)
refers to several breeds of cattle genetically predisposed to intense marbling and to producing a high percentage of oleaginous unsaturated fat. The meat from wagyū cattle is known worldwide for its marbling characteristics, increased eating quality through a naturally enhanced flavor, tenderness and juiciness, and thus a high market value. Several areas in Japan are famous for the quality of their Wagyu cattle, and ship beef bearing their areas' names. Some examples are Kobe, Mishima and Ōmi beef.

The wagyū cattle's genetic predisposition yields a beef that contains a higher percentage of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids[1] than typical beef. The increased marbling also improves the ratio of monounsaturated fats to saturated fats.

Wagyū were initially introduced to Japan as a beast of burden to help cultivate rice. By order of the Shogun, the cowherd in Japan was closed and eating meat from any four legged animal was prohibited from 1635 to 1838. Because of Japan's rugged terrain and isolated areas, different breeding and feeding techniques were used such as massaging or adding beer or sake to their feeding regimen.

It is suggested that this was done to aid in digestion and induce hunger during humid seasons but appears to have no effect on the meat's flavor. Massaging may have been to prevent muscle cramping on small farms in Japan in which the animals did not have sufficient room to use their muscles.

There are five major breeds of wagyū (wa means "Japanese" and gyū means "cow"): Japanese Black, Japanese Brown, Japanese Polled, Japanese Shorthorn, and Kumamoto Reds. Japanese breed names include: Tajima, Tottori, Shimane, Kochi and Kumamoto. Kumamoto Prefecture is famous for their red wagyū cattle. The more famous black variety has their origins in Kobe.
©　More in the WIKIPEDIA !


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sukiyaki is one of the most favorite beef dishes.

source : www.daiei.co.jp


sukiyaki, suki-yaki 鋤焼 (すきやき) "food prepared on a spade"
gyuunabe 牛鍋（ぎゅうなべ）、with beef
uosuki 魚すき（うおすき）、with fish
okisuki 沖すき（おきすき）、with seafood
torisuki 鶏すき（とりすき）、with chicken or pheasant
udonsuki 饂飩すき（うどんすき） with udon
kigo for winter


Sukiyaki (Japanese: 鋤焼 or more commonly すき焼き; スキヤキ) is a Japanese dish in the nabemono (Japanese steamboat) style.

often prepared with warishita すき焼きわりした soy sauce and dashi mix
Warishita and Soy Sauce

It consists of meat (usually thinly sliced beef) as the secular, raw part of the meal (namakusa), and a lot of vegetarian ingredients like firm tofu, konnyaku and vegetables, slowly cooked or simmered at the table, alongside vegetables and other ingredients of the sacred aspect of a meal (shoojin), in a shallow iron pot in a mixture of soy sauce, sugar, and mirin (warishita). Before being eaten, the ingredients are usually dipped in a small bowl of raw, beaten eggs.

In the 1890s when Japan was opened to foreigners, new cooking styles were also introduced. Cows, milk, meat, and egg became widely used, and sukiyaki was the most popular way to serve them. The first sukiyaki restaurant, Isekuma, opened in Yokohama in 1862.
©　More in the WIKIPEDIA !

In Kanto, the warishita is put in the pot first, them meat and vegetables are added. In Kansai, only lard is used for the first frying of meat, which is eaten dipped in a raw egg to make it a bit cool. Then warishita is poored in the pot, other ingredients, vegetables and tofu are added with more meat and all is let to stew for a moment.

In Kyoto, the oldest restaurant, Mishima Tei 三嶋亭, had a story to tell about the beginning of the restaurant there.
The founder, a samurai from Kyoto, Mishima Kanekichi and his love Tei made it to Nagasaki to get married and there studied the new ways of eating meat, which was not common in Buddhist Japan. Then they went back to Kyoto and established their restaurant in 1873. The present owner is the 5th generation and keeps up the high standard for meet dishes.

They serve sukiyaki in a hexagonal pan. First some white sugar is placed on the black pan and then one piece of beef for each guest. While it grills on the sugar it makes a delicious sound. This first bite is pure beef, so the guest can enjoy the taste of the carefully choosen marbled meat.
Then the other ingredients are added, warishita poored over it and all is cooked in the usual way.
. . . CLICK here for Photos of Mishima Tei Restaurant !


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shabushabu　しゃぶしゃぶ　 shabu shabu


Shabu-shabu (しゃぶしゃぶ, also spelled syabu-syabu) is a Japanese variant of hot pot. The dish is related to sukiyaki in style, where both use thinly sliced meat and vegetables, and usually served with dipping sauces. However, it is starkly different in taste as it more closely resembles its predecessor, the Chinese hot pot; shabu-shabu is more savory and less sweet than sukiyaki. It is considered a winter dish but is eaten year-round.
The dish is traditionally made with thinly sliced beef, though modern preparations sometimes use pork, crab, chicken, duck, or lobster. Most often, tender ribeye steak is used, but less tender cuts such as top sirloin are also common. A more expensive meat, such as Wagyu, may also be used for its enhanced flavor and texture.

Shabu-shabu is usually served with tofu and vegetables, including hakusai, chrysanthemum leaves, nori (edible seaweed), onions, carrots, shiitake mushrooms and enokitake mushrooms. In some places, Udon, Mochi and/or harusame noodles may also be served.

Shabu-shabu was introduced in Japan in the 20th century with the opening of a Shabu-shabu restaurant "Suehiro"[1] in Osaka. The name of Shabu-shabu was named when Suehiro served it. After that, Suehiro registered the name of shabu-shabu as a trademark in 1955. The cuisine rapidly spread through Asia and is now a popular dish in Western countries as well. Together with sukiyaki, shabu-shabu is a common dish in tourist hot-spots, especially in Tokyo, but also in local Japanese neighborhoods (colloquially called "Little Tokyos") in countries such as the United States.
Its origins are traced back to the Chinese hot pot known as "shuan yang rou". Shabu-shabu is most similar to the original Chinese version when compared to other Japanese steamboat dishes (nabemono) such as sukiyaki.
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rei shabushabu, reishabu れいしゃぶ / 冷しゃぶ cold shabushabu
a delicacy in summer. Often served on salad leaves.
often pork meat is also used.
rei-shabu
. . . CLICK here for Photos !


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ume beef, Osaka Ume beef 大阪ウメビーフ "plum beef"
From the farm of Harano Shooji
He feeds his 50 cows pickled umeboshi every day, about 1 kg. The cattle does not get any antibiotics, and they seem to like the umebosh. It keeps the cows happy (with an alcohol content of about 12 percent) and free of stress.
The plums come from Choya Umesho in Habikino, Osaka.

. . . CLICK here for Photos !


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wagyuu tsukudani 和牛佃煮 sweetly simmered Japanese beef
prepared in some areas of Japan, often an expensive present for travellers.
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yaki-niku, yakiniku 焼き肉 (やきにく, 焼肉) grilled slices of meat
Korean-style barbecued beef is quite popular too.
Many restaurants specialize in this kind of food for a group of people to enjoy whilst socializing.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !

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. WKD
binchootan 備長炭 Binchotan. special charcoal from Wakayama
used for grilling food


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gyuudon 牛丼 (ぎゅうどん） bowl of rice with beef
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mega gyuudon メガ牛丼 expecially large portion



nikujaga 肉じゃが "meat and potatoes"
from Kure city, Hiroshima

The town of Kure is one of the originagors of this dish, together with Maizuru.
Toogoo Heihachiro of the Marine is said to have introduced this dish to the mariners after eating it in Europe.
In Kure, they do not use water but may queen potatoes, beef, shirataki noodles and onions.
If you add also carrots and green peas, it is no longer nikujaga from Kure city.

The city of Kure is also lately trying to introduce the Marine gourmet, kaigun gurume　海軍グルメ, giving some dishes the names of the ships which were most famous for this dish.



Unweit von Hiroshima liegt die Hafenstadt Kure, ein wichtiger Stützpunkt der japanischen Kriegsmarine. Der Admiral Toogoo Heihachiroo (1847-1934) lernte bei seinen Fahrten in Europa ein Gericht kennen, das er seinen Soldaten auf dem Schiff unterwegs zu Essen gab und das von Kure aus ganz Japan eroberte – die inzwischen so beliebte Hausmannskost „Kartoffeln mit Fleisch“ (nikujaga).
In Kure werden dazu nur Kartoffeln der Sorte May Queen, Rindfleischscheiben, Shirataki-Konnyaku-Fadennudeln und Zwiebeln zusammen ohne Wasser eingekocht. In anderen Gegenden kommen nach Geschmack noch Möhren und Erbsen dazu.
Die Stadt Kure bemüht sich mit diesem und anderen Gerichten, die auf Schiffen der Kriegsmarine gegessen werden, einen „Marine-Gourmet“ (kaigun gurume) populär zu machen und viele Restaurants in Kure servieren inzwischen diese Gerichte für die Touristen.

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hikiniku ひき肉 minced meat, Hackfleisch
It is produced into

meat balls ミートボール
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hamburgers ハンバーグ
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and German steak dishes ジャーマンステーキ (jaaman suteeki)
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With different sauces these dishes can be varied as mother likes it.


Later on not only beef was used for minced meat, but also pork, chicken and others.



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Regional Beef
This LIST is not complete. Let me know your information.


akaushi, aka-ushi あかうし "red cows"
from Mount Aso, Kyushu, also Tosa and other regions.
At Mt. Aso, they make Aso hayashi raisu 阿蘇ハヤシライス　hashee rice with this beef


阿蘇あかうしバーガー Aso Akaushi Hamburger 赤牛ハンバーガー


Akaushi cattle is richly marbled with fat and produces a very tender, flavorful expensive variety of steak which is used in Kobe restaurants.
The largest purebred group of the Wagyu breed of Akaushi cattle outside Japan is located in Harwood, Texas, owned by HeartBrand Beef.
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Hidakagyuu 日高牛 beef from Hidaka
Hokkaido


Iki gyuu 壱岐牛 beef from Iki Island, Nagasaki pref.
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Ishigaki gyuu 石垣牛 beef from Ishigaki, Okinawa



Matsuzaka gyuu 松阪牛 beef from Matsuzaka
Mie prefecture
. . . CLICK here for Photos of the most expensive beef filet !
Ami-yaki, amiyaki 網焼き grilled on a net
Grilled beef from Matsuzaka beef is a speciality of Mie prefecture



Mishima Ushi, Mishima gyuu 見島牛 beef from Mishima Island
Yamaguchi prefecture
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On this small island, most elderly farmers still have some of these cows and some oxen. They take a longer time to grow for food, but are kept like members of the family in the barn. About 20 cows are brought to slauter to the mainland every year.



Mokkori gyuu もっこり牛
brand of beef produced in Minamikata town, Hokkaido
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Oki no shima 隠岐の島 Island group of Oki no shima
On the island 知夫里島 they have a long tradition of keeping cows, more than 800 years. The cows are strong and can swim through the sea to the next island, they are called "the sea-crossing, swimming cows" of Okinoshima.
Nowadays, the whole island is used as common grazing land for the calfs and cows. In winter, when the island becmes barren, the cows have to swim to nearby Shimazu island 島津島.
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The famous ekiben lunch from Matsue uses this beef.
. WASHOKU
Regional Dishes from Shimane prefecture





Oomi gyuu 近江牛 beef from Omi
Shiga prefecture
. . . Oomi Beef in the Edo period Ii Naosuke and Mito no Nariaki



Sagagyuu 佐賀牛 beef from Saga



Shinshuu wagyuu 信州和牛 beef from Shinshu province, Matsumoto
beef from Nagano Prefecture, also called "Shinshu premium beef."
It comes from cattle with black hair kuroge-wagyu (黒毛和牛).
. . . CLICK here for Photos !



Shiraoigyuu 白老牛 beef from Shiraoi
Hokkaido. rather dark brown to black cows.
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Tajimagyuu 但馬牛　beef from Tajima Hyogo prefecture
Tajima cattle (但馬牛, Tajima-ushi or Tajima-gyu) is one of the types of black Wagyu cattle in Japan. Many tajima cattle are born in Hyōgo Prefecture and raised as stock for famous beef such as Kobe beef and Matsuzaka beef.
Tajima cattle has been fed from old times in Tajima Province. In the Shoku Nihongi, it is written that “The Tajima-ushi is fit to cultivate the fields, to carry burdens and to eat.” In ancient times, people ate tajima-ushi in their own houses.
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Takamorigyuu 高森牛 beef from Takamori
Yamaguchi
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http://www.takamori-beef.com/





Yonezawa gyuu 米沢牛 beef from Yonezawa



BEEF in the Washoku Database


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quote
U.K. 'wagyu' cross-breed an affordable favorite
By WILLIAM HOLLINGWORTH , Japan Times 2009

LONDON
"Wagyu" beef has long been the preserve of Britain's exclusive restaurants and London's high-end stores, like Harrods.
However, the average bloke in the street will soon be able to have a taste of the prized wagyu thanks to a major supermarket chain that wants to bring luxury foods to everyone.

ASDA, part of the Wal-Mart group, has just started breeding cross Holstein-wagyu cattle for its supermarkets and hopes to start selling the product in early 2011.

Although not pure wagyu meat, which retails for as much as $170 per kg, the meat will have many of the characteristics of wagyu (which literally means Japanese cattle) that make it so appetizing to gourmets.

With wagyu, the fat is more evenly distributed than in other meats and it has a highly marbled appearance. The fine strands of unsaturated fat in the meat melt when it is cooked, giving it a greater depth of flavor than other kinds of beef.

Because the store is producing its own wagyu and does not have to import anything, the store is confident it can keep costs down and reduce the price to the consumer.

"wagyu beef is the best in the world, but until now it has been the preserve of the extremely well to do. We want to make it affordable for the average man in the street," said Pearce Hughes, the company's agricultural development manager.

ASDA took semen from two pedigree black wagyu bulls in Britain. Breeders in southern Scotland then inseminated a Holstein cow and a few months later their efforts paid off with the birth of the first wagyu-cross, which they have named Inochi, which means life in Japanese.
The bulls used in the breeding process are the result of implanting Australian full-blood wagyu embryos into cows in Europe. The bulls' genes are linked to the Kedeka and Fujiyoshi lines.

Following the successful birth, farmers will now inseminate further Holstein cows on a Yorkshire farm and the plan is to produce 2,500 wagyu-Holsteins a year, providing 750 tons of meat.

But Hughes adds, "wagyu-cross-Holstein is deemed as the ultimate cross in Japan because the two breeds lay down marbling in exactly the same way, producing top quality meat superior to wagyu-cross-Angus or Red Devon. It has been known for wagyu-Holstein beef to match the eating quality of purebred wagyu in taste trials."

The meat will be less fatty than pure wagyu, but bosses at ASDA believe this will appeal to health-conscious Britons.

Pure wagyu have been bred in Wales on a small scale since 2000. Farmer David Wynne Finch imported some embryos of mixed black wagyu and implanted them into some standard cross-bred beef cows. He has a herd of around 30 wagyu.

The wagyu breed has only been exported out of Japan on three occasions.

While the breed is considered indigenous to Japan, DNA testing has shown it was influenced by European breeds brought about through cross-breeding in the early 1900s.
In Japan, it is claimed that farmers massage their wagyu cows to ensure the fat is evenly distributed. They are also fed grain and given beer to stimulate appetite.
source : Japan Times, October 2009


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Worldwide use

Rindfleisch
Steak, Rinderbraten

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Things found on the way


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HAIKU and SENRYU

すき焼きへ世話をする箸食べる箸　
sukiyaki e sewa suru hashi taberu hashi

chopsticks
for the sukiyaki pot
for eating

Sagara　Wataru　相良渉


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ステーキの皿の人参いつも北　　
suteeki no sara ni ninjin itsumo kita

a plate with steak
and the carrots always
facing north

Moriya Akitoshi 守屋明俊
Reference



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すき焼きの母へ残った葱豆腐　
sukiyaki no haha e nokotta negi toofu

left over for mother
from the sukiyaki pot ...
leek and tofu

Makido 牧戸俊翠


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Related words

***** WASHOKU : INGREDIENTS

. WASHOKU
Milk and Milk Products


WASHOKU : NIKU ... MEAT 　

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Shizuoka Prefecture

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Shizuoka Prefecture


Shizuoka Prefecture (静岡県,Shizuoka-ken) is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region on Honshū island. The capital is the city of Shizuoka.

The prefecture was previously divided into Tōtōmi Province, Suruga Province and Izu Province. The most noted history of the prefecture is that it was once home to the first Tokugawa Shogun.

The region was held by Tokugawa Ieyasu until he conquered the lands of the Hōjō clan in the Kantō region and gave his lands to the stewardship of Oda Nobunaga. After becoming shogun Tokugawa took the land back for his family, particularly putting the area around modern-day Shizuoka city under direct shogunal supervision.

It once again became the residence of the Tokugawa family after 1868, with the creation of Shizuoka han.

Shizuoka Prefecture is an elongated region following the coast of the Pacific Ocean at the Suruga Bay. In the west, the prefecture extends deep into the Japan Alps, while farther east it becomes a narrower coast bounded on the north by Mount Fuji, until it comes to the Izu Peninsula, a popular resort area pointing south into the Pacific

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Mount Fuji 富士山 Fujisan Fujiyama


Temple Shuzen-Ji 修善寺 with onsen hot spring
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A personal BLOG
source : Shizuoka Gourmet


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Local Dishes from Shizuoka 静岡郷土料理

. . . CLICK here for Photos !



asa raamen 朝ラーメン ramen for breakfast
In Fujieda town　藤枝.
The people from the nearby port of Yaizu　焼津市 and the tea pickers used to get up early for work. So the noodle shops followed suit with a soup based on soysauce flavor with little fat. Some now even serve a set of one bowl of hot soup and one bowl of cold soup. The shops start as early as 5 in the morning and close for lunch.
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ashitaba no goma ae あした葉の胡麻和え ashitaba leaves with sesame dressing
Ashitaba-Pflanze. Angelica keiskei


awabi no odoriyaki あわびの踊り焼 "dancing awabi"
awabi grilled alive


ayu no kanroni 鮎の甘露煮
sweetly simmered ayu fish, especially with eggs

ayu no senbei 鮎のせんべい
deep-fried pieces of ayu fish


Benten Nabe 弁天鍋
"Seafood Hodgepodge from Benten Island", with miso soup and iseebi lobster, crabs and special abalones,
From Matsuzaki.
tokobushi 床伏、 Japanese abalone、Sulculus diversicolor aquatilis



Heda no shio 戸田の塩 Salt from Heda, Izu peninsula


Hamamtasu gyooza, Hamamatsu gyoza 浜松餃子
There are a lot of boiled moyashi soybean sprouts in the middle of the gyoza dish. Served with hot chili oil, raayuu ラー油
. . . CLICK here for Photos !


いのしし鍋・きじ鍋 inoshishi nabe, kiji nabe
hodgepodge with wild boar or pheasant


iruka no misoni いるかの味噌煮
iruka dolphin meat in small pieces


iseebi no sugatazukuri 伊勢海老の姿造り
Lobster sashimi served on the living animal


iwashi no kezuribushi 蒲原いわし削りぶし
shredded dried sardines
From Kanbara town かんばら【蒲原】
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The dried sardines are once more dipped in a special flavored mix and dried again before shredding in special maschines. They can be used for dashi broth and many other dishes.
They are a speciality of the town and are put on many dishes, even on curry (which is also cooked with loads of these shreds, when there is not enough meat.
Kanbara iwashi karee 蒲原いわしカレー curry with sardines


Kaguyahime chazuke 富士かぐや姫茶漬け bowl of rice with tea
Fuji Town 富士市


kibinago no sashimi きびなごの刺身
sashimi from small sardines. from Matsuzaki Town. They live in the cliffs from December to April and can be caught, before they take off to Kagoshima.


kuromai mochi 黒米餅 mochi made from "black rice"
from Shuzen-Ji Hot Spring 修善寺温泉
They are eaten with soy sauce.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !
There is also a kind of ricewine from this special Shuzenji black rice: Kuromai Yondai Shikomi Seishu


magochazuke まご茶づけ, Magocha
MAGOCHA ... from Chiba


mugitoro 麦とろ creamy wheat and jam sauce for topping


Numazu Station Ekiben lunchbox
Minato Ajizushi 港あじ鮨mackerel sushi with extra wasabi


oden　おでん Oden
quote
Shizuoka oden is a variation of oden, a stew-like Japanese food consisting of fish paste cakes, boiled eggs, daikon, potatoes, kelp rolls, konnyaku, and other ingredients that are first boiled then kept simmering in a broth until consumption.
Shizuoka oden differs from other types of oden in two ways: the preparation of the broth and the way every ingredient is skewered on a stick. The broth is made with beef sinew (instead of the dried skipjack flakes used in other types of oden) and seasoned with strong soy sauce. Because the simmering broth is only replenished rather than discarded, it takes on a very deep, brown-black color; but this process of adding new broth to old is what gives Shizuoka oden the distinctive flavor that many people find so delicious.
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- - - - - Shizuoka Oden - 5 details
black hanpen　黒はんぺん
black broth　黒いスープ
stuck on some special kushi串
sprinkeld with aonori 青海苔　and dashikona　だし粉
often served at a store for dagashi sweets　駄菓子屋.


There is a food street near the station of Shizuoka,
Oden is the "soul food" of the people here.
Oden Yokocho 静岡 おでん横丁

. Oden, O-Den hodgepodge おでん　御田 .



omoro オモロ with vinegar-miso or boiled in soy sauce or with curry sauce.
same as tebichi in Okinawa: tonsoku 豚足（とんそく）



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sakuraboo さくら棒　"cherry blossom stick"
Sakurabo.
Made from FU wheat gluten and food coloring, a sweet. It also comes in different colors (flavors), like green powder tea. Some are as long as 60 centimeters.
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sakura-ebi no kakiage 桜えびのかき揚げ
Kakiage-Tempura from sakura shrimp
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Made from fresh shrimp and leafs of leek, cut finely.
geschnitzeltes Tempura mit Sakura-Garnelen
Dishes with Sakura-ebi 桜えび料理


sakura gohan さくらご飯 "cherry blossom rice"
rice cooked with soy sauce and sake only, no other ingredients.
CLICK here for PHOTOS !
From the Western Parts of Shizuoka. Today it is eaten at homes and schools and kids like this simple dish.
Probably it started much earlier, when the fishermen and farmers offered for the Ebisu deity not only their catch and farm products, but a bowl of this simple rice.


sakura ha mochi さくら葉餅
Mochi wrapped in cherry leaves
From the town of Matsuzaki 松崎町, since Showa 6.


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shirasu tatami しらすタタミ
small white fish dried "like a tatami mat"


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Shizuoka cha 静岡茶 tea from Shizuoka
The growing of tea started at the early Meiji-Period, when the statesman Katsu Kaishu (1823-1899) had to take care of the livelihood of the vasalls from the last Tokugawa shogun. He suggested they come to Shizuoka, where the Shogun Yoshinobu had taken up residence in exile, and start planting tea, since green tea was in demand with the many foreigners coming to Japan via Yokohama. The retainers came to Makinohara 牧之原台地 to start the tea plantages.
- - - Count Katsu Kaishū 勝海舟

. Katsu Kaishu in Akasaka Tamachi, Tokyo .

Reference ... Tea from Shizuoka





Shizuoka koora 静岡コーラ Cola from Shizuoka (with green tea)

The Kimura Drinks Co.,Ltd. have been producing a variety of drinks since their foundation in 1947. A local business that is still stationed in the Shizuoka Prefecture (between Nagoya and Tokyo), they have survived and thrived by not competing with the big boys like Asahi and Kirin, but but by producing small quantities of locally made drinks.
- snip - Although the drink draws in the tourists, Kimura Drink is not resting in its quest to make the most unique drinks available. Besides Shizuoka Cola, you can buy Shizuoka, Strawberry and Fuji Cider (as in lemonade, not fermented apples).
- - source axio mmagazine -


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suppon ryoori スッポン料理
Speciality of Hamamatsu. 70% of Japanese suppon is farmed here.
suppon turtle, Pelodiscus sinensis


takaashigani taka-ashi kani たかあしがに (高足蟹)
crabs with long legs. Japanese Spider Crab.
Macrocheira kaempferi . giant spider crab
fished in the deap sea off Heda, Izu peninsula, in Suruga Bay.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !
„Japanische Spinnen-Krabbe“.


torobotchi, torobocchi とろぼっち fish
fished in the deap sea off Heda, Izu peninsula.
shinkaigyo 深海魚 fish from the deep sea, more than 200 meters desp
also called
aome eso アオメエソ　青眼狗母魚
The body is long and round, about 15 cm. Big eyes, which reflect the sunlight, so it is also called "sparkling eyes" (mehikari メヒカリ). His white meat is used for sashimi, kara-age and shioyaki fried with salt.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !


tororojiru とろろ汁 soup with grated tororo yam
At the station Mariko 丸子の宿 (鞠子) of the old Tokaido. For example from 梅若菜丸子の宿
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unagi no kabayaki うなぎの蒲焼き broiled eel
aquafarming has started here since the Meiji restauration around lake Hamanako 浜名湖.



わさび漬け wasbizuke, wasabi pickles
spring kigo


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Related words

***** WASHOKU : Regional Japanese Dishes

***** . Folk Toys from Shizuoka .
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Mie Prefecture

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Mie Prefecture



Mie Prefecture (三重県, Mie-ken) is a prefecture of Japan which is part of the Kinki and Chūbu regions on Honshū island. The capital is the city of Tsu.

Evidence of human habitation in Mie can be dated to more than 10,000 years ago. During the Jōmon and Yayoi periods, agricultural communities began to form along the river and coastal areas of the region. Ise Shrine is said to have been established during the Yayoi period, and in the 7th century the Saikū Imperial Residence was built in what is now Meiwa Town to serve as both a residence and administrive centre for the Saiō, an Imperial Princess who served as High Priestess of Ise Shrine.

During the Edo period, the area now known as Mie Prefecture consisted of several feudal domains, each ruled by an appointed lord. Transport networks, including the Tokaido and Ise Roads, were built. Port towns such as Ohminato, Kuwana and Anōtsu, posting stations and castle towns flourished. Pilgrimages to Ise Shrine also became very popular.

Mie Prefecture forms the eastern part of the Kii Peninsula, and is bordered by Aichi, Gifu, Shiga, Kyoto, Nara, and Wakayama. It is considered to be a part of both the Chūbu and the Kinki regions due to its geographical proximity to Aichi Prefecture and its cultural influence from Kinki, such as the fact that Kansai dialect is spoken in Mie. Traditionally, though, the Iga region of Mie is considered to have always been a part of Kansai.

Mie Prefecture has traditionally been a link between east and west Japan, thanks largely to the Tokaido and Ise Pilgrimage Roads. Traditional handicrafts such as Iga Braid, Yokkaichi Banko Pottery, Suzuka Ink, Iga Pottery and Ise Katagami flourished. With 65% of the prefecture consisting of forests and with over 1,000 km of coastline, Mie has a long been associated with forestry and seafood industries. As well as this, Mie produces tea, beef, cultured pearls and fruit, mainly mandarin oranges.
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. Ise Grand Shrine 伊勢神宮　 Schrein Ise Jingu 　　
and related KIGO
Amaterasu Oomikami 天照大神（あまてらすおおみかみ・てんしょうだいじん）Amaterasu Omikami
Toyouke Oomikami 豊受大神 (とようけおおみかみ) Toyouke Omikami
The goddess of agriculture and industry in the Shinto religion. At the Gegu 下宮 in Ise.
She offers food to Amaterasu.


Kumano Kodō、Kumano Kodo, Kumano Kodoo 熊野古道
World Heritage Site. Ancient road in southern Mie once used by pilgrims.

Mikimoto Pearl Island


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Local Dishes from Mie　三重県の郷土料理


aimaze あいまぜ "mixed delight"
with dried radish, carrots, lotus roots, konnyaku, shiitake, taro roots and stems, fried in oil and soy sauce, with sweet vinegar as seasoning. Made for family festivals.
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akafuku 赤福 a sweet made with mochi and sweet red bean paste
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amago sushi あまご寿司 amagu (a sweet water fish) sushi
Oncorhynchus rhodurus. 甘子
It tasts quite crunchy and good with vinegar.
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and other amago dishes アマゴ料理. It is a speciality of Tsu city and 美杉町.


aramemaki, arame-maki あらめ巻 fish wrapped in arame kelp
WASHOKU : arame 荒布 Eisenia bicyclis.


arare ochazuke あられお茶漬 arare senbei with green tea
You shovel a good portion in a large bowl, add some sugar and then poor green tea over it. They get funyafunja soft.
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awabimeshi, awabi-meshi あわびめし rice with abalone
An expensive delicacy at Ise Shrine.
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bekkoozushi, bekkoo sushi, bekko sushi べっこう寿司 'Tortoise-shell sushi'
sushi with "pickled" fish in soy sauce marinade, to make it look like the color of tortoiseshell Bernstein.
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bora no heso ぼらのへそ "navel of the springer"
Bora ぼら【鯔／鰡】, striped black mullet; a springer
WASHOKU : bora, an auspicious fish
Actually, it is the stomach prepared to eat. Often barbequed.
ibukuro　胃袋　stomach
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chazuke 茶漬け
after eating fried or boiled fish, tea (or simply hot water) is poored over the bones, head and other leftovers, which are carefully washed with the liquid. This is then slurped out of the plate. Or poored over rice and eaten.
This is very healthy, called "isha shirazu 医者知らず" or "isha koroshi　医者殺し", no need for a doctor.




dengara でんがら dumplings with anko wrapped in a hoo-leaf
ほう葉だんご
from Iinan town 飯高


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fukidawara 蕗俵（ふきだわら）
"butterbur barrels"
rice with beans, wrapped in fuki leaves
They were prepared during the rice field planting season and put as offerings for the deities on the side of the fields.

Here you see a woman praying for a bountiful harvest.





hijiki nimono ひじき煮物 boiled hijiki seaweed
from 伊勢志摩 Ise Shima region. Ise hijiki 伊勢ひじき
Shima is one of the foremost producers of hijiki in Japan.
Hizikia fusiformis. Braune Meeresalge


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Ise ebi 伊勢エビ料理 lobster from Ise
from 伊勢志摩 Shima
They are prepared in many ways.
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Ise takuan 伊勢たくあん pickles radish from Ise
rather thick and round, the skin is thick. Made since the end of the Meiji period.



Ise udon　伊勢うどん　 ... see menrui, udon.
They are rather thick and soft. The soup is made with tamari soy sauce
served at （伊勢神宮）Shrine Ise Jingu to the pilgrims.



Itoin Senbei, ito-in senbei いといんせんべい. 絲印煎餅
Senbei with a "stamp like a thread"
Made by Hadaya Shop 播田屋, who owns three old metal stamps.
They are specially soft and made with a stamp (in) from olden times. The imperial family likes to eat them on their round to Ise shrine.
There are only 7 senbei in one pack, since the time when Meiji tennoo could only eat 7 out of a pack with 10.
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iwashizushi, iwashi sushi イワシ寿司 sushi from herrings
from the Satonakakokoro area 里中心



jibu じふ sukiyaki-type fish
魚のすき焼き風, jibunabe じふ鍋
from the Northern parts of the prefecture


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kaizu no himono かいずの干物 dried small sea bream
kaizu are the small black sea breams (kurodai 黒鯛 ). They are cut open on the back, marinated in soy sauce and dried in the sun. From Ocotber to November in the Toba area. 鳥羽地方
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kakimeshi カキ飯 rice with oysters
The oysters are boiled together with the rice in the same pot.


katsuo chazuke かつお茶漬け bonito on rice with tea
The fish is marinaged in soy sauce. Served with ginger and nori.
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kijinabe きじ鍋 hodgepodge with pheasant meat


kinko きんこ dried sweet potatoes
a snack for children and ama female divers
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koonago no kama-age コウナゴの釜揚げ boiled small sand lance
koonago is the local name for ikanago イカナゴ いかなご【玉筋魚】sand lance, sand eel lance
Ammodytes personatus
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Kuwana no hamaguri ryoori 桑名の蛤料理 clam dishes from Kuwana town
At the estuaries of the rivers Kisogawa, Naragawa and Machiyagawa 町屋川.
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kyuuri no hiyajiru キュウリの冷や汁 cold cucumber soup
It is put on hot mugimeshi rice. A mix between chazuke and salad. The soup has a miso taste.


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manboo ryoori マンボウ料理 dishes from moonfish (headfish)
Mola mola. Mondfish. まんぼう 【翻車魚】 満方 ocean sunfish
This fish is caught in Eastern Kishu. Eaten as sashimi, in vinegar, as sukiyaki. Even the intestines (kowata コワタ（腸）are dried and eaten.
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Manbo (Mambo) is also eaten in Miyagi prefecture.

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Manjuu kaidoo 饅頭街道 Manju Road
Mie is famous for more than 15 different kinds of manjuu dumplings.
They were prepared by the various tea shops in front of the Ise Shrine and people would buy them as presents nowadays.

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akafukumochi 赤福餅

The Manju Road leads from Ise shrine.
There are other Manju Roads in Japan too, for example one in Nagasaki.

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Matsuzaka beef


moroheiya udon モロヘイヤうどん udon noodles with moroheya
The moroheya powder is mixed with the wheat flour for making green noodles.
Corchorus Olitorius. Jew's marrow.
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nabana no ohitashi なばなのおひたし boiled rapeseed buds and young leaves
Very old dish of the Ise region.


nabemochi なべ餅 "hodgepodge mochi"
Mochi are made with anko and yomogi, rolled in kinako soy flour.
from 大紀町 Taiki Town
This was only prepared on auspicious situtations and the mochi were given to the neighbours and friends.


namako no su no mono なまこの酢の物 sea cucumber with vinegar
sea cucumber is also eaten in other dishes, often for New Year.


nameroo なめろう chopped raw fish with sake and miso paste
In Mie, apart from fish, sazae turban shell is used.
さざえのなめろうsazae no nameroo
also eaten in Chiba.


niken chaya mochi 二軒茶屋餅（にけんちゃやもち）mochi from Niken Chaya shop, Kakuya 角屋


nubarizushi, nubari sushi めばり寿司 sushi with takana leafy vegetable
a form of takanazushi. 高菜 takana leaves are marinated in nibaizu or sanbaizu vinegar and then the warm leaf wrapped around sushi rice.
takana, Brassica juncea var. integrifolia. Wirsingart
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. Takana 高菜 mustard greens .

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Oga no aburi 梶賀のあぶり smoked small fish from Oga town
from 尾鷲市梶賀浦
Prepared in May and June.
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oojiki jiru 大敷き汁 "soup after a good catch"
miso-based soup with the fresh catch. Saba, ika, katsuo, aji, sometimes even Ise lobsters.


. o-nyudo senbei おにゅうどうせんべい rice crackers

osasuri おさすり dumplings（ebitsu えびつ）
from Eastern Kishuu 御浜町
a kind of kashiwamochi
Prepared one month later than the normal Boy's festival, on June 5, and for the girls.


Sakatejima no uni 坂手島の雲丹 sea urchin from Sakatejima
Best for sushi.
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same no tare サメのたれ Samenotare, dried white shark meat
In Ise, shark is served with two different flavors, salt or sweet sake (mirin).
It is often served as a side dish. Ssamenotare goes well with drinks or served on top of rice.
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sanmazushi 秋刀魚寿司 （さんまずし） sanma sushi
sushi from pacific saury. Instead of wasabi, a bit of Japanese karashi mustard is used before the fish is pressed on the rice. サンマ寿司
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sazae no tsuboyaki さざえの壺焼き sazae turban shell grilled in the shell
Batillus cornutus


sekihan mochi 赤飯もち mochi made from mashed red rice


shigure hamaguri 時雨はまぐり, 時雨蛤 sweet simmered clamshells
English Reference : sweet cooked clams



sooheinabe, soohei nabe 僧兵鍋 hodgepodge for the monk-soldiers
Near Yunoyama onsen hot spring is the temple of the Tendai sect, 三岳寺, where the monks function as soldiers too and need some stamina. There are even pork bones used for broth, then radish, carrots, Konnyaku, lotus roots, taro and yam, bamboo shoots and even wild boar meat are used.


tekonezushi, tekone sushi てこねずし . 手こねずし fish zushi mixed with the hands


Tsu gyooza 津餃子 gyoza from Tsu town
They are very large, about 5 time the contents of a normal dumpling. They are fried and eaten without sauce.
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unagi ryoori うなぎ料理 eel dishes
from Tsu town. In Tsu most of the eel in all of Japan is eaten.

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watarikaki 渡利牡蠣（わたりかき）Oysters from the Kihoku　紀北町 region. It is almost a sweet water lake with an underlying current of sea water.
They are also called
Kooboogaki 弘法ガキ

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Commercial oysters are produced since the Showa period.They have a juicy taste. This is as a result of its production in the nutrient-rich water of the local Funatsu River and Sea of Kumano. They are lowered to salt water after a typhoon or great rain, when the river brings lots of nutrition for the oysters. Later they are put in a higher position of the fresh water of lake Shiraishiko 白石湖.　So the oyster farmers are quite budsy checking the saltiness of the lake water.
Taken out of the water, they keep fresh for about 5 days if they are not opened.

The oysters are eaten fried or raw, but also in soup (kakijiru　牡蠣汁) or on sushi rice with a bit of hot mustard (kakizushi 牡蠣寿司 ).



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Things found on the way


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HAIKU and SENRYU



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Related words

***** WASHOKU : Regional Japanese Dishes

***** . Folk Toys from Mie .
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