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Kure no nimono ｜ Our Regional Cuisines

  • Kochi Prefecture

    Kure no nimono

Kure no nimono

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  • Kure no nimono

    Image Source : Tosa Traditional Food Study Group

  • Kure no nimono

    Image Source : Tosa Traditional Food Study Group

  • Main lore areas

    All over the prefecture

  • Main ingredients used

    Whale, kirikonbu, radish, carrot, konbu, konnyaku, etc.

  • History/origin/related events

    The local dish eaten at New Year's Eve in Kochi Prefecture is "Kureno-ni-nimono" (simmered dishes at the end of the year), which contains whale meat. This dish was eaten with the wish that by eating something as large as a whale, one would "become a big fish. In the days when whales were readily available, it was a common sight to see them lined up at fish shops as New Year's Eve approached. In the mountainous areas, dried whale called "koro" was an indispensable ingredient.
    The port city of Muroto was responsible for Kochi's whale eating culture. Whales cross Tosa Bay as they migrate north and south across the Pacific Ocean. Fishing groups called "Kujigumi" whaled whales at that time of year. Tosa Bay is also known as the birthplace of Tosa whaling, and whaling is said to have begun in the early Edo period. Whaling in Tosa Bay continued for more than 300 years until 1936. Even today, Tosa Bay is a migratory course for whales, and whale watching and other whale watching activities are conducted there.

  • Opportunities and times of eating habits

    The "Kureno-ni-nimono" (simmered dishes at the end of the year) is also known as a good luck charm, and the custom of eating simmered whale dishes on New Year's Eve has been handed down to this day.
    Whale dishes were also eaten on a daily basis in areas where whaling was practiced.

  • How to eat

    Whale has a lot of lean meat, and its belly and tongue are also treated as delicacies, so there are few parts that go to waste. Not only boiled, but also half-thawed sashimi is eaten, giving it a crispy texture. There is a wide range of variations, such as the standard "fried tatsuta" and "hari-hari-nabe" cooked with potherb mustard. In Echi-cho, there is a traditional way of eating it boiled together with Ohirakabu, a traditional vegetable.
    When making the stew, the whale is first boiled in a pot. At this time, take off the scum as often as possible. If the meat is simmered too long, it will become tough, so it should be removed when the time is right. Add soy sauce, mirin, and sugar to the whale stock, season to taste, and simmer again with the pre-boiled daikon radish, carrots, and konnyaku. When the vegetables are cooked, add whale meat and kelp to finish.

  • Efforts for Preservation and Succession

    After Japan stopped commercial whaling in 1988, whale meat became hard to obtain. With that, the whale eating culture has been disappearing, but restaurants and tourist facilities in Muroto City are still serving whale dishes. With the resumption of commercial whaling, whale meat is now available in small quantities in the fresh fish section of supermarkets. A project to revive traditional vegetables native to Tosa is underway, and the traditional vegetable "Ushioena" (a species of potherb mustard), which is indispensable for "Haribari-nabe" (Haribari hot pot), has been revived.

source : Agricultural Products Marketing Strategy Division, Agricultural Promotion Department, Kochi Prefecture / Tosa Traditional Food Study Group

RECIPE

Ingredients (For 8 persons)

  • whale (Cetacea spp.) 200g
  • Daikon radish Half a daikon (500g)
  • carrot 1 carrot (100g)
  • 1 burdock root 1 or 2 (100g)
  • taro 3-4 pieces (200g)
  • konnyaku 1 chop (250g)
  • kelp thread 20g (1.5 oz)
  • Niboshi (if there are too many whales, it is unnecessary)
  • Water 4 cups
  • soy sauce 1／3 cup
  • sugar 4 tbsp.
  • sake 2 tbsp.

How to cook

  • 1. Remove the skin of radish, carrot and taro and cut them into desired shapes. Wash burdock root with a scrubbing brush, slice diagonally and soak in water. Cut konnyaku into 1cm-thick reins (tazuna).

  • 2. Cut thin slices of whale into bite-sized pieces, boil in water, and carefully scoop out and discard the scum.

  • 3. When the scum is gone, add the chopped vegetables and konnyaku, dried fish and kelp, and simmer.

  • 4. Add soy sauce, sugar and sake to taste.

provider : "Tosa no shokutaku, tsutaeru momma no aji" (Tosa Traditional Food Study Group)

Recipes vary depending on the region and home.

Contact

Food Cultures Office, Overseas Market Development and Food Cultures Division, Food Industry Affairs Bureau, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries

Tel:+81-3-3502-5516

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