Hebo-meshi(Hebo rice) ｜ Our Regional Cuisines

Aichi Prefecture

Hebo-meshi(Hebo rice)

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Main lore areas

Nishimikawa Region, Higashimikawa Region, Okumikawa Region
Main ingredients used

Hebo, rice

History/origin/related events

“Hebo” refers to the larvae of the common Asiatic yellowjacket and other ground bees, and are also known simply as "bee larvae”. In the past, hebo was a valuable source of protein in the mountainous area stretching from Shinshu to Okumikawa, and the adults and larvae of local bees were boiled in a sweet and spicy sauce and mixed with rice to make hebo rice, hebo kanroni (hebo simmered in soy sauce, mirin, sugar, and starch syrup), and hebo gohei-mochi (hebo rice cakes). Nowadays, hebo consumption is rare, and they are generally served as a delicacy for guests.
The common Asiatic yellowjacket builds nests in the ground, and locals make use of their habit of bringing food straight back to the nest to find their nests. To do so, they shape the meat of a river fish, chicken, or frog into a ball that is easy for the bees to carry, and attach cotton to it as a marker. They then use the marker to follow the bees and find their hive. These bees used to nest in paddies, but they now nest in the mountains due to the effects of pesticides.
When competitions for the heaviest hebo nests were held, hebo nests would be dug up and placed in nesting boxes in early summer. The hebo would then be fed and reared until the competitions in the autumn. Participants in these competitions may also hunt for large nests in the fall instead of rearing them.
Opportunities and times of eating habits

In the old days, hebo were taken out of their nests in the fall and boiled to preserve them. In addition to hebo rice, other popular homemade hebo dishes include hebo tsukudani (hebo simmered in soy sauce and mirin), hebo kanroni, as well as hebo gohei-mochi served with miso and a special sauce made with ground hebo.
How to eat

Dry roast hebo while being careful not to crush them, and simmer them in soy sauce, sugar, and mirin to make hebo tsukudani. Add rice and the hebo to the rice cooker, cook until done, then stir and enjoy. You can enjoy the contrasting textures of the adult bees and the larvae.
Efforts for Preservation and Succession

(Outline of the traditions, the preservation society, social media use, modern approaches at commercialization)
Hebo can be made at home or eaten at roadside stations or hotels and inns even today. Competitions to determine the heaviest hebo hives are held in the fall alongside wholesale markets, and these occasions attract large numbers of visitors. Vendors sometimes visit such markets to sell hebo rice and hebo gohei-mochi, as well as common Asiatic yellowjackets marinated in shochu.

RECIPE

Ingredients (4 servings)

Rice 2 cups
Hebo 100g
【A】 Soy sauce 50ml
【A】 Sugar 1／2 tbsp.
【B】 Mirin 1 tbsp.
【B】 Sake 1 tbsp.
【B】 Salt 1／2 tsp.

How to cook

1. Wash the rice, soak in water for 30 minutes, and drain in a colander.
2. Fry the hebo in a frying pan, add A and bring to a boil.
3. Put the rice from 1 in a rice cooker, add B, add water to the scale of the inner pot, and cook.
4. When the rice is cooked, add 2 and stir to combine.

Recipe Arrangements

To avoid crushing the bloated larvae, try dry roasting them without oil.

provider : Recipe provided by: 50 Local Aichi Cuisine Recipes

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

Hebo-meshi(Hebo rice) ｜ Our Regional Cuisines

Aichi Prefecture