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Bon Jiru ｜ Our Regional Cuisines

  • Mie Prefecture

    Bon Jiru

Bon Jiru

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  • Main lore areas

    Chunansei Food Culture Area/Eastern Kishu Food Culture Area

  • Main ingredients used

    Soybean, burdock, eggplant, carrot, pumpkin, fried tofu, yard bean, taro stem, etc.

  • History/origin/related events

    In the Edo period (1813) “Matsuzaka Fuzokuki” (previously called “Matsuzaka”), which recorded the annual events and customs of Matsuzaka, there’s a record which is thought to indicate “bon jiru.” It states: “The soup is made of burdock, eggplant, and dried gourd shavings. Many soybeans are ground up and added in.” Zen Buddhist (one type of Buddhism, a sect of Mahayana Buddhism) households don’t eat meat or fish, and instead would eat miso soup with lots of seasonal vegetables as ingredients instead of a dashi stock made of bonito flakes or dried sardines, because killing is not allowed during Obon. Dashi stock isn’t used because it’s made of dried bonito or dried sardines, but fried tofu is used instead. By adding a lot of ingredients, the soup is delicious even without adding dashi stock. Also, since it’s made to welcome the ancestors on the Bon Festival, it’s characterized by having more types and amounts of ingredients than normal soup. Since there are so many ingredients, it’s like a boiled vegetable dish. In the northeastern part of Matsuzaka City in particular, yard beans (juroku sasage) are called bon sasage, and it’s said that they’re always put in the dish because they’re ready to eat around the time of the Bon Festival. Depending on the region, this soup is also called “nana iro jiru” because it uses 7 (nana) kinds of ingredients. In Sugari, Owase City in the Eastern Kishu region they make “hachihai” with tofu and “hyuga jiru” (clear soup) with gourd shavings on the day when they send off spirits.

  • Opportunities and times of eating habits

    It seems the Bon days are different depending on the household, such as “for 3 days in the morning,” “at noon on the 14th or 15th,” and “the morning of the 16th.” It’s customary to offer “bon jiru” to the spirits and enjoy it with the whole family.

  • How to eat

    It’s also called “nana iro jiru” because it usess 7 (nana) kinds of seasonal summer vegetables. Cut the vegetables into appropriate sizes, boil them in hot water, and finally dissolve the miso into them. This soup is characterized by not using dashi stock, which is made of dried bonito or dried sardines. As in the Eastern Kishu region, the ingredients and names change depending on the date it’s eaten, which is difficult for the people who make it, but still interesting nonetheless.

  • Efforts for Preservation and Succession

    (Outline of the traditions, the preservation society, social media use, modern approaches at commercialization)
    “Bon jiru,” which is eaten as vegetarian food during the Bon season, is a highly nutritious dish that uses a lot of seasonal vegetables, and is also served in school lunches in Matsuzaka City.

RECIPE

Ingredients (for 10 people)

  • soybeans 1／2 cup
  • burdock root 1／4
  • fried tofu (fried sushi size) 1 slice
  • eggplant 1／2
  • carrot 1／5
  • pumpkin 100–150g
  • miso 100g
  • water 1000ml
  • yard beans 50g

How to cook

  • 1. Soak the soybeans in water the day before. On the cooking day, boil them until they’re about 80% soft.

  • 2. Cut the other vegetables into suitably small pieces. (For vegetables that need to have the bitterness removed, that must be done first.)

  • 3. Put the soybeans, vegetables, and fried tofu into the pot, starting with the hardest ingredients. Once they become soft, dissolve the miso in the pot, check the flavor and turn off the heat.

  • 4. [Note]
    As for the ingredients, it’s best if there are 7 types of ingredients you can get at the time, such as edamame, taro stem, green onion, vegetable thinnings, and so on.

provider : Recipe provided by: Mie Food Culture Research 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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