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Tamagoyaki ｜ Our Regional Cuisines

  • Tokyo Prefecture

    Tamagoyaki

Tamagoyaki

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  • Main lore areas

    The entire area of Tokyo

  • Main ingredients used

    Eggs, soup stock, and sugar

  • History/origin/related events

    Tamagoyaki is a dish made by seasoning eggs and frying them thickly. In the Kanto region, it refers to “atsuyaki tamago,” a sweetly seasoned omelet that is fried until lightly browned, whereas in the Kansai region, it refers to “dashimaki tamago,” an omelet that is made with soup stock, fried without browning, and served with grated daikon radish.
    Eggs have been prized by people since ancient times as a “food that nourishes the spirit,” but in the imperial court, eating chicken was prohibited, and chickens were treated as useful animals that could tell the time, so along with other meat, eating them was prohibited for a long time. Cooking and eating chicken and eggs as ingredients began in the early Edo period when the ban on eating them was lifted. Due to the influence of the Nanban trade, people started eating chicken eggs, but they were still valuable. After that, a dish called “tamago fuwafuwa,” a dish in which beaten eggs were poured into boiling stock and steamed, became popular as a delicacy for the commoners of the Edo period. This is said to be the origin of tamagoyaki.
    Oji Ogiya, which appeared on stage in the rakugo story “Oji no Kitsune (Fox of Oji)” and was also depicted in Hiroshige Utagawa's “Edo Komei Kaitei Zukushi,” is a hand-fried tamagoyaki shop that remains faithful to the original taste even now. At that time, there were many tea houses and restaurants in the area around Asukayama, Oji, which was said to be famous for its cherry blossoms, and Ogiya was one of them.
    Edo-style tamagoyaki is characterized by its sweet, deep flavor and chewy texture, with the flavorful umami of bonito stock. Today, it has become a staple in every household, and thanks to the widespread use of Teflon-based rectangular frying pans, it is easy to fry and continues to be a favorite for lunch boxes.

  • Opportunities and times of eating habits

    When chicken eggs were expensive, they were valued as healthy food, especially to bring as a gift when visiting the sick. Chicken eggs are an excellent source of protein and are now a popular food with a stable price. Chicken are made to lay eggs in chicken houses to bring forward the number of days and nights and given no exercise, but recently there has been a trend to sell eggs from healthy chickens, and prices range widely as well. Chicken eggs are great for cooking, so they are useful not only for making home-cooked dishes but also as a feast for special occasions, making them a welcome choice regardless of the season.

  • How to eat

    Mix eggs, soup stock, and sugar and fry thickly. Cut into bite-sized pieces and eat.

  • Efforts for Preservation and Succession

    It is commonly made at home. It is also sold at supermarkets, lunch box shops, and convenience stores, and is widely served at restaurants as a side dish or as an accompaniment to alcohol. Additionally, at Tsukiji Market, there are three specialty stores selling tamagoyaki: Marutake, Daisada, and Sushi Tama Aoki. Founded in 1648 (Keian Year of the Dog), Oji Ogiya specializes in tamagoyaki and continues to pass on the traditional flavor from the Edo period. Its tamagoyaki can now be purchased at department stores as well. It also sells “kamayaki tamago,” which was passed down from one child to another and was loved by many celebrities during its days as a restaurant.

RECIPE

Ingredients (For one piece)

  • Eggs 2
  • Soup stock 1 tbsp.
  • [Seasoning] Sugar 1／2 tbsp.
  • [Seasoning] Salt Just a little
  • [Seasoning] Soy sauce Just a little
  • Oil As appropriate

How to cook

  • 1. Crack the eggs and mix them with the soup stock and seasonings.

  • 2. Heat oil in a tamagoyaki pan, wipe off the excess oil, and pour in 1／4 of the egg mixture, spreading it evenly. When the edges are dry and it is half-cooked, roll it with chopsticks. Pour in more oil and repeat.

  • 3. Once fried, roll it up in a sushi mat, let it sit until it has cooled down, and then cut it into slices.

Recipe Arrangements

provider : Etsuko Kondo (from “Home Cooking, Including Learning How to Choosing Ingredients”)

Recipes vary depending on the region and home.

This recipe video has been partially arranged to make it easier to cook at 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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Address : 1-2-1,Kasumigaseki,Chiyoda-ku,Tokyo 100-8950,Japan.

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