Skip to main content.

Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries

Character Size
Standard
Large
Menu
  1. Home
  2. Policies
  3. Food Export
  4. kyodo_ryori
  5. SEARCH&MENU
  6. Hokkaido
  7. Ikura no Shoyu-zuke (Soy Sauce-marinated Salmon Roe)

Ikura no Shoyu-zuke (Soy Sauce-marinated Salmon Roe) ｜ Our Regional Cuisines

  • Hokkaido Prefecture

    Ikura no Shoyu-zuke (Soy Sauce-marinated Salmon Roe)

Ikura no Shoyu-zuke (Soy Sauce-marinated Salmon Roe)

Related images
Please refer to “Links and Copyrights” for information on secondary use of images.(Term of use)

  • Main lore areas

    All of Hokkaido Prefecture

  • Main ingredients used

    Salmon roe, soy sauce, sake

  • History/origin/related events

    Hokkaido is famous throughout Japan for its Ikura("Ikura" is the result of breaking down raw "Sujiko." "Sujiko" refers to the ovaries of the salmon), which is greatly popular with people of all ages.
    In September to October, when the salmon fishing season peaks, the local supermarkets are filled with raw salmon roe “Sujiko”, which many households use in their cooking for Ikura. Most people use salt and soy sauce to marinate their salmon roe, but for household cooking soy sauce is more common.
    Sujiko used to be a common dish throughout Japan. It's said that salted Sujiko, similar to today's Ikura, was also consumed, but in the past they didn't have the two names "Sujiko" and "Ikura." The name "Ikura" is thought to have entered Japanese from Russian in the Meiji period. There are various theories as to how this happened. One theory is that it was introduced by Russian prisoners of war during the Russo-Japanese war, and another theory is that it came from exchanges with Russian fishermen in the north when the fishing industry was booming. Ikura really started to become popular throughout Japan in the Taisho period.

  • Opportunities and times of eating habits

    A luxurious taste of Hokkaido's fall flavors that will take you back home. "Ikura no Shoyu-zuke" made in the fall can be frozen and then enjoyed up to New Years.

  • How to eat

    Break up the raw Sujiko in salted water, remove the skin and mix with soy sauce and sake, adjusting the exact amounts to taste. Leave to marinate overnight in the refrigerator to make sure the roe absorbs the flavor. The seasoning used will vary from household to household. Most households will season the Ikura with just soy sauce, while others will replace the sake or mirin with bonito or kombu stock.
    You can serve it on warm steamed rice as "Ikura-don" or use it in temaki-sushi or even just served as an appetizer.

  • Efforts for Preservation and Succession

    (Outline of the traditions, the preservation society, social media use, modern approaches to commercialization)
    You can purchase prepared dishes from supermarkets and department stores, but it is easy to prepare at home too. It is more common to prepare at home in Hokkaido, and each household will have their own recipe. "Ikura no Shoyu-zuke" is popular with people of all ages, and so is a great item to buy as a souvenir or as a dish to order.

RECIPE

Ingredients (serves 4)

  • Salmon roe (fresh Sujiko) 1／2 piece
  • Sake 1／2 cup
  • Soy sauce 1／3 cup

How to cook

  • 1. Wash the fresh salmon roe (raw Sujiko) in salt water, break the roe into pieces in the water, rinse until clean, and then marinate in sake and soy sauce overnight.

provider : "Taste Of Hokkaido" (Akiko Nanbu)

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

Top of This Page

MAFF Social Media

  • MAFF Facebook
  • MAFF YouTube

MAFF

Address : 1-2-1,Kasumigaseki,Chiyoda-ku,Tokyo 100-8950,Japan.

TEL : 03-3502-8111

Enterprise identification number : 5000012080001

Copyright : Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries