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  7. Nara-chameshi (Nara savoury rice with various ingredients)

Nara-chameshi (Nara savoury rice with various ingredients) ｜ Our Regional Cuisines

  • Kanagawa Prefecture

    Nara-chameshi (Nara savoury rice with various ingredients)

Nara-chameshi (Nara savoury rice with various ingredients)

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  • Main lore areas

    Kawasaki City

  • Main ingredients used

    Rice, Chestnuts, “Azuki” beans, “Sencha” (green tea), Candied Chestnuts (in the old days, it is called "kachi-Guri(chestnuts)")

  • History/origin/related events

    Rice cooked with chestnuts, soybeans, azuki beans, millet, and tea. Originally, this dish was eaten by monks at Todaiji Temple and Kofukuji Temple in Nara, and was introduced to Kawasaki. During the Edo period (1603-1867), Kawasaki-juku, an inn town, one of the 53 stations of the Tokaido Road, was a busy place for people to come and go. “Nara-chameshi” was served at Mannen-ya, a teahouse in Kawasaki-juku, along with "shijimi" (clam) miso soup and nara-zuke (pickled melon), and was very popular among travelers.
    It is a quick and tasty dish, similar to today's fast food, and was so popular in the late Edo period that even feudal lords would stop by for lunch. The name became known throughout Japan after a scene in "Tokai-Dochu-Hizakurige" by author Jippensha- Ikku depicted Yaji and Kita eating “Nara-chameshi” at” Mannen-ya”.
    The business of “Mannen-ya” closed down and “Nara-chameshi” in Kawasaki ceased to exist, but the taste was recreated based on literature and served with “Miso” soup with “Shijimi “(clam) and other ingredients at the "Big Kawasaki-juku Festival" held in 2001. Today, a Japanese confectionery store in the city has developed a modernized version of “Nara-chameshi”, called "Nara-chameshi-style Okowa," which is attracting attention as a new specialty of Kawasaki.

  • Opportunities and times of eating habits

    Since “Mannen-ya” went out of business, it is no longer served on a daily basis. The” Nara-chameshi-style Okowa” is served throughout the year, regardless of the season.

  • How to eat

    Rice is mixed with azuki beans, Kachi-Gri(chestnuts), and other ingredients, and cooked with “Sencha”( green tea). “Nara-chameshi-style Okowa” is not made using ordinary ricwe, but glutinous rice, and sweetened chestnuts are used instead of “Kachi-Guri”chestnuts. It is served with miso soup of shijimi clam, just as it was in the Edo period.

  • Efforts for Preservation and Succession

    (Outline of the traditions, the preservation society, social media use, modern approaches to commercialization)
    The Japanese confectionery "Karyo Tohteru" in the city developed "Nara-chameshi-style Okowa" based on the historical record of “Nara-chameshi”, which is sold and offered
    for consumption. In 2015, it was certified as" Kawasaki Specialty Products 2015 -2017, " and it has been used as a tax return gift for Kawasaki City's hometown taxpayers.

RECIPE

Ingredients (4 servings)

  • Rice 3 cups
  • “Sencha” (green tea) or Hojicha (roasted tea)  500ml
  • Roasted Soybeans 30g
  • Chestnuts 100g
  • Salt 1 tsp.

How to cook

  • 1. Wash Rice and soak in Water for 30 minutes.

  • 2. Put drained Rice, Roasted Soybeans, Chestnuts, Salt, and Tea into rice cooker.

  • 3. When finished cooking, serve in a bowl.

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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