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. Akita
  7. Kyanokko jiru/Keno-jiru

Kyanokko jiru/Keno-jiru ｜ Our Regional Cuisines

kyodo_ryori

  • Akita Prefecture

    Kyanokko jiru/Keno-jiru

Kyanokko jiru/Keno-jiru

Related images
Please refer to “Links and Copyrights” for information on secondary use of images.(Term of use)
  • Kyanokko jiru/Keno-jiru

    Image Source : “Akita Kyomi(=local cuisine) Fudoki” (Akita Prefecture Rural Life Research Group Council)

  • Kyanokko jiru/Keno-jiru
    DOWNLOAD

    Image Source : Ogata Village Akita Komachi Producers Association Co., Ltd.

  • Main lore areas

    From Central Prefecture to Northern Region, and some parts of Southern Region

  • Main ingredients used

    Daikon radish, Carrot, Sweet potato, Japanese yam

  • History/origin/related events

    "Kyanokko jiru" is a soup dish of finely chopped vegetables, wild vegetables, and kidney beans seasoned with Dashi (=Japanese soup stock) and miso. This traditional dish is part of the culinary culture in the Tohoku region, including Akita and Aomori Prefectures. It is typically consumed during the post-New Year period known as "Koshogatsu" starting from January 15, after various year-end and New Year events, as a way to relax and wish for good health in the coming year.
    In the past, it was a nutritious local dish made in large pots to avoid frequent kitchen activities during the New Year, allowing people to reheat and consume it over several days.
    There's a belief that ”Kyanokko jiru" originated from a local dish called "Ke-no-Jiru (=soup with rice porridge) in the Tsugaru area in Aomori prefecture, and came to be eaten in the northern Akita Prefecture as well. In different places, it is known by various names, such as "Ke-no-Jiru" or "Kyano Jiru" in Kazuno City, and "Ke-no-Jiru" or "Kenoko" in Oga City. In Northern coastal areas like Mitane Town and central areas like Hachirogata Town, it may be referred to as "Kyano-ko." A distinctive feature in Akita is the use of "Zunda", a rice cake made from mainly green soybean flour, creating a unique regional flavor.

  • Opportunities and times of eating habits

    Koshogatsu (Lunar New Year)

  • How to eat

    All the ingredients are chopped finer than "Kenchin Jiru", and the Dashi and ingredients are simmered in a large pot, then seasoned with miso. Finally, grilled Zunda is added and served. Although the ingredients and seasoning vary slightly from household to household, basically, the soup is made in a large pot, divided into portions to be eaten, reheated, and eaten over a period of several days. As the days pass, the ingredients soak up the flavors and the taste deepens with each serving. Since it is quite time-consuming to dice a large amount of ingredients, nowadays boiled in water or canned ingredients are always available at supermarkets.

  • Efforts for Preservation and Succession

    (Overview of the people who have passed down the tradition, preservation groups, use of SNS, modern efforts such as commercialization, etc.)
    In Gojome Town, famous for its traditional morning market, local cuisine including Kyanokko jiru is promoted as part of food education. Some families also make their own homemade Kyanokko jiru around the time of the Koshogatsu.

RECIPE

Ingredients (easy-to-make quantities)

  • Daikon radish 1kg
  • Carrot 200g
  • Sweet potato 400g
  • Japanese yam 500g
  • Bracken(already desalted) 150g
  • Butterbur(already desalted) 150g
  • bamboo shoots 200g
  • Grilled tofu 200g
  • Fried thin tofu 4
  • Shiitake mashroom 4～5
  • Red kidney bean 80g
  • Lily bulb 100g
  • Fiddlehead 150g
  • Candied chestnut 200g
  • Potato 1kg
  • [A] Bonito flakes A little
  • [A] Kombu(=kelp) A little
  • [A] Dried sardine A little
  • Salt A little
  • Miso As needed
  • Grilled Zunda
  • [B] Green soy beans flour 500g
  • [B] Glutinous rice flour 100g
  • [B] Salt A little

How to cook

  • 1. Prepare Dashi using bonito flakes, Kombu, and dried sardines for [A].

  • 2. Dice Daikon radish and boil until tender.

  • 3. Cut the sweet potatoes into slightly larger pieces, and simmer the candied sweet potatoes until they are soft

  • 4. Cut other ingredients (except lily bulb and grilled zunda) into dice, place in a large pot and simmer in Dashi.

  • 5. When (the ingredients from) step 4 are mostly cooked, add daikon radish and sweet potatoes. Add miso and simmer over low heat to slowly cook and season the dish (medium heat).

  • 6. Finally, add grilled Zunda and lily bulb.

  • 7. [grilled Zunda] Combine green soybean flour, glutinous rice flour, and salt from [B], add water, and knead well. Then roll into a small oval shape to make grilled zunda.

provider : “Akita Kyomi(=local cuisine) Fudoki” (Akita Prefecture Rural Life Research Group Council)

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