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Kujira Jiru (Whale Soup) ｜ Our Regional Cuisines

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  • Aomori Prefecture

    Kujira Jiru (Whale Soup)

Kujira Jiru (Whale Soup)

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  • Main lore areas

    Shimokita Peninsula, Hachinohe City

  • Main ingredients used

    Cured whale meat (fat), Carrot, Gobou(=Burdock root) , "Kan-Daikon" (=Daikon radish dried under the cold weather), Shimi-tofu (=Freeze-dried tofu), Potato, Pickled takana (=mustard green), Miso, Soy sauce

  • History/origin/related events

    The whale food culture was developed around Hachinohe City because there were whaling bases in Hachinohe City. There is a saying "One whale brings lots of benefits to seven fisher villages" to express how whale brought many blessings to the locals. The taste of whale varies in each part, but "shiromi" (=white part) close to the back skin is used for "Kujira Jiru". As this part is the bunch of fat, you need to repeat parboiling it or fry without oil to remove excess fat before cooking. This dish is served at the New Year celebration to wish "catching something big in the new year" or "to become a person with big influence" like a whale and so on.

  • Opportunities and times of eating habits

    This is an auspicious dish for New Year’s eve or New Year’s day. Grilled square mochi can be added to make "zouni" (=soup served on the New Year’s Day). You will still find cured whale meat for "Kujira Jiru" at the year-end markets or supermarkets. Several kinds of vegetables and tofu are added and cooked in a big pot, and the dish is served for a couple of days from the New Year’s Day. Good flavor came out from the whale, and the soup becomes tastier as days go by.

  • How to eat

    It is important to parboil or fry skin of whale (fat) without oil to remove excess fat. After doing this process properly, it has crunchy texture. Also, its condensed flavor makes good soup stock, and makes soup tastier. It is a characteristic of the dish to contain lots of ingredients including root vegetables like daikon radish, carrot, gobou(=Burdock root) and potato.

  • Efforts for Preservation and Succession

    (Outline of the traditions, the preservation society, social media use, modern approaches to commercialization)
    The custom of eating whale is disappearing, especially among the young generation, because commercial whale catching wasn’t conducted for 31 years until it resumed in 2019. The opportunity to cook whale is decreasing at home except the new year, so it is served local dish restaurants or morning farmer’s markets in Hachinohe City. "Kujira Jiru" is an important local food for local residents, and there are groups to hand down the dish.

RECIPE

Ingredients (5 servings)

  • Cured whale (fat) 100g
  • Carrot 150g
  • Gobou(=Burdock root) 100g
  • Kan-Daikon (=Daikon radish dried under the cold weather) about 10
  • Shimi-tofu (=Freeze-dried tofu) about 3
  • Potato 5 (big)
  • Pickled takana (=mustard green) (or green onion) As needed
  • Miso As needed
  • Soy sauce As needed

How to cook

  • 1. Shave carrot and gobou (burdock root) . Soak gobou (burdock root) into water. Chop potato.

  • 2. Rehydrate "kan daikon" and shimi-tofu with hot water, then rinse well. Slice shimi-tofu into 3mm (0.1 inch) of thickness.

  • 3. Cut whale into bar rectangles or "tanzaku-cut" it. Rinse lightly to remove salt.

  • 4. Heat a big pot and put whale 3 to fry without oil to remove excess fat.

  • 5. Fry carrot, gobou (burdock root), potato and "kan daikon" in order, and add water once "kan daikon" absorbs liquid.

  • 6. Once potato is cooked, add miso. Add "shimi-tofu" to let it absorb flavor.

  • 7. Add chipped takana or green onion, or a little bit of soy sauce if you like to adjust flavor.

provider : "Guidebook for the transmission of food culture" (Aomori Prefecture)

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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