Dojō-jiru ｜ Our Regional Cuisines

Tochigi Prefecture

Dojō-jiru

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Image source: "Furusato no Washoku: Traditional Japanese Cuisine of Utsunomiya" (Yuji Kashiwamura/Hisae Handa)

Main lore areas

Plains of Tochigi Prefecture
Main ingredients used

Loach, Green onion, Gobou (=Burdock root), Onion

History/origin/related events

"Dojō-jiru(=loach soup)" is one of the dishes invariably made during the summer. It has been consumed to endure the harsh heat during the challenging summer months. Tochigi Prefecture, with its inland climate and significant temperature differences between seasons, experiences intense heat in the summer and continues with cold days in the winter.
River fish, including "Dojō (=loach)," serve as a valuable source of protein in the inland areas away from the sea. Before irrigation ditchs were lined with concrete, "Dojō" were commonly found in the local rivers around the Utsunomiya region.
In households where farmers cultivated rice paddies, it was a tradition to cover the water inlets of the paddies during the summer, catching "Dojō" and making "Dojō-jiru." For small children, parents would peel the meat off and feed them. Pinch the bottom of the head of the loach with your left hand and scrape off the meat from the bottom of the head to the tail with the chopstick of your right hand, so that the meat peels off cleanly and is easy to eat.
Opportunities and times of eating habits

In certain areas of Utsunomiya City, it has been a tradition to eat "Dojyo-jiru" as lunch for the festival held in the midst of the hot July weather at the Yasaka Shrine. Eating loach during the hot summer, when one tends to lose energy due to the heat, is appreciated for its vitality-boosting properties. Whole loach soup also serves as a source of calcium, which is often lacking.
How to eat

After draining the water from the loach, place it in a pot, add enough sake to cover, pour in a small amount of soy sauce, cover, and heat until the loach stops moving. Add green onions and gobou (=burdock root) , then mix in beaten eggs. It's also delicious with udon noodle. While there are various ways to prepare loach, such as "kabayaki (=grilling)," "maruni (=simmering loach)," tempura, among others, "Dojō-jiru" is the most straightforward way to enjoy it.
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 Utsunomiya City, there are communities working to revive local festivals and preserve the cultural heritage by reinstating traditions such as serving "Dojō-jiru" for lunch, reminiscent of the past.

RECIPE

Ingredients (4 servings)

Loach (slightly smaller ones) 300g
Gobou(=Burdock root) 1／2
Onion (medium-sized) 1
Sake 100cc
Soy sauce A little
Egg 1
Water 4 cups

How to cook

1. Drain the water from the loach (if purchased, they can be used as is, but if caught, place them in a container with water, let them expel mud thoroughly before use). Place the drained loach in a pot, add enough sake to cover, then pour in a small amount of soy sauce. Cover the pot, heat it, and continue until the loach stops moving.
2. Add water and put in finely chopped onions and shaved gobou (=burdock root) . When it comes to a boil, add beaten eggs.

provider : "Furusato no Washoku: Traditional Japanese Cuisine of Utsunomiya" (Yuji Kashiwamura/Hisae Handa)

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

Dojō-jiru ｜ Our Regional Cuisines

Tochigi Prefecture

Dojō-jiru

Main lore areas

Main ingredients used

History/origin/related events

Opportunities and times of eating habits

How to eat

Efforts for Preservation and Succession

RECIPE

Ingredients (4 servings)

How to cook