The adventurous Waraku (和樂) team, unafraid to explore Japan’s remote and unfamiliar regions, presents their personal picks for the ultimate rice companion, served in their own rice bowls. From flavours that evoke memories of their hometowns to discoveries made during fieldwork—enjoy the unique and heartfelt stories from the Waraku staff !
‘Yokanzuke from Miyazaki-ya’
Selected by Fukumochi Nahomi (福持名保美) former deputy editor
Fukumochi, who hails from Mie Prefecture (三重県), shared insights about her hometown, a region surrounded by both mountains and sea. Depending on which area one lives in, the local food culture differs significantly. Her family home is in the ‘mountain side,’ where pickled vegetables were a staple accompaniment to meals. This led her to mention ‘Yokanzuke (養肝漬)’. Intrigued by the origin of the names, which suggests it is a pickle that has something to do with nourishing the liver, we were even more surprised when we saw the the real thing. “See? When I introduce it to people, the name alone catches them off guard. It’s well-known in my hometown, though!”
Let me explain what Yokanzuke is all about. The outer layer consists of hollowed-out ‘shiro-uri (白瓜; white gourd)’, a specialty of Iga (伊賀). Inside, you’ll find finely chopped perilla leaves, perilla seeds, ginger, and daikon radish. Each ingredient is separately marinated in ‘tamari (たまり)’ soy sauce and allowed to mature. Once prepared, the chopped vegetables are stuffed into the shiro-uri, and the entire mixture is left to rest again to meld the flavours. The process takes a total of two years to complete.
The producer, Miyazakiya, has been dedicated to crafting Yokanzuke since the first year of the Keio (慶応) era. They still use their prized wooden barrels, which have been in continuous use for over 100 years. The name Yokanzuke originates from a story passed down through generations: Todo Takatora (藤堂高虎), the feudal lord of the Iga domain, always carried it as a food supply during military campaigns. It was said to ‘nourish the spirit’ and bolster the resolve of his samurai.
“The adults in my family would always finish their meals with rice and pickles, and as a child, I admired that. Back then, I was too focused on just getting through the dishes I didn’t like. But as an adult, when I first tasted Yokanzuke, I truly appreciated its deep, nuanced flavour. Now that I enjoy drinking, my ideal routine is biting into the white gourd while sipping sake, then wrapping things up with the pickled filling and rice.”
◆Miyazakiya (宮崎屋)
Address 3017 Uenonakamachi, Iga City, Mie Prefecture
Official website
This article is translated from https://intojapanwaraku.com/rock/gourmet-rock/2179/
