Hokkaido Prefecture
Bibai no torimeshi
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- Main lore areas
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Bibai City
- Main ingredients used
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Chicken, rice, onions
- History/origin/related events
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Bibai torimeshi" is a local dish of Bibai City that is still enjoyed at home. It is said to have originated in the Meiji period (1868-1912), when the development of Hokkaido was promoted in earnest. Toyojiro Nakamura, a farmer who settled in the Nakamura area of present-day Bibai, encouraged chicken farming by giving his tenant farmers a pair of chickens to raise until rice cultivation got underway, out of concern for the health and livelihood of the farmers. Later, when rice production began to increase, the farmers would serve "torimeshi" (rice with chicken meat) to their guests, which was made by mashing the chickens and cooking them with rice. Even today, local women in the Nakamura area continue the tradition of making "torimeshi," also known as "Nakamura no torimeshi.
- Opportunities and times of eating habits
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In the old days, both chicken and rice were precious foodstuffs, so they were served as hospitality food to guests visiting from far away. It was also served on festivals, New Year's Day, and other special occasions. Today, it is eaten throughout the year.
- How to eat
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The main ingredients used are only rice and stir-fried chicken and motsu. It is a simple dish seasoned with only soy sauce, sugar, and sake, and cooked to perfection. Because it is a simple dish, the flavor of the chicken broth spreads and the aroma and flavor are strong.
Every family uses almost the same ingredients, but each family has its own recipe for seasoning. In some regions, it is customary to eat it with ramen noodles.
- Efforts for Preservation and Succession
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(Overview of the people who have passed down the tradition, preservation groups, use of SNS, modern efforts such as commercialization, etc.)
In Bibai City, "Bibai torimeshi" is served at restaurants, drive-ins, and supermarkets. Some supermarkets in Hokkaido sell finely chopped chicken thighs that can be used for torimeshi. The dish is also eaten at home with different seasonings, and is widely enjoyed as part of school lunch menus.
In the Nakamura area, local women are making "torimeshi" lunchboxes and selling them at local stores in an effort to spread the traditional taste.