Hiroshima Prefecture
Kaki no dotenabe

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- Main lore areas
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Hiroshima City, Etajima City, Miyajima, Kure, Ondo area, etc.
- Main ingredients used
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Oysters, tofu, red miso, white miso, shiitake mushrooms, enoki mushrooms, carrots, garland chrysanthemums, green onions, thread konnyaku
- History/origin/related events
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There are three origins of the name of "oyster Dote-nabe". The first is that miso is coated on the inside of the pot like a bank. The second is that Chokichi Dote was the inventor of this nabe dish. The third is said to be because oyster boats that transported oysters from Hiroshima to Osaka during the Edo period served the nabe on the river bank. The characteristic feature of this way of eating is that the taste is adjusted by breaking up the miso paste coated on the edge of the nabe. Hiroshima Prefecture ranks first in the nation in oyster production, accounting for more than half of the nation's total production (according to "Fishery and Aquaculture Production Statistics" by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries in 2020). The history of oyster eating in Hiroshima is long, with shells excavated from shell middens indicating that people have been eating wild oysters since the Jomon and Yayoi periods. It is also believed that aquaculture began in the 1500s and 1600s. The bay in this area has all the right conditions for oyster cultivation: calm waves and moderate tidal currents, rivers flowing into the bay creating a layer that dilutes the salt concentration in the seawater during the rainy season and summer, and nutrients flowing into the bay from the Chugoku Mountains. Hiroshima's oysters are characterized by their large size and rich flavor, but they are also popular not only for their delicious taste but also for their safety, as the prefecture has its own food sanitation ordinance.
- Opportunities and times of eating habits
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Oysters, which are in season from January to February, are enjoyed as a local winter dish at restaurants and homes. It is also popular among tourists.
- How to eat
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Spread a mixture of white miso, red miso, sake, mirin, and sugar on the edge of the earthenware pot so that it forms a bank. Place a core of Chinese cabbage on the bottom of the pot to prevent it from burning, then add ingredients such as white onion, Chinese cabbage, shiitake mushroom, enoki mushroom, thread konnyaku, carrot, tofu, etc. Finally, top with oyster. Add broth and heat, then break up the miso paste and adjust to taste as desired. It is a popular way to eat oysters, along with grilled oyster shells and fried oysters.
- Efforts for Preservation and Succession
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Many local restaurants serve it as a winter delicacy, and sometimes a "Let's Eat Hiroshima's Specialty, Oyster Dote-nabe" campaign is launched or tasting events are held. A local manufacturer sells "oyster dote-nabe stock," making it easy to enjoy dote-nabe at home. Dote-nabe is also included in school lunch menus as an opportunity to learn about local cuisine.