Pumpkin itoko-ni ｜ Our Regional Cuisines

Ibaraki Prefecture

Pumpkin itoko-ni

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Image provider: Ibaraki Diet Improvement Promoters Council
Image provider: Sales and Distribution Section, Sales Strategy Department, Ibaraki Prefecture

Main lore areas

Entire prefecture
Main ingredients used

Pumpkin, red beans, and soy sauce

History/origin/related events

Ibaraki Prefecture is a production area of high-quality pumpkins such as Edosaki pumpkins, which are highly evaluated in the market, Naka pumpkins, and Miyako pumpkins. Its pumpkin production volume is among the top in Japan as well, and pumpkin dishes were often eaten during the winter solstice. One of the most popular pumpkin dishes was pumpkin stew. Pumpkin itoko-ni, which is boiled with adzuki beans, has become a staple dish for the winter solstice.
Itoko-ni refers to a stew made mainly from vegetables and beans. It is said that this dish originated from boiling and eating the vegetables and beans that were offered at New Year's, Obon, and other celebrations after the event. There are various theories about the origin of the name, one of which is that since each type of vegetable is boiled separately and the Japanese term for this, “meimei,” is also the pronunciation for the word “nieces,” fellow nieces would be cousins, the word for which is “itoko” in Japanese. Also, there is a theory that because the vegetables are cooked “oioi” - that is, one after another - and this is also the pronunciation for “nephews” in Japanese, fellow nephews would be cousins. Another theory is that vegetables and beans come from fields and are like cousins.
Because pumpkins can be stored for a long time, they were a valuable source of nutrition during times when food was scarce. There are various theories as to why we eat pumpkins on the winter solstice, but it is said that the custom of eating highly nutritious pumpkins that have been preserved in hopes that one will be able to healthily survive the cold season when the harvest of vegetables is scarce has been handed down until today. In addition, red beans can be stored for a long time and are highly nutritious, so pumpkin itoko-ni is popular as a local dish to survive the winter without catching a cold. Furthermore, it is thought that people started eating pumpkin itoko-ni made with red beans and pumpkins, to bring in good luck as the red color of red beans is said to ward off evil spirits.
Opportunities and times of eating habits

Pumpkins are harvested in summer, but since they can be stored for a long time, they were stored after harvesting and eaten during the cold winter to compensate for nutritional deficiencies. In particular, the winter solstice, when the hours of daylight are the shortest, is a time when the body weakens, so the custom of eating pumpkin itoko-ni made by simmering pumpkin and red beans with high nutritional value took root.
How to eat

Soak the red beans in water overnight and boil until soft. Also, cut the pumpkin into 5 cm cubes and boil them with seasonings such as soy sauce, sugar, and salt. Add red beans halfway through and let them blend in before serving. As an easy variation, you can shorten the cooking time by using red bean amanatto. In this case, you can skip the sugar.
Efforts for Preservation and Succession

(Outline of the traditions, the preservation society, social media use, modern approaches at commercialization)
Even now, it is made at home in winter. During the winter solstice, there are areas where it is served as part of school lunches.

RECIPE

Ingredients (for 4 people)

pumpkin 600g
red beans 50g
[A] soy sauce 1 tablespoon
[A] salt 1 teaspoon
[A] sugar 2 tablespoons
[A] sake 1／3 cup
[A] water 1 cup

How to cook

1. Soak the red beans in water overnight and boil until soft.
2. Cut the pumpkin into 5 cm cubes, put A in a pot, and simmer over medium heat. Add 1 halfway through.

Recipe Arrangements

If you use amanatto instead of red beans, you can boil it quickly (in this case, refrain from using sugar).

provider : Recipe provided by: “Ibaraki’s Flavors - Local Cuisine Menu Collection: Shoku, Aya, Hyaku, Kei” (Cooperation: Ibaraki Diet Improvement Promoters Council)

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

Pumpkin itoko-ni ｜ Our Regional Cuisines

Ibaraki Prefecture

Pumpkin itoko-ni

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 (for 4 people)

How to cook

Recipe Arrangements