Kaku Sushi ｜ Our Regional Cuisines

Hiroshima Prefecture

Kaku Sushi

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Kita Hiroshima Town Board of Education

Main lore areas

Hiroshima City, Kita Hiroshima-cho, Akitakata City, Geihoku
Main ingredients used

Rice, Shime saba (vinegared mackerel), Eggs, Kamaboko(fish cake), Shiitake mushrooms, Chestnuts, Sansho leaves, Carrot leaves, Dried shrimps, Denbu (A food made by breaking up fish meat (e.g. Red Snapper fish) into small pieces, seasoning with sugar, soy sauce, mirin (=sweet rice wine) and roasting.

History/origin/related events

It is a type of oshizushi made by filling a square wooden mold with sushi rice and other ingredients, and is eaten in the Asakita-ku area of Hiroshima City and the Geihoku region of Hiroshima Prefecture. When pressed out of the wooden frame, six to eight pieces of the same size are formed at the same time, and the finished product is square, hence the name "kaku-zushi" (square sushi). It is sometimes called "oshizushi" or "Inaka sushi" (country sushi). The ingredients are sometimes changed according to the season or region, and are characterized by a decorative ingredient on top called "Kami-oki" and an ingredient in the sushi rice called "Nakagu". The "Kami-oki" is made up of brightly colored red, green, and yellow ingredients such as shime saba (mackerel), thinly fried egg, kamaboko (fish cake), shiitake mushrooms, aromatic mushrooms, matsutake mushrooms, chestnuts, sansho leaves, carrot leaves, dried shrimp, and denbu, while the "Nakagu" is made up of slightly salty carrot, shiitake mushroom, gobo, beans, etc., all of which are not visible from the outside. As you eat your way through the sushi rice, the rich flavor of the simmered ingredients suddenly spreads out. In addition, because the vegetables are seasoned and the seafood is heated, it tastes good even after a long time has passed. In the 1950s, it was common for each household to have a wooden form of kaku-zushi, and since kaku-zushi was traditionally served to guests on celebratory occasions and other special occasions, it was customary to make a larger quantity and distribute it in wooden boxes to neighbors and neighbors.
Opportunities and times of eating habits

It is served at festivals and as a hospitality dish for guests. In addition to New Year's, cherry blossom viewing, Obon Festival, and autumn festivals, it was also served at weddings and funerals during the period when weddings and funerals were held at home. Even today, it is sometimes made at home, but the number of occasions is decreasing.
How to eat

Fill a square wooden mold with sushi rice and ingredients. On the inside carrots, shiitake mushrooms, burdocks, beans, etc. cooked in a thick seasoning are placed. On top, colorful ingredients such as shime saba (mackerel), thinly fried egg, fish cake, shiitake mushrooms, matsutake mushrooms, aromatic mushrooms, chestnuts, sansho leaves, carrot leaves, dried shrimps, and denbu are arranged. When pushed out of the wooden crate, six to eight square pieces of the same shape of sushi are formed.
Efforts for Preservation and Succession

(Outline of traditions, preservation societies, social media use, modern approaches for commercialization etc.)
It can be eaten at restaurants that serve local cuisine, or sold at local produce markets. In Kita Hiroshima Town, it is also taught in local cooking classes.

RECIPE

Ingredients (4 servings)

Rice 3 cups
[Sushi vinegar] Vinegar 4 tbsp
[Sushi vinegar] Sugar 2 tbsp
[Sushi vinegar] Salt 1 tsp
Shime saba (Vinegret mackerel) as needed
Thinly sliced egg as needed
Kamaboko (=fish paste) as needed
Shiitake mushrooms as needed
Cooked chestnuts as needed
Matsutake mushroom as needed
Simmered soybeans as needed
Denbu as needed
Carrot leaves as needed

How to cook

1. Put the cooked rice into a sushi bowl and mix all of the [sushi vinegar].
2. Place (one) item to be placed on top of the sushi rice, and top with the denbu and carrot leaves to make pressed sushi. You may add boiled vegetables or cooked beans to be mixed into the “moguri” (Hiroshima dialect to place lace into the inside) in the sushi rice.

provider : "Hiroshima Prefecture's Taste Dishes to Pass Down and Preserve" (Hiroshima Nutrition Education and Health Promotion Executive Committee)

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

Kaku Sushi ｜ Our Regional Cuisines

Hiroshima Prefecture

Kaku Sushi

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