Ishikari region

Salmon, cabbage, radish, miso

“Ishikari Nabe” (Ishikari hot pot) is a typical local cuisine of Hokkaido. As the name suggests, it is a fisherman's dish from Ishikari Town, located at the mouth of the Ishikari River, famous for salmon. Salmon fishing has been popular in the Ishikari region since the Edo period (1603 - 1868). When celebrating a big catch, fishermen are said to have been rewarded with chunks and bony parts of freshly caught salmon, which they would put directly into a pot of miso soup. Around 1950, when Ishikari City's salmon haul seine fishing drew attention as a symbol of Hokkaido's fishing industry, many tourists flocked to the city to see it. When “Ishikari Nabe” was served to tourists who were waiting for the time to pull the seine out of the water, the dish was so delicious that it became well known throughout the country.

A classic winter nabe dish that warms the body during the cold winter months. Miso (soybean paste) is used to warm the body, and it is boiled in a large pot and eaten hot. Originally a fisherman's dish, it is now a standard home-style dish. It is also popular among tourists, and there are several restaurants in the Ishikari region that are famous for Ishikari nabe.

Ishikari nabe" is a delicious nabe dish of chopped salmon meat and fish roe in a kelp broth with vegetables, seasoned with miso, and sprinkled with sansho (Japanese pepper) as an accent at the end.
Vegetables often include onions, cabbage, leeks, radish, shiitake mushrooms, tofu, and other ingredients, but it varies from household to household. Some families add salmon roe on top for a luxurious taste, while others use butter to add flavor. Ishikari nabe is also rich in collagen, which is lost when salmon skin is grilled, and is known to be good for beauty.

In 2007, Ishikari City launched the "Ishikari Nabe Revival Project" to increase the number of restaurants serving Ishikari Nabe. In the same year, the "Aki-Ajinokai" was established to promote Ishikari Nabe, and September 15 was designated as Ishikari Nabe Day (registered with the Japan Anniversary Association) to promote the dish. The date is also a play on the Japanese word "kuikoro," which means "to eat.