Southern Hokkaido area

Squid, glutinous rice, Uruchi rice

Ikameshi is a famous local dish of the Hakodate and Oshima regions. It is said that ikameshi was originally invented as a boxed lunch at Mori Station on the Hakodate Main Line during World War II, when rice was in short supply due to food control measures. The ingredient used was squid, which was readily available due to its large catch in the southern Hokkaido area at the time, and was used to "save rice, if only a little.
The "ikameshi," squid stuffed with rice and cooked to perfection, was so popular because it was easy to eat, filling, and tasty that even today it is a popular ekiben that many people purchase whenever a train arrives.

Ika-meshi is relatively easy to prepare at home and can be enjoyed throughout the year. It goes well as a side dish, a snack, or a side dish to accompany alcoholic beverages, and is popular among both children and adults of all ages.

Remove the leg part of the squid called geso, take out the entrails, clean and wash the body, stuff the body with glutinous rice or Uruchi rice, fasten with toothpicks, add soy sauce, sugar, salt and sake, and cook slowly in a pot. The rice is then cooked slowly in a pot with soy sauce, sugar, salt, and sake. The rice is soaked in the flavor of the squid and the sweet and spicy sauce. Be careful not to add too much glutinous rice when cooking the rice, or the rice will explode. To prevent the rice from bursting, it is better to pierce a few holes in the body of the squid with a toothpick in advance.
As ingredients to be stuffed inside with rice, finely chopped geso, bamboo shoots, shiitake mushrooms, green peas, etc. can also be added.

(Outline of the people who have passed down the tradition, preservation groups, use of SNS, modern efforts such as commercialization, etc.)
Ikameshi" at Mori Station, which is said to be the origin of ikameshi, is still popular. Recently, retort-packaged ikameshi is sold at supermarkets and mail-order stores, making it readily available.