Kanto Japanese Cuisine

Kanto cuisine is the traditional cuisine of the Japanese people mainly in the Kanto(関東) Region of eastern Japan. Tokyo(東京) is the main city in the region.

Life in Kanto, especially Tokyo, is fast-paced. Tokyo was previously called Edo(江戸)and used to be a much smaller town with a strong fishing industry in what is now Tokyo Bay. Edo was an important location for the development of sushi as it is today. Edomae sushi(江戸前寿司), sushi made with ingredients from Tokyo Bay, has become a standard of high-quality sushi.

A personal-sized kettle or cauldron(釜 kama) is sometimes used for cooking and serving rice dishes.

Sumo is a traditional sport of the Kanto region and throughout Japan.

Ingredients

Rice is a main staple in Kanto cuisine, typically steamed. Short- to medium-grain japonica rice is the traditional type used. For sushi, a sweetened vinegar is added to make vinegar rice(酢飯 sumeshi).

Rice is used to produce rice wines called sake(酒) and mirin(みりん) as well as rice vinegar(米酢 komezu). Red rice vinegar(赤酢 akazu) is sometimes used for seasoning Edomae sushi.

Buckwheat is used to make soba(そば), or buckwheat noodles.

Soybeans are fermented to produce natto(納豆). Natto was popular in Kanto before it spread across Japan. Miso is also an important ingredient in Kanto, especially red miso(赤味噌 akamiso), which is made from soy and wheat or another grain.

Kanto is the where Japan’s most popular kind of soy sauce originated: dark soy sauce. Dark soy sauce is made from equal parts soybean and wheat, which are mixed with salt and fermented for months. For dipping sushi, a type of diluted soy sauce called nikiri shoyu(煮切り醤油) is often used.

burdock(ごぼう gobou)

wasabi(わさび)

ginger, pickled to make gari(ガリ)

nori(海苔 or のり)

Agar is made from types of red algae.

red surf clam(赤貝 akagai), giant clam or mirugai(ミル貝)

shrimp(エビ ebi)

squid(イカ ika), octopus(たこ tako)

Popular fish in the region includes sea bream(鯛 tai), flounder(ヒラメ hirame), skipjack tuna(カツオ katsuo), tuna(マグロ maguro), yellowtail(ハマチ hamachi and ブリ buri), swordfish(メカジキ mekajiki), spotted shad(コハダ kohada), mackerel(サバ saba), and horse mackerel(あじ aji).

Freshwater eel(うなぎ unagi) is generally cut down the back, unlike its preparation in the Kansai region. It is usually steamed and grilled for tender texture.

Eggs(卵 tamago) are commonly used.

Dishes

• steamed rice(ご飯 gohan)
• kettle rice(釜飯 kamameshi): rice with toppings served in a kettle
• unagi don(鰻丼 unadon): grilled and glazed freshwater eel served on rice
• fukagawa meshi(深川めし): rice with boiled clams
• chirashi-zushi(ちらし寿司 chirashizushi): sushi rice bowl topped with raw fish and other toppings
• inarizushi(稲荷寿司): fried tofu skin filled with sushi rice
• nigiri sushi(握り寿司 nigirizushi): raw fish slices or seafood on sushi rice
• kanpyo maki(干瓢巻き): kanpyo rolled with sushi rice in a sheet of nori
• kinpira gobo(きんぴらごぼう): seasoned and cooked burdock root, often with carrot
• udon(うどん): wheat noodles; in eastern Japan usually with dark broth
• kake soba(掛け蕎麦): buckwheat noodles in broth
• natto(納豆): fermented soybeans, a popular breakfast food
• namerou(なめろう)
• sukiyaki(すき焼き)
• aji no hiraki(鯵の開き): grilled dried horse mackerel
• teriyaki(照り焼き): fish or meat grilled and glazed with sweet sauce
• inro-zume(印籠詰め): squid stuffed with sushi rice mixture
• ozoni(お雑煮): mochi soup, eaten on special occasions; kanto style has clear broth
• monjayaki(もんじゃ焼き)
• oden(おでん)
• yokan(羊羹)

Relevant Links

• Just One Cookbook