Image: Wikimedia Commons
Asuka Nabe is a hot pot dish from Asuka Village in Nara Prefecture, in which chicken and vegetables such as napa cabbage and shungiku (garland chrysanthemum) are simmered in a chicken-bone broth enriched with milk. According to tradition, during the Asuka period an envoy from Tang China introduced dairy products to Japan and presented them to Emperor Kotoku, who was delighted, marking the beginning of milk drinking in Japan. One account holds that monks of the time simmered the meat of chickens they kept in milk and ate it, said to be one origin of Asuka Nabe. Because milk was costly, another account holds that goat's milk was used instead, and several versions of the story survive. The dish is known for its mellow flavor, seasoned with white miso and soy sauce, and it took on its present form as a specialty of Asuka in the early Showa era. Today it is a signature hot pot of Asuka Village, served mainly in winter at local restaurants.
Origin
During the Asuka period, envoys who came from Tang China are said to have introduced dairy products to Japan, and when these were presented to Emperor Kotoku he was reportedly delighted, marking the beginning of milk drinking in Japan. One tradition holds that monks of the time simmered the meat of chickens they kept in the precious milk (or, by another account, goat's milk) available then, and this is said to be one origin of Asuka Nabe, though these are traditions with several versions.
History
After dairy cattle came to be raised at the imperial court, dishes using milk are said to have gradually spread among ordinary people as well. The present form of the milk-based chicken hot pot was established as a local specialty of Asuka in the early Showa era, and it has since been passed down for more than 1,300 years as a hot pot with a long history, enjoyed at restaurants and in homes throughout Asuka Village.
Features
The dish's defining feature is its mellow soup, made by combining chicken-bone broth with milk and seasoning it with white miso and usukuchi (light-colored) soy sauce. Alongside chicken, ingredients centered on Yamato vegetables, napa cabbage, shungiku (garland chrysanthemum), carrot, white leek, shiitake mushrooms, burdock root, and glass noodles, are simmered in the pot. It is said to be easy to eat even for those who are not fond of milk, and in recent years an arranged version called 'Yamato Nabe,' made with soy milk, has also appeared.
Main Ingredients
Food Culture
Hot pot dishes that use milk are rare even within Japan, making this a local specialty unique to Asuka Village, tied to the historical background of dairy culture's introduction during the Asuka period; it is also enjoyed as a winter tourist dish. It continues to be passed down locally, including through its inclusion in school lunches.
Famous Shops
農村レストラン 夢市茶屋
奈良県高市郡明日香村大字島庄
A farm-style restaurant near Ishibutai Kofun (burial mound). Serves a winter-only (December to February) 'Asuka Nabe Gozen' set meal for around 1,400 yen.