Shakushina-zuke is a preserved dish representing winter in the Chichibu region, made by pickling 'shakushina' (a leafy Brassica vegetable also known as yukishiro taina) long cultivated there. Its name is said to come from the resemblance of its leaf shape to a rice-serving ladle ('shakushi'), and because Chichibu, surrounded by mountains with little flat farmland, could not rely on rice farming, a pickling culture using field-grown vegetables developed there instead. It is pickled not only with salt but also through lactic acid fermentation, giving it a crisp texture and a pleasant sourness without the heaviness sometimes found in napa cabbage. Households once had their own distinct methods and flavors, and the sight of entire families pickling shakushina together before the onset of winter was once a familiar seasonal scene in Chichibu. Today it can be bought year-round at farm-product direct-sales shops and specialty pickle stores, and is enjoyed not only on its own but also stir-fried in oil or used as a filling for steamed buns.
Origin
Shakushina is said to be named for its leaves' resemblance to a rice-serving ladle ('shakushi'), and it is also known by other names such as 'herana' and 'otamana.' The vegetable, a type of taina cultivated in central China's Yangtze River region, was introduced in the early Meiji era and took root in the Chichibu region, where harsh winter cold and clay-heavy soil make it difficult to grow long daikon radish. In this mountainous area unsuited to rice farming, a food culture of pickling vegetables as winter preserves developed, and shakushina-zuke became established as part of it.
History
Before head-forming napa cabbage became widespread, shakushina was once grown across many regions and even led Japan in pickled-leaf-vegetable production, but in Chichibu each household pickled its own shakushina before winter, and each family's flavor was passed down through generations. Commercial production began in 1963 when Ishikawa Tsukemono first took it up, and the opening of the Seibu Chichibu railway line in 1969 helped it become widely known as a Chichibu souvenir. In recent years, advances in reduced-salt processing and refrigerated storage have made year-round shipping possible, and it is now sold at roadside stations and direct-sales shops throughout the year.
Features
Its distinguishing features are that it is pickled using lactic acid fermentation in addition to salt, and that it has a reduced-salt, tangy flavor. This method is related to 'sunki-zuke' from the Kiso region of Nagano Prefecture, and like nozawana-zuke, it relies on the power of fermentation rather than salt alone to preserve the vegetable. It has a crisp texture not found in napa cabbage, and as pickling progresses into a well-aged form, it takes on an amber color and an even deeper flavor.
Main Ingredients
Food Culture
In the mountainous Chichibu region, where rice farming was not well suited to the land, a culture of pickling home-grown vegetables to preserve them took root, and shakushina-zuke has supported the winter table there as its representative dish. Uses beyond pickles, such as in stir-fries and as a filling for steamed buns, have also been passed down.
Famous Shops
A long-established shop that upholds traditional methods. Sold at Jibasan Shoten, Michi-no-Eki Chichibu, and other locations.
Handles shakushina-zuke through direct-sales shops and home delivery across the Chichibu region.