Wappa-meshi (Rice Steamed in a Bentwood Container)
Wappa-meshi (Rice steamed in a bentwood container)
Wappa-meshi is a local dish made by packing dashi-cooked rice into a round 'wappa' container of bent cedar or cypress wood, topping it with ingredients such as seafood or mountain vegetables, and steaming it in a wooden steamer. In Fukushima Prefecture, Aizuwakamatsu City is widely known as its birthplace, while in Iwaki City, on the Pacific coast, a version of Wappa-meshi generously topped with fresh local seafood known as Joban-mono is served to tourists and loved as a local dish for enjoying the bounty of the sea. The wooden container absorbs excess steam, keeping the rice fluffy rather than sticky, and combined with its colorful appearance, it is popular both as a meal for special occasions and as a souvenir. Even within the same name 'Wappa-meshi,' the mountain vegetables and mushrooms that take center stage in Aizu and the sea urchin, surf clams, and local fish that take center stage in Iwaki show a different character in each region — a depth that is part of the richness of Fukushima's Wappa-meshi culture.
Origin
Wappa-meshi is said to have originated around 1970 (Showa 45), when the founding owner of the kappo restaurant Takino in Aizuwakamatsu was inspired by the bentwood container 'magewappa' handed down in the village of Hinoemata. It was first created as a dish featuring the mountain bounty of Aizu, but it later spread throughout the prefecture, and various versions of Wappa-meshi making use of each region's local specialties came to be made.
History
After its creation in Aizu, it was adopted by restaurants and inns throughout Fukushima Prefecture as a dish that expressed local character. In Iwaki City, on the Pacific coast, where fresh local fish and shellfish landed at ports such as Onahama are abundant, a style emerged that generously topped the traditionally mountain-vegetable-centered Wappa-meshi with seafood, and it came to be served to tourists as an Iwaki-original Wappa-meshi.
Features
The 'wappa' container, made by bending thin boards of cedar or cypress, gives off a woody fragrance and absorbs steam's moisture in just the right amount, so the rice does not become sticky and keeps a fluffy texture even after cooling. Wappa-meshi from the Iwaki area is generously topped with seafood known as Joban-mono, such as sea urchin, surf clams, shrimp, and seasonal local fish, and is characterized by its vibrant colors and the fragrance of the sea one can enjoy.
Main Ingredients
Food Culture
It is often served to entertain special guests or as a set meal for tourists, and by packing the season's bounty into a wooden container, it is loved as a dish that lets diners enjoy the region's four seasons and local bounty all at once.
How It Differs from Home Cooking
When made at home, people tend to use an ordinary rice cooker or steamer and keep the toppings simple, whereas specialty restaurants pack dashi-cooked rice into each individual wappa container and steam it carefully in a wooden steamer, resulting in a very different finish in fragrance and texture.
Famous Shops
元祖 輪箱飯 会津料理 割烹 田季野
福島県会津若松市栄町5-31
A long-established restaurant regarded as the birthplace of Wappa-meshi. It offers a wide variety, including salmon Wappa-meshi for 2,200 yen and crab Wappa-meshi for 2,860 yen.
View details →會津郷土料理といわき鮮魚 鶴我 ハワイアンズ店
福島県いわき市常磐藤原町蕨平50 南1号館3階
A restaurant offering a menu that combines Aizu local cuisine with fresh seafood from Iwaki.
View details →FAQ
Q. Where in Fukushima Prefecture did Wappa-meshi originate?
A. The most widely known theory is that it was created around 1970 by Takino in Aizuwakamatsu. Niigata Prefecture also has its own origin theory, and in the Iwaki area it is loved as a distinct style made with local seafood.