Yokanzuke is a pickle of shirouri (Oriental pickling melon) handed down in the Iga region of Mie Prefecture. Shirouri is a type of melon and a summer specialty of the Iga Basin. The core of the shirouri is hollowed out and stuffed with finely chopped shiso, ginger, daikon radish, and other ingredients, and the melon is then pickled and matured in tamari soy sauce. Tamari soy sauce is a dark, thick soy sauce made mainly from soybeans. The name means 'to nourish the kimo' (the liver; figuratively, courage). According to tradition, it comes from the story that Todo Takatora, who governed Iga Ueno Castle, kept these pickles on hand as field rations for soldiers to nourish the warriors' morale (kimottama, or 'guts'). There is also a legend that Iga ninja carried them as portable food. In the Iga region, shirouri harvested in summer were originally preserved in homemade miso and were also served to entertain guests. Today, a long-established pickle shop in Ueno, Iga City, carries on the traditional method.
Origin
In the Iga region, shirouri harvested in summer have long been pickled in homemade tamamiso and eaten as preserved food. Tamamiso is miso made by boiling and mashing soybeans, shaping them into balls, and fermenting them. According to tradition, around the 17th century Todo Takatora, lord of the Ise-Tsu Domain, kept these pickles stocked at Iga Ueno Castle as field rations for soldiers to nourish the warriors' morale, and this is said to be the origin of the name 'Yokanzuke.'
History
Iga's shirouri pickles were both a household preserved food and a dish for entertaining guests. 養肝漬 宮崎屋 in 上野中町, Iga City, is a long-established pickle shop said to have been founded in 1865 (Keio 1). The method has been handed down through six generations, and the shop is said to prepare its yokanzuke in wooden barrels that have been in use for more than 100 years. In recent years, new products such as ice cream made with tamari soy sauce have also been created.
Features
The top of the shirouri is cut off, the core is removed, and the melon is salted and dried in the sun. The hollow is stuffed with salt-rubbed, finely chopped shiso leaves and seeds, ginger, daikon radish, and other ingredients. At 宮崎屋, the shirouri and the filling are each pickled and matured in tamari soy sauce before being combined, and the whole process takes about two years. When the melon is sliced into rounds, the cross-section shows the chopped vegetables packed inside.
Main Ingredients
Food Culture
It is sliced into rounds and eaten as an accompaniment to rice or as a snack with drinks. It is characterized by the deep aroma of tamari soy sauce and the flavor of shiso. One suggested way to enjoy it is to nibble on the shirouri part while drinking, then finish by placing the chopped vegetable filling on rice.
How It Differs from Home Cooking
Households in the Iga region have long preserved summer shirouri by pickling them in homemade miso. The yokanzuke sold by pickle shops is made with a labor-intensive method in which the shirouri and the filling are pickled separately in tamari soy sauce and matured for a long time in wooden barrels.
Famous Shops
養肝漬 宮崎屋
三重県伊賀市上野中町3017
A long-established pickle shop said to have been founded in 1865 (Keio 1), located in the castle town of Iga Ueno. It continues to make yokanzuke by stuffing shirouri with chopped vegetables and maturing it in tamari soy sauce. There are one-year-matured and two-year-matured versions, sold by weight at around 200-something yen per 100 g.
View details →FAQ
Q. Is 'yokanzuke' related to yokan, the sweet bean jelly?
A. No, it is not. The 'yokan' in yokanzuke means 'to nourish the kimo (liver).' The name is said to come from the tradition that Todo Takatora kept these pickles on hand as field rations for soldiers to nourish the warriors' morale, in other words their 'kimottama' (guts). It is a salty pickle made with tamari soy sauce.