Kozuyu is a local dish that has been popular in the Aizu region of Fukushima Prefecture for a long time. It is a luxurious soup with a light flavor and plenty of ingredients. It is eaten on special occasions such as New Year's Day and other celebrations.

Let's explore the characteristics and history of Kozuyu.

Characteristics of Kozuyu

Kozuyu is a lightly seasoned dish that uses scallops, taro, carrots, wood ear mushrooms, konnyaku noodles, shiratama-fu, and seasonal green vegetables to bring out the flavor of each ingredient. Seven or nine types of ingredients are used, which are considered lucky odd numbers.

It is said that it is best to use an odd number of dried scallops, the same number as the other ingredients. The dried scallops are soaked in water overnight, and the soaked water is used as the stock, and the scallops are also used as an ingredient.

Kozuyu is not difficult to make. However, it does take time and effort to prepare, as it requires the preparation of various ingredients.

Kozuyu is served in an Aizu lacquer bowl called "Ohira" and on a small vermilion plate called "Tesio-zara." Kozuyu, served generously on a shiny vermilion plate, is a traditional dish suitable for a fancy occasion.

There is a custom of "you can have as many refills as you like," which expresses the hospitality of the Aizu people. Kozuyu is made with healthy ingredients, so you can eat as many bowls as you like. It has a soothing, comforting taste.

By the way, there are local dishes similar to kozuyu called "tsuyuju" and "zakuzaku," but the number and types of ingredients used in both are slightly different. Tsuyuju uses 10 different ingredients, and zakuzaku is made with broth made from dried sardines.

The History of Kozuyu

Kozuyu is said to have its roots in a dish called "ju" that was eaten by Matsudaira Katayoshi, the 8th lord of the Aizu domain, during his alternate attendance trips to Edo.

In the days when distribution networks were not yet developed, it was difficult to obtain fresh seafood in Aizu, a snowy region surrounded by the Ou Mountains, including Mount Bandai, and the Echigo Mountains. The Kitamae-bune, a trading ship that transported foodstuffs, played an important role in Aizu.

Most of the ingredients were dried goods shipped from Hokkaido, including herring fillets, dried cod, and scallops, which are essential ingredients in kozuyu, which were brought to Aizu by Kitamae ships. As a result, kozuyu made with dried goods instead of raw seafood became a treat to be enjoyed on special occasions in Aizu.

Because scallops were a luxury ingredient, it is said that the number of scallops used in kozuyu at that time represented the level of hospitality. Apparently, people would say things like, "That house had a lot of scallops, but this house doesn't have many."

Kozuyu became popular as a samurai dish in the Aizu domain and a delicacy for the common people from the late Edo period to the early Meiji period, and is still served today on special occasions such as New Year's Day and weddings. It used to be served in two bowls, "Ichinono-ju" and "Nichinono-ju" or "Ichinono-tsuyu" and "Nichinono-tsuyu", but from around the 1980s it began to be served in a single bowl as "kozuyu".

There are also several theories about the origin of the name Kozuyu. One theory is that it is a corrupted version of "small bowl (koju) no tsuyu" (soup in a small bowl) because it is served in a small, shallow bowl. Another theory is that it is a gradual change from "kosuimono" (small soup) to "kozuyu."

Fukushima Tourism Information and Access

There are many tourist spots in Fukushima, but we recommend you start by visiting Koriyama City, located in the center of Fukushima. Koriyama City has many tourist spots where you can enjoy beautiful nature. Here are three recommended tourist spots.

Lake Inawashiro

Lake Inawashiro, where you can enjoy camping and marine sports, is the fourth largest lake in Japan. With an area of about 103 square kilometers and a depth of about 93 meters, it spans Aizuwakamatsu City, Koriyama City, and Inawashiro Town. It is also known as "Heavenly Mirror Lake" because of its clear, pure water. Lake Inawashiro is also famous as a place where swans come to visit, making it a popular tourist spot.

Koriyama Nunobiki Wind Plateau

Koriyama Nunobiki Kaze no Kogen, located at an altitude of about 1,000m, is located on the south side of Lake Inawashiro and is in a great location. It is also the largest wind power plant in Japan, and is also called "Wind Plateau" because it is equipped with 33 huge windmills. The seasonal flowers blooming under the giant windmills are soothing. It is a tourist spot where you can enjoy sunflowers in the summer and cosmos in the fall.

Koriyama Culture Park

Culture Park, located on a spacious site, is a complex that includes an amusement park, indoor playground, gymnasium, and more. The amusement park "Dreamland" has attractions such as roller coasters, go-karts, and Ferris wheels. It is also popular with families as it has a grassy area where you can enjoy picnics. In the summer, you can enjoy a swim in the pool with a water slide.

Koriyama City, where you can enjoy both gourmet food and sightseeing, is located in the center of Fukushima Prefecture, making it easy to access other parts of the prefecture. Koriyama City is about two hours by Shinkansen from Tokyo.

We also recommend taking a leisurely drive to Fukushima. Find the best way to get there.

Location of Fukushima Prefecture

summary

Kozuyu, a luxurious dish made from seafood and mountain produce, is still loved by locals today. It is a dish eaten on New Year's Day and other special occasions, and there are many restaurants that serve it.

If you visit Fukushima, be sure to try Kozuyu.

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