Ibaraki Prefecture has long been a place of agriculture, taking advantage of its year-round warm climate and abundant water quality. The local dish "Gomoku Inarizushi," made with a variety of locally sourced ingredients, is famous.

Of particular note is the unusual "Kasama inari sushi" that is popular in Kasama, home to Kasama Inari Shrine, one of the three major Inari shrines in Japan.

Let's explore the characteristics and history of Kasama inari sushi.

Characteristics of Kasama Inarizushi

Kasama inari sushi is a very unique local B-class gourmet food. It is made by wrapping various ingredients such as soba noodles, walnuts, maitake mushrooms and rape blossoms dressed in mustard, and sukiyaki in deep-fried tofu. Kasama inari sushi, which has a gorgeous appearance, is bite-sized and easy to eat, making it a great snack to eat while walking around.

Ibaraki Prefecture is also the birthplace of "Hitachi Aki Soba," which is highly regarded by soba artisans nationwide, and so "Soba Inari" is popular. "Kurumi Inari," which is associated with history, is also popular.

Soba inari

The originator of "Kasama Inari Sushi" using soba is said to be Sobadokoro Tsutaya, which was founded 8 years ago (1875). Since 1960, they have been making "Soba Inari" where soba is wrapped in deep-fried tofu instead of vinegared rice. They make "Hitachi Aki Soba", which is characterized by its sweetness and aroma, and stuff it into the deep-fried tofu.

When you try it, the soba noodles have a light texture that falls apart easily, and you can eat as many as you like. The slightly strong flavor of the deep-fried tofu goes well with the aroma of the soba noodles. Soba inari can be found outside of Kasama City, but it is said that Sobadokoro Tsutaya was the first to sell it nationwide.

Soba inari was invented by the third-generation owner around 1960. At the time, it was common for people to take inari sushi to cherry blossom viewing parties, but the owner thought, "It wouldn't be interesting if a soba restaurant brought regular inari sushi," so he started putting seasoned soba noodles instead of vinegared rice.

The soba inari that he brought with him became so delicious that he started serving it at his restaurant. Nowadays, he says, many people come from other prefectures just to try it.

Walnut inari

After being featured on television and other media, Kasama inari sushi became so famous that "soba inari" became synonymous with it. However, "walnut inari" is just as popular as "soba inari."

The first restaurant to serve Kasama inari sushi with walnuts was the takeout specialty store "Kurumi Inari Sushi Futatsuki." Kasama Inari Shrine is also known as "Kurumishita Inari" because it was enshrined in a walnut forest. So, "Kurumi Inari" was invented to make Kasama inari sushi with ingredients suitable for Kasama.

The rich, sweet fried tofu and vinegared rice are accented by the texture and aroma of the walnuts. "Kurumi Inari Sushi Futatsuki" is a restaurant that once won a gold medal at a walnut cooking contest held in Tokyo.

The history of Kasama inari sushi

Monzen-dori Street has been the center of tourism in Kasama, attracting over 3 million people a year, but most tourists would head home immediately after visiting Kasama Inari Shrine without walking much into town.So in 2005, Kasama City decided to "revitalize the town with inari sushi, a long-standing local favorite."The city established a promotion council.

There were no rules on the shape or flavor of the inari sushi, and restaurants were invited to participate in any way they wanted. Because there were no rules, restaurants that made unique Kasama inari sushi gathered together. Some restaurants changed the ingredients depending on the season.

The promotion committee has changed to the "Kasama Inarizushi Inakichi Association" and is promoting the appeal of Kasama inarizushi through various events such as Kasama inarizushi classes, the Kasama Hatsugo Inarizushi Festival, and inarizushi contests. In 2012, we also exhibited at the "Local Gourmet Festival! B-1 Grand Prix in Kitakyushu."

The 17th of every month is Inari Sushi Day, and "Kasama Inari Sushi Inakichi Association member stores" offer various discounts and other services. This is your chance to eat Kasama Inari Sushi at a bargain price.

Tourist information and access for Kasama City, Ibaraki Prefecture

When you visit Ibaraki, why not enjoy sightseeing in Kasama City, where you can eat Kasama inari sushi? This time, we will introduce three popular sightseeing spots in Kasama City.

Kasama Inari Shrine

Kasama Inari Shrine, one of the three major Inari shrines in Japan, has long been worshipped as the god of bountiful harvests and prosperous business. A sub-shrine within the shrine grounds also enshrines the gods of matchmaking and prosperity of descendants, making it a power spot where you can expect to receive many blessings. At the Kasama Chrysanthemum Festival, held from mid-October to late November, various religious ceremonies are held, including yabusame and bugaku.

Kasama Inari Shrine Gate

About a one-minute walk from Kasama Inari Shrine is a street called "Monzen-dori" where there are many shops. You can enjoy eating your way around the area, as there are shops selling not only Kasama inari sushi, but also walnut buns, yubeshi, roasted chestnuts, and more. We also recommend relaxing in a cute cafe and carefully choosing souvenirs. Take a stroll and you might find something nice.

Kasama Azalea Park

Kasama Tsutsuji Park is located about a 20-minute walk from Kasama Inari Shrine. Kasama Tsutsuji Park offers a panoramic view of the city, and the Kasama Tsutsuji Festival is held from mid-April to early May, when various types of azaleas are in full bloom. There is a hiking trail that takes about an hour to reach the summit of Tsutsuji Mountain. You can enjoy the azaleas along the way, but the 360-degree panoramic view from the observation deck on the grassy square at the top of the mountain is spectacular. There are also paved walkways, so wheelchair users can enjoy the trail.

Kasama City, where you can enjoy both gourmet food and sightseeing, is located almost in the center of Ibaraki Prefecture. It is easily accessible with the JR Joban Line and JR Mito Line railways, as well as the Joban Expressway and the Kita-Kanto Expressway. It is within 100 km of the Tokyo metropolitan area. If you drive from Tokyo, you will arrive in about 2 hours. Please find the best way to get there.

Location of Kasama City, Ibaraki Prefecture

summary

Kasama inari sushi, where you can eat unique inari sushi, is loved by many people. Of course, there is also the simple Kasama inari sushi with only white sesame seeds. The best way to enjoy Kasama inari sushi is to eat it while walking around.

If you visit Ibaraki, be sure to try Kasama inari sushi.

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