Food Scenery of Edo

Nare-zushi," made with salted fish and rice, and "hako-zushi," a wooden frame filled with vinegared rice and topped with ingredients, were already being made, but it was around the first half of the 19th century that nigirizushi, made with fish and shellfish caught in the Edo period and served with vinegared rice, was born. Nigirizushi was two to three times larger than today's nigirizushi.

At first, soba was mainly eaten as "soba-gaki," which was made by adding hot water to buckwheat flour and kneading it into a rice cake shape. The current noodle form, called "soba-kiri" (buckwheat noodles), is said to have been born around the 16th century, and became popular in Edo from the mid-18th century, with more than 3,000 stores and many food stands in the area.

Eel has been eaten in Japan since ancient times and is mentioned in a poem in the Manyoshu (The Anthology of Myriad Leaves). Kabayaki" is said to have appeared in the Muromachi period (1336-1573), and was once served with miso (soybean paste) or salt. The Edo style of kabayaki, in which the fish is steamed with its back open and then grilled with sauce, appeared around the latter half of the 18th century. The spread of dark soy sauce and mirin (sweet sake) is said to have influenced its popularity.

Tempura" originated in Nagasaki, based on the Portuguese Nanban cuisine, and was introduced to Edo (present-day Tokyo) in the 17th century, where "sesame fried" fish and shellfish, deep-fried in sesame oil, became popular among the general public. Like sushi, soba (buckwheat noodles), and eel, most tempura was served at food stalls, and people ate it standing up after frying it.

Hatsugatsuo is a typical early-summer delicacy, as is well-known from the haiku by Yamaguchi Sodo: "Aoba for the eyes, Hottogisu for the hills, and Hatsugatsuo for the trees. Bonito caught in Sagami Bay was brought to Edo by fast horses and boats, and common people competed to buy it. At that time, it was eaten with hot pepper and grated daikon (Japanese radish).

Records of portable food can be found in the "Nihon shoki" (Japanese Bible), and tonjiki, a type of rice ball, appeared in the Heian period (794-1185), but it was not until the Edo period (1603-1868) that the so-called "bento" became popular among the general public. Bento were popular at cherry blossom viewing parties, picnic spots, and theaters. It is said that "makunouchi bento" was born in the late Edo period.

It is said that it was during the Muromachi period (1333-1573) that people began to eat dumplings on skewers, but it was not until the Edo period (1603-1868) that the practice spread to the general public. Dumplings were served at teahouses and food stalls, and became popular as an accompaniment to cherry blossom viewing. It was around this time that the phrase "dumplings are better than flowers" was coined. At that time, most dumplings were simply dipped in soy sauce.

In the mid-18th century, the cooking tea house with tatami rooms and gardens and elaborate cuisine began to appear. They were mainly targeted at worshippers and tourists, and were built near famous places of interest. They were also places for wealthy merchants to socialize. The "Edo Komei Katei zukushi" ( Complete Guide to Restaurants) by Utagawa Hiroshige Ⅰ depicts famous cooking teahouses such as "Yaozen" in Sanya and "Yanagibashi" in Ryogoku.