Octopus Sasame, Semi Gyoza, Ageduke: A Look at Beloved Regional Side Dishes

2024-11-28

Local supermarkets across Japan are overflowing with bargain ingredients (from “Nihon Gotochi Okazu Daizen”).

A collection of exciting local delicacies

“A locally-rooted ‘regional supermarket’ is a place filled with the excitement of discovering local dishes and foods, where you can learn about the traditions and food culture of that area. When you don’t know how to eat something, you can ask the staff or the lady with the ingredients in her basket. While tourist spots are of course fun, the most interesting places are the local supermarkets loved by the locals,” explains Yoshimi Sugawara (59), the author of The Complete Guide to Local Side Dishes in Japan (Tatsumi Publishing) and known as a supermarket researcher.

Sugawara has visited over 1,000 supermarkets across the country, tasting more than 40,000 types of local side dishes and bento. In 2019, he established the Japan Local Supermarket Association, aiming to uncover food culture across the nation. His book highlights local side dishes made with regional ingredients and traditional cooking methods that have been eaten for generations.

“Last summer, I was surprised by ‘Tako Sasame’ at the ‘Aizawa Food Department Store’ in Wakkanai, Hokkaido. It looked like the Ohmu from Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, but it was boiled gill of a common octopus, with a mild taste and no strong odor. I ate it with ginger soy sauce and enjoyed both the soft, creamy parts and the firm, crunchy texture.

When I visited in summer, I couldn’t find it in the store, so I asked the president of a fishery company, Yasuhiko Kobayashi of Yamato Kobayashi Shoten. He told me that octopuses caught in Hokkaido are in season in winter, and are larger than those caught in the Kanto region, so Tako Sasame can only be found in supermarkets during winter. There are still new foods to discover, like Tako Sasame, which is why the charm of local supermarkets never fades.”

Sugawara’s fascination with local supermarkets began 34 years ago when his family moved to Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, and he was shocked by the culture he encountered in local stores. Coming from Okachimachi in Tokyo, Sugawara searched for the soy sauce-flavored rice crackers he was used to but found only shrimp crackers. The miso section was all red miso, and the fried food in the deli was topped with a sweet miso sauce, with no sign of any soy-based sauces.

“It was like stepping into a completely different world, something I had never seen in a Tokyo supermarket. But for the locals, it was the norm. That feeling of difference led me to the discovery of regional flavor.

Shrimp crackers are said to have originated about 100 years ago when a large catch of Akasha shrimp from Mikawa Bay, which spoils quickly, was mixed with potato starch and baked into crackers. It tasted so good that it spread throughout the Mikawa Bay area. Today, although the catch of Akasha shrimp has decreased and imported shrimp is now used, there are about 100 manufacturers in the Mikawa Bay area producing shrimp crackers, from luxury gift items to children’s snacks, and they dominate the domestic market. However, it’s said that most of them are consumed in Aichi Prefecture. The discovery of shrimp crackers at local supermarkets led me to learn about their history, and I became captivated by the charm of local foods.”

The Mystery of “Semi Gyoza”

The inspiration for documenting this journey came when Sugawara encountered semi-gyoza (cicada gyoza) in supermarkets across the Kinki region, particularly in Kyoto. In 2010, these gyoza, priced at just 88 yen for a pack of 10, struck him as an incredibly cheap and curious product. What intrigued him further was the packaging, which featured a cicada illustration alongside the name semi gyoza. The mystery only deepened.

“When I asked my friends about it, no one could really explain it, so I decided to call the manufacturer. They gently responded, ‘During summer, cicadas cry ‘min-min’—we’re Minmin Foods,’ and that was the answer! For me, it was an eye-opening revelation. I realized that if I were to suddenly pass away, this fact about the food would never be known, and I felt a strong sense of duty to document local foods.”

In 2012, Sugawara published Japan’s Local Supermarkets: Hidden Treasures (Kodansha), and soon after appeared as an expert on the late-night show Matsuko’s Unknown World (TBS). On the show, he introduced “Agetuke,” a type of tofu skin dish from the local tofu shop Furukawa-ya in Takayama, Gifu Prefecture. When Matsuko Deluxe praised it, sales of Agetuke soared by 300 times, and the local supermarket Family Store Sato’s website crashed due to the influx of visitors.

“Agetuke is a very simple dish made by seasoning fluffy tofu skin with soy sauce-based broth. I didn’t expect it to have such an impact when I introduced it to Matsuko, but when she exclaimed, ‘This is the best fried tofu I’ve ever had. I’ll buy it all from the local supermarket!’ it was a huge surprise. For the people of Takayama, it was something ordinary, but for others from outside the region, it was a hidden gem.”

Sugawara’s life changed dramatically after this. He began writing columns about local supermarkets in newspapers and magazines, and started giving lectures. Amidst raising his children, he continued to travel around the country, visiting and exploring local supermarkets.

Scared of Wild Animals While Visiting Supermarkets

Last year, after his daughter went abroad for study and he was freed from the responsibilities of raising children, Sugawara embarked on a nationwide journey in a camper van to visit local supermarkets. He lived a lifestyle where every meal consisted of food from local supermarket bento and ready-made dishes. During this trip, he encountered tako-sasame (octopus gills), which had been mentioned earlier in the article.

“At first, I thought I’d park the camper van by a lake in Hokkaido and enjoy a relaxed evening, maybe play some music. But then I heard about bears possibly being in the area, and it was so terrifying that I couldn’t sleep. There’s a place where you can park your camper van for a few thousand yen, but even walking 10 meters to the bathroom in the dark was too scary. In Tohoku, they frequently broadcast warnings over the town’s loudspeakers about bears being spotted, so I was always on edge.”

Traveling alone meant he had to focus on driving, leaving him no time to work on writing or taking photos. At night, he was too fearful of wild animals to enjoy a peaceful evening. Despite the challenges, he found great satisfaction in enjoying three meals a day from local supermarkets, indulging in their bento and ready-made dishes.

For readers of this magazine, Sugawara has carefully selected some of his favorite local products, perfect for pairing with alcohol or white rice. Though he continues his daily duties as a househusband, his journey to explore local supermarkets remains ongoing.

“There’s always some food in a supermarket somewhere in Japan that I don’t yet know about, waiting for me. My journey will never end.”

If readers take a look in their own local supermarkets, they might just find a hidden culinary treasure waiting for them.

[Perfect for both alcohol and rice] Special selections for men by supermarket researcher Yoshimi Sugawara

Peanut Miso (Chiba) Fuji Sho Foods

A staple item in the side dish section of grocery stores in Chiba and Ibaraki, areas with many peanut farmers. It was originally served as a side dish at home, and in Chiba, small packets were adopted for school lunches. It is also enjoyed as a snack.

Soboro Natto (Ibaraki) Daruma Foods

A mixture of finely chopped dried daikon and small Mito natto. It is pre-seasoned, so it can be eaten as is. Fathers in Ibaraki enjoy it as a side dish with a drink, while children have it with rice.

Inaka Arare (Mie) Mikuniya

Slightly salted, plain roasted rice crackers. In the Ise region, these crackers are often eaten as ochazuke by pouring tea over them. Those who prefer a softer texture can soak them in tea, while those who like them crunchy eat them immediately after pouring the tea. They can also be eaten as a snack with sugar.

Utsubo Age-ni (Wakayama) Matsuetsu Shoten

The flesh of the notoriously aggressive-looking fish, the moray eel, is fried and then simmered in a sweet and savory sauce similar to tsukudani. This dish has been eaten in the Nanki region for a long time but is not commonly found in other areas. Despite the eel’s appearance, it is rich in iron and calcium and was historically considered a nourishing food for expectant and postpartum mothers.

Shio Buri (Gifu, Nagano) Surugaya Uoichi

In the past, buri caught in Himi, Toyama Prefecture, were gutted, salted, and preserved. This salted buri was carried on people’s backs and delivered to Takayama over three days. By the time it arrived, it had reached the perfect saltiness and became an essential dish for the New Year, known as “year-end fish.” It is still sold in Takayama’s supermarkets from December to the New Year, but if you miss the season, you’ll have to wait until next December.