Ikameshi facts for kids
Preserved Hokkaido ikameshi served in London.
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| Alternative names | squid rice |
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| Place of origin | Japan |
| Region or state | Oshima area of Hokkaidō |
| Main ingredients | squid, dashi, rice |
Ikameshi (烏賊飯, literally squid rice) is a special Japanese dish. It means "squid rice" and is made by stuffing a whole squid with rice. This tasty meal comes from the Oshima Peninsula area in Hokkaidō, Japan.
How Ikameshi is Made
Making Ikameshi involves a few steps. First, the squid's tentacles are removed, and its insides are cleaned out. Then, the empty squid is filled with washed rice.
The stuffed squid is then cooked in a flavorful broth called dashi. Sometimes, toothpicks are used to keep the rice safely inside the squid while it cooks. The rice used is often a mix of sticky (glutinous) and regular (non-glutinous) rice. Other ingredients like chopped squid tentacles, bamboo shoots, carrots, or fried tofu might also be added to the stuffing.
The History of Ikameshi
Ikameshi became popular during a difficult time. In 1941, during World War II, there wasn't much rice available. However, there were plenty of Japanese flying squid being caught.
A shop called Abeshoten, located at Mori Station (Hokkaidō), came up with a clever idea. They were a vendor of ekiben, which are special lunch boxes sold at train stations. To help with the rice shortage, they decided to stuff squid with the available rice. This way, they could make the rice last longer and create a new, filling meal.
After the war, in 1966, a big event helped Ikameshi become famous. The Keio Department Store started an annual competition called the "Famous Novel Ekiben and National Delicacies Competition." Abeshoten entered their Ikameshi dish. By the second year of the competition, Ikameshi was the best-selling item! It became a regular entry and soon, people all over Japan knew Ikameshi as a special food from Mori, Hokkaidō and the wider Hokkaidō region.
Today, you can find Ikameshi easily. Many companies now make and sell it, often packaged and preserved. You can buy it at special events, through mail-order, and even at train stations in other parts of Honshū where squid are caught.
