🍱 Inari-zushi

This dish was called "Inari-zushi" because fried thin tofu is said to be the favorite food of the fox, which is believed to be the messenger of the god Inari, and because sushi made with fried thin tofu is an essential part of the offerings made at Inari shrines. In Tochigi Prefecture, fried thin tofu stuffed with "sushi rice(=vinegared rice)" is wrapped with seasoned "kanpyo (=dried gourd)" in the center to make it look like a bale. "kanpyo (=dried gourd)", a specialty of Tochigi Prefecture, which accounts for more than 99% of the nation's production, is made by peeling the pulp of yugao into a string-like shape and drying it. It blends well with any seasoning and is used in many menus as a supplementary ingredient.