🍱 Izumiya
"Izumiya" is a local dish from the Niihama region in Ehime Prefecture. It is a type of sushi made using seasoned soy pulp (known as okara or u-no-hana) instead of vinegared rice. The origins of this dish trace back to the Edo period in 1691, when the Besshi Copper Mine was established in the region by the Sumitomo family, who played a significant role in the region's development. While the Sumitomo family ate sushi made with rice, rice was not easily accessible to the common people. As an alternative to rice, the common people used soy pulp from soybeans cultivated in the space between the rice paddies, trying to replicate the appearance of the Sumitomo family's sushi. This dish became known as "Izumiya," derived from the Sumitomo family's business name, and is said to have spread to the various hometowns of individuals who had worked for the Sumitomo family across the prefecture. In the southern region of Nanyo, including Uwajima City, it is referred to as "Maru-zushi."