🍱 Kenchan

Kunisaki City occupies the eastern part of the Kunisaki Peninsula jutting out into the Seto Inland Sea, facing the Suo Nada and Iyonada Seas. It consists of radiant valleys centered around Mt. Futago and Mt. Monju located in the central part of the Eastern Peninsula, and quiet small rivers that flow through the mountains. At the foot of Mt. Futago, there are temples of the Shinto-Buddhist custom culture of Rokugo Manzan. Agriculture is also practiced, and mandarin oranges, shiitake mushrooms, strawberries, and melons are some of the specialties that grow here. "Kenchan" is a local dish eaten in Kunisaki City. It is a soup made with plenty of root vegetables such as radishes, taro, and carrots, and is called "kenchin soup" in some regions. As for the origin, it is said to be in Kenchoji, a temple of Zen Buddhism in Kamakura City, Kanagawa Prefecture. It is said that the Kazuhisa of Kenchoji Temple ate vegetable scraps and skins as soup to avoid wasting them, and this eventually became known as "Kenchojiru" and came to be called by local names such as "Kenchan" and "Kenchinjiru". In Kunisaki City, there is a recipe for eating udon noodles together with root vegetables. Also, depending on the region, soup stock may be made from grilled eso (fish of the Eso family).