🍱 Koi-no-Umani

Koi-no-Umani is a local dish made by koi (=Carp) cut into round slices and simmering them in sugar, soy sauce, and sake. koi (=Carp) was once a valuable source of protein in inland rural areas. It is said that the practice began in 1802, when Yozan Uesugi, the ninth lord of the Yonezawa domain, proposed the promotion of koi (=Carp) farming in order to secure nourishing foodstuffs in Yonezawa, an inland area with scarce fishery resources. Yozan had a pond built near the drainage outlet of houses (the pond is called “Sesena”), where he had people raised koi (=Carp) using rice water (water left over from washing rice), leftovers, and silkworm chrysalis (called “Mayu-mi”) as food. Koi (=Carp) was a luxury food, so the common people usually ate koi (=Carp) dishes only on special occasions. Koi (=Carp) farming flourished mainly in the Okitama region and developed from the Taisho to Showa periods. Koi (=Carp) farming methods in this region included rearing them in clean spring water or groundwater to make them spit out mud. Koi (=Carp) farmed in and around Yonezawa City are said to be of high quality and firm due to the severe winter cold, and under the brand name of "Yonezawa koi (=Carp)," they are a local specialty along with Yonezawa beef and Tateyama apples. However, the number of producers has been declining in recent years. It is said that "Koi-no-Umani" became popular after the Russo-Japanese War, when sugar became more readily available. Koi (=Carp) is also eaten in other ways, such as "Koi-koku" (koi (=Carp) stewed in miso soup) and "Koi-no-Arai" (koi (=Carp) sliced into pieces and lightly washed in cold water).