🐟 Satsuma Shrimp Zoni

“Zoni” is unique in its ingredients in each region of Japan. The ingredients and taste of the soup stock, the ingredients that go into it, and the shape of the rice cake vary from region to region. The custom of eating zoni on the first three days of the New Year started during the Muromachi period (1336-1573), when zoni was served to the samurai family as a festive meal, and then it spread to the common people. In Kagoshima Prefecture, there are some differences between regions, but in the Satsuma area, they are known for "Satsuma Shrimp Zoni," which is a dish with shrimps so big they stick out of the bowl. It is said that “Satsuma Shrimp Zoni” was made because the Shimazu family, the lords of the Satsuma domain, ate "Shrimp Zoni" and it spread to the common people as well. Shrimp fishing has been popular in the waters off Izumi in Kagoshima Prefecture for a long time. The traditional method of catching shrimp, called "ketautase boat," was used, and they were dried over a charcoal fire to make grilled shrimp and presented to the Shimazu family. Even today, grilled shrimp can be seen hanging in front of the eaves of a dried fish shop at the end of the year, which is a winter tradition in Kagoshima Prefecture.