🍱 Tsuboni

Ashikuraji area in Tateyama Town is the gateway to Tateyama mountain range, one of the three sacred mountains in Japan. In the Edo period (1603-1867), it was a village of Tateyama worship, and there were many lodgings where worshippers would gathered. "Tsubo-ni" is one of the vegetarian dishes served at these lodgings, and nowadays it is also served at home. The name comes from the fact that it was served in a deep-bottomed vermilion lacquered bowl with a lid, called tsubo-bowl. The main ingredient is kugomi, a spring mountain vegetable. Another name for the sprout is ostrich fern, and it is also called kogomi in some areas. Although it is a wild vegetable with a short season, it is picked in spring, dried in the sun, and preserved so that it can be used throughout the year, making it possible to make tsuboni all year round. In addition to kugomi, carrots, satoimo(=Japanese taro), and fried thin tofu are also included in the dish, making it rich and filling. The soy sauce-based broth is infused with the flavor of kugomi, giving the dish a rich, flavorful taste that reminds one of the bounty of the mountains.