Nara has many traditional food origins. Kakinoha-sushi is originally from Nara as well. While viewing the Todaiji Temple and Kasugataisha Shrine, how about going to Izasa in Nara Park?
If you are interested in reading about Kasugataisha Shrine, please read below.
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What is Kakinoha-Sushi?
Kakinoha-sushi is a type of sushi where pieces of fish like mackerel or salmon, marinated lightly in vinegar, are placed on top of rice and wrapped in persimmon leaves. This sushi is believed to have originated from Nara due to its inland location, making it difficult to obtain fresh seafood from the sea. Therefore, people used vinegar and persimmon leaves to create preserved food. Vinegar is good for preserving food, and persimmon leaves are rich in a component called “tannin,” which has preservative properties, making them suitable for preserving food. Unlike regular sushi, being wrapped in leaves makes Kakinoha-sushi easy to carry and prevents the rice from drying out.
History of Izasa Sushi, Nara
The main Izasa store is in Kamikitayama Village in Nara Prefecture, near Mount Odaigahara, one of Japan’s famous mountains. Izasa is known for its Kakinoha-sushi and Sasazushi, which are sushi wrapped in bamboo leaves. Shimizu Kosho, who later became the head priest of Todaiji Temple, really liked Sasazushi. He named this sushi “Izasa-Sushi” after the god “Izasa King,” who is said to look like a giant boar wearing bamboo leaves. Izasa has five restaurants in Nara. The Todaiji-Monzen Yumekaze Hiroba store lets you see the Todaiji Temple from the window and is only a 10-minute walk from Kasuga Taisha Shrine, so it’s a convenient place to take a break during sightseeing.
Taste the Tradition
When we visited Izasa in winter, we tried Kakinoha-sushi, Sasazushi, and “nyu-men,” which are somen noodles in warm broth. People make somen noodles by kneading wheat flour, stretching it thin, and drying it. The Miwa Somen noodles, eaten at Izasa, have their origin in Nara Prefecture, dating back over 1,300 years. In ancient times, when people faced famine and epidemics, the Omiwa Shrine on Mt. Miwa, Japan’s oldest shrine, prayed for relief for the people. The gods told them to sow wheat, grind the harvest into flour using a watermill’s millstone, knead and stretch it into thin threads using spring water. This is believed to be the origin of somen noodles.
Details
Contact: View Website
Address: Nara, Nara Prefecture, Kasugano-cho 16, Todaiji Temple-Mae, Yume Kaze Hiroba
Business Hours: 11:00 -17:00, souvenir shop opens from 10:00
