''Kashiwameshi(かしわ飯、かしわめし)'', also known as ''kashiwa-meshi'' or "chicken rice," is a traditional rice dish widely consumed in the Kyushu region of

Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...

, particularly in

Fukuoka is the List of Japanese cities by population, sixth-largest city in Japan and the capital city of Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. The city is built along the shores of Hakata Bay, and has been a center of international commerce since ancient times. ...

and Saga Prefectures. It is a type of seasoned rice dish (''

takikomi gohan is a Japanese rice dish seasoned with dashi and soy sauce and mixed with mushrooms, vegetables, meat, or fish. The ingredients are cooked together with the rice. The dish is consumed by people in Japan around the fall season since many root veg ...

'') made by cooking

rice Rice is a cereal grain and in its Domestication, domesticated form is the staple food of over half of the world's population, particularly in Asia and Africa. Rice is the seed of the grass species ''Oryza sativa'' (Asian rice)—or, much l ...

together with

chicken The chicken (''Gallus gallus domesticus'') is a domesticated subspecies of the red junglefowl (''Gallus gallus''), originally native to Southeast Asia. It was first domesticated around 8,000 years ago and is now one of the most common and w ...

(''kashiwa'') and vegetables.

Overview

Kashiwameshi is prepared by simmering chicken with vegetables such as

carrots The carrot (''Daucus carota'' subsp. ''sativus'') is a root vegetable, typically orange in colour, though heirloom variants including purple, black, red, white, and yellow cultivars exist, all of which are domesticated forms of the Daucus ...

and shiitake mushrooms, then mixing the seasoned ingredients with rice. It is a well-established local specialty in the northern part of

Kyushu is the third-largest island of Japan's Japanese archipelago, four main islands and the most southerly of the four largest islands (i.e. excluding Okinawa Island, Okinawa and the other Ryukyu Islands, Ryukyu (''Nansei'') Ryukyu Islands, Islands ...

, especially in the prefectures of

Saga Sagas are prose stories and histories, composed in Iceland and to a lesser extent elsewhere in Scandinavia. The most famous saga-genre is the (sagas concerning Icelanders), which feature Viking voyages, migration to Iceland, and feuds between ...

, Oita, and

Kumamoto is the capital Cities of Japan, city of Kumamoto Prefecture on the island of Kyushu, Japan. , the city has an estimated population of 738,907 and a population density of 1,893 people per km2. The total area is 390.32 km2. had a populat ...

, where it is commonly prepared in homes and served at diners and casual eateries. The dish is often eaten during festivals, celebrations, and other special occasions (''hare no hi''). It is also popular in the form of rice balls ('' kashiwa onigiri''), and has become a staple of the local culinary culture. Even today, kashiwameshi remains a familiar home-cooked dish passed down from parents to children. It is also served in school lunches, making it popular among younger generations. In addition to being available at restaurants, it can be found at convenience stores and

supermarkets A supermarket is a self-service Retail#Types of outlets, shop offering a wide variety of food, Drink, beverages and Household goods, household products, organized into sections. Strictly speaking, a supermarket is larger and has a wider selecti ...

, making it an easily accessible food. It is also widely sold as an ''ekiben'' (train station bento), with ''kashiwameshi bento'' being a well-loved option for travelers. In

Fukuoka Prefecture is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located on the island of Kyūshū. Fukuoka Prefecture has a population of 5,109,323 (1 June 2019) and has a geographic area of 4,986 Square kilometre, km2 (1,925 sq mi). Fukuoka Prefecture borders ...

, the local free-range chicken known as '' Hakata jidori(博多地鶏)'' is often used in its preparation. '' Hakata jidori'' is known for its firm texture and deep flavor, which intensifies the more it is chewed. Its breast meat contains bioactive compounds such as anserine and carnosine, which are believed to help prevent cognitive decline. Because of these properties, ''Hakata jidori'' has been recognized by the Consumer Affairs Agency of Japan as a food with functional health claims.

History

The origins of kashiwameshi are believed to date back to the Edo period. Following a series of famines during this time, the ruling Kuroda Domain (which governed the Fukuoka region) promoted poultry farming as a means of securing revenue. This policy contributed to the development of chicken-based culinary traditions in the region, one of which was kashiwameshi. The term ''kashiwa'' as a synonym for chicken in

is thought to have originated during the Edo period, when meat consumption was prohibited under the Shōrui Awaremi no Rei (a series of animal protection edicts). At that time, euphemisms were used to refer to animal meat. The name ''kashiwa'' is said to have derived from the resemblance of the chicken’s feather coloration to the autumnal leaves of the

oak tree An oak is a hardwood tree or shrub in the genus ''Quercus'' of the Fagaceae, beech family. They have spirally arranged leaves, often with lobed edges, and a nut called an acorn, borne within a cup. The genus is widely distributed in the Northe ...

(''kashiwa'' in Japanese). This usage is still common in western Japan, where the dish continues to enjoy broad popularity.

Reference

{{reflist Japanese rice dishes Japanese chicken dishes Chicken and rice dishes