Shimi Konnyaku - Traditional Foods in Japan | Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries

IbarakiShimi Konnyaku

Classification (Large)

Agricultural products

Classification (Small)

Other processed agricultural products

Main ingredients used

konnyaku

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Region of inheritance

Northern region (Daigo Town, Hitachi-Ota City, etc.)

Product overview (special characteristics and types)

Frozen konnyaku is a traditional food made by laying out thinly sliced konnyaku on straw that has been spread in fields during the coldest periods in winter. Water is applied to the konnyaku, which is repeatedly frozen and thawed to remove moisture. The finished konnyaku soaks up soup broth like a sponge, giving it a unique texture and making it a tasty addition to any. Frozen konnyaku is generally used in nishime, but in recent years it has been used in various other dishes as well, including deep-fried ones. As frozen konnyaku is low in calories and high in dietary fiber and calcium, it is also becoming popular as a health food.

History and culture

Konnyaku potatoes have long been cultivated as a major crop in northern Ibaraki Prefecture, and this region is said to be the birthplace of konnyaku.
It is said that the in the mid-Edo period, Toemon Nakajima, a farmer from the city of Hitachi-Omiya (formerly Morosawa Village, Kuji County) invented a manufacturing process for konnyaku potatoes, which took much time and effort to produce, ship, and distribute. His process had konnyaku potatoes sliced and dried during winter days and turned into powder. This enabled long-term storage and distribution to distant locations, and konnyaku became the exclusive product of the Mito clan, supporting the clan’s finances. In recognition of his achievements, the Mito clan allowed Toemon to have a surname, carry a sword, and don hemp ceremonial wear.
The manufacturing method for frozen konnyaku is said to have been brought from Tamba by Kenji Kimura, an explorer from the city of Hitachi-Ota (formerly Kegano Village, Kuji County), in the late Edo period, and it became a side business for off-season farmers in northern areas of Ibaraki Prefecture, where konnyaku production was popular. Nowadays, frozen konnyaku has become a rare foodstuff manufactured at only a few farms in this part of Japan.

Production method

Frozen konnyaku is produced in dry regions with dramatic temperature differences and no snowfall, which is characteristic of the climate in mountainous areas. During the coldest winter months of mid-December to February, straw is laid out in fields on which thinly sliced, postcard-size pieces of konnyaku are placed by hand, each to be painstakingly watered to freeze overnight. The konnyaku is repeatedly frozen at night and slowly thawed during the daytime for 20 days, with the timing of drying and amount of water used adjusted according to the weather. This dries the konnyaku into a sponge-like consistency, after which it is thoroughly dried for one more week to create the finished product. It has an extremely long shelf life and is said to last for many years in its dried state.

Conservation and succession efforts

Daigo Town is the home of Konnyaku Shrine, dedicated to Toemon, where until recent years the konnyaku farmers went to show their gratitude for the konnyaku potato harvest, conduct the Toemon ceremony to which they would bring their own konnyaku cuisine, drink alcohol, and honor his achievements by hanging portraits of Toemon or scrolls depicting konnyaku in their tokonoma alcoves.
Frozen konnyaku, which takes a lot of time and labor to produce, has seen a sharp decline in producers since 1960 due to the harsh cold environment in which it is produced, aging farmers, and the drop in numbers of farmers. Currently, it is produced at just a few farms. To preserve this traditional food for generations to come, the prefecture, Daigo Town, the city of Hitachi-Ota, and the city of Hitachi-Omiya are using their webpages to communicate the history and information on where to purchase this food. Additionally, new initiatives are also underway, such as product planning, development, and sales by Ibaraki Prefecture high schoolers.

Main consumption method

Frozen konnyaku is submerged in water and boiled in hot water to eliminate harsh flavors before being cooked in simmered dishes and hot pots. It does not have a fragrance or taste, so it does not get in the way of other ingredients, and soaks up the umami and broth of the dishes it is in. People also enjoy the unique texture of konnyaku, making it a common household ingredient that can be used in numerous ways for cooking.
A common dish is “nishime” seasoned with soy sauce, sake, mirin, and sugar, but new ways of cooking it have been invented in recent years. These include using simmered and seasoned frozen konnyaku for deep-frying, tempura, frying, and gratins, and non-seasoned konnyaku in soups, along with dishes bound with beaten, slightly cooked eggs.

At-home recipes：Frozen konnyaku kinpira

Ingredients

Frozen konnyaku

100 g

Carrot

20 g

Ginger (chopped)

Small amount

Sesami oil

1 teaspoon

[A] Soy sauce: 1 teaspoon Sake: 1 teaspoon Mirin: 1 teaspoon Sugar: 1/2 teaspoon

Red pepper (round slices)

Small amount

Roasted white sesame

Small amount

How to make

Rehydrate frozen konnyaku according to the recipe on the back of the package. Cut carrot into matchstick shapes.

Heat sesame oil in a pan, cook ginger until aromatic, add the ingredients prepared in 1 above, and cook them until the carrot becomes soft.

Add the ingredients from A, coat the frozen konnyaku and carrot in the sauce while extracting water, add red pepper, cook all the ingredients lightly, and then turn off the heat.

Put the cooked food in a dish and sprinkle sesame on it.