[Tsukudani of Tsukudajima]

Tsukishima, Tokyo, is known for its preserved traditional streetscape and famous Tsukishima monja. Right next to it lies a small island called “Tsukudajima,” which is also the birthplace of “tsukudani.”

There are still many long-established tsukudani shops on Tsukudajima, and three of them, Tsukudagen Tanakaya, founded in the late Edo period, Tenyasu Honten, founded in 1837, and Tsukudani Marukyu, founded in 1859, are known as the “Gosanke (three families) of tsukudani. Why was tsukudani born here? Actually, Tsukudani was originally created in the Edo period (1603-1868) when fishermen from Tsukuda Village in Osaka were invited to Edo (present-day Tokyo).

When the Honnoji Incident occurred in 1582 (Tensho 10), Tokugawa Ieyasu, Oda Nobunaga's ally, was fleeing from Sakai. The fishermen of Tsukuda Village in Settsu Province (present-day Tsukuda, Nishiyodogawa Ward, Osaka City) quickly gathered their fishing boats to help the group, which was in trouble due to the lack of boats. Feeling indebted to them, Ieyasu invited 33 fishermen from Tsukuda Village to Edo when he established the Edo shogunate in 1603, and gave them an island near Ishikawajima as their place of residence, naming it “Tsukudajima” after their hometown Tsukuda Village.

Ieyasu granted them fishing rights so that they could fish for whitefish and other species and provide for the kitchens in Edo Castle. Since Tsukudukushima is a remote islet, the idea was to make preserved food by boiling the small fishes caught in the bay in salty water, and after soy sauce was brought over from Chiba, the boiling process changed from salty to soy sauce boiling. Since it was made on Tsukudajima, it was named tsukudani. The name “tsukudani” was given to the food made on Tsukudajima, and it was sold throughout Edo, where it has remained to this day.

The contrast between the rows of houses and the towering towers in the back of Tsukudajima is a sight that is hard to find anywhere else. Walking around the town, it is as if time has stopped here, and there is a quiet, tranquil, and unique atmosphere. This time, I purchased an assortment of three items from the Tenyasu Honten store: ami, shellfish strings, and ochazuke kombu (kelp for tea ceremony). They are seasoned mainly with shellfish, seaweed, and small fish in a “sauce” made from the boiling water that remains at the end of boiling various ingredients.

When you eat the tsukudani on top of warm white rice, the tsukudani, which has soaked up the flavors of all the ingredients for 188 years, has just the right amount of saltiness and deliciousness to keep you from eating the rice. Even a small amount of tsukudani is enough to keep you going. Having Tenyasu Honten's tsukudani in the house is a luxury and a joy, and the taste makes me feel glad to be born Japanese.

Tsukudani is high in protein, calcium, iron, and other nutrients. It can be stored for several weeks to a month, making it a very welcome souvenir from Tokyo. I would like to go back to Tsukudani to buy some for myself or as a gift for someone else.

Ginza Showroom
https://www.shokunin.com/en/showroom/ginza.html
Tenyasu Honten
https://maps.app.goo.gl/w9tQ8Vh7Xay8VL57A
Tsukudagen Tanakaya
https://maps.app.goo.gl/jMHKFq95JKpJFvk86
Tsukudani Marukyu
https://maps.app.goo.gl/HqKnGe7ra4vnVpot5
Matsuyama Tokojo's Atatamenabe L
https://www.shokunin.com/en/matsuyama/
Honma Kazuo Shoten's Straw Pot Stand S
https://www.shokunin.com/en/honma/nabeshiki.html

References
http://www.tenyasu.jp
https://www.tv-tokyo.co.jp/adomachi/backnumber/20100724/9115.html