[Obihiro's Pork Bowl]

The roots of Obihiro's famous “pork bowl” trace back to the pioneering era of the Meiji period. When the “Banseisha” group led by Benzo Yoda settled in Tokachi in 1883, they brought four pigs with them, marking the beginning of pig farming.

In the harsh conditions of that era, pigs were so integral to the settlers' lives that the saying “pigs and one pot at the start of land reclamation” remains. For people engaged in strenuous labor, readily available pork was a precious source of nutrition, valued for building strength.

Pig farming expanded further from the late Meiji period through the Taisho era, and by the late Taisho period, pork consumption was becoming commonplace. With pig farming thriving in the Tokachi region, pork became firmly established as a familiar and readily available ingredient for the local people.

The man who perfected this pork into a unique dish was Shuji Abe of the restaurant “Pancho,” founded in Obihiro in 1933. Unable to obtain the expensive and hard-to-find eel, he drew inspiration from an eel bowl (unadon). He devised “pork bowl” (butadon) by charcoal-grilling readily available pork and coating it with a sweet-salty soy sauce glaze.

Originating at “Pancho,” pork bowls spread widely throughout Tokachi households as a “home-style flavor” due to their simplicity, requiring only basic pantry staples like sugar and soy sauce.

While thick-cut loin or belly pork is authentic, thinly sliced meat also works well. Before cooking, score the pork to prevent it from shrinking or curling up during grilling. The key lies in reducing the sauce. First, heat sugar, sake, and mirin until it caramelizes and becomes fragrant. Then, add soy sauce at the end to achieve deep richness and gloss without losing flavor.

Today, the Obihiro pork bowl is nationally recognized as a representative local gourmet dish of Hokkaido. Its approachability is such that it's even sold as a made-to-order menu item (Hot Chef) at Seicomart, a convenience store chain based in Hokkaido.

The Obihiro pork bowl embodies the wisdom of the pioneers of the northern land. What began as a substitute for eel has now firmly taken root as a unique culinary culture.

Ichiyougama's Menbachi
https://www.shokunin.com/en/ichiyou/menbachi.html
Seiryugama's Donburi
https://www.shokunin.com/en/seiryu/donburi.html

References
https://hokkaidofan.com/foods_butadon/
https://www.maff.go.jp/j/keikaku/syokubunka/k_ryouri/search_menu/menu/butadon_hokkaido.html
https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E8%B1%9A%E4%B8%BC
https://www.hotpepper.jp/mesitsu/entry/niwanomomo/2023-00828 (Recipe)