History of Tokyo's Unique Delicacy, Fukagawa-meshi

Origin As a Fishermen's Lunch

Fukagawa-meshi is said to have originated in the Edo period (1603-1868). At that time, the Fukagawa area was called Fukagawa-ura (Fukagawa-inlet) and had a sandbar that would appear at low tide in Edo Bay (now known as Tokyo Bay). Many shellfish such as hamaguri, oysters, bakagai (also called aoyagi), and asari were caught there.

"It is said that Fukagawa-meshi originated from the recipe used by fishermen for a quick lunch," says Iijima. Fishermen had only 15 minutes or so for lunch on board. They diluted sea water with fresh water, boiled clams, green onions, and tofu in it, and poured them on cold rice. This fishermen's meal became Fukagawa-meshi.

"However, the clams used at first were not asari but aoyagi, according to records. I'm not sure when, but during the Edo period, aoyagi gradually became scarce, probably due to land reclamation and climate change. It is believed that people began harvesting more asari, replacing aoyagi."

This gradually spread to the public, with food stalls and restaurants starting to serve Fukagawa-meshi seasoned with miso and soy sauce. Takikomi gohan (Japanese mixed rice) with asari became a popular home-cooked dish in Fukagawa, where fresh asari were cheap.

Once Forgotten, Revived in the 80s

However, about a decade after the end of World War II, Fukagawa-meshi started to lose its popularity. As the country rapidly grew, industrial and other effluents polluted and changed the water quality, and the bay was further reclaimed and developed.

"In Tokyo Bay, fish and shellfish were drastically reduced, and fishing was no longer possible. In 1962, the fishermen's union gave up its fishing rights, leaving the area without any fishermen."

With asari no longer available, Fukagawa-meshi disappeared from restaurants and households. Iijima, now 61, was born and raised in Fukagawa but did not know about it growing up.

A turning point came in the late 1980s. Japan's "bubble economy" sparked a tourism boom, fueling the popularity of shitamachi and attracting people from all over the country. In Fukagawa, tourists began to flock to Tomioka Hachimangu Shrine, and sightseeing spots such as the Koto City Basho Museum (opened in 1981) and the Koto City Fukagawa Edo Museum (opened in 1986) became popular.

"People in my father's generation wanted to take advantage of this unprecedented shitamachi boom by promoting local specialties to revitalize the town and thus thought of Fukagawa-meshi. They considered it a true local cuisine," he said.

This led to the revival of Fukagawa-meshi. Specialty restaurants sprang up one after another around Tomioka Hachimangu Shrine and the Fukagawa Edo Museum. Kappo (a style of high-end dining) restaurants and other Japanese eateries also began serving it. Iijima's father, too, opened a specialty restaurant called Monzenchaya across from the Fukagawa Fudo-do Temple.

Historic Cultural Heritage for the Future

Iijima left Fukagawa to attend college but returned to his hometown about 25 years ago to train at his father's restaurant. In 2022, he opened his own shop, Fukagawa-meshi Hachiroemon. Iijima became a key member of the Fukagawa-meshi Promotion Council eight years ago and is now its president.

"The council had more than 20 member restaurants at its peak, but 5 of them have closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, problems with finding successors, etc. We felt an urgent need to regain the momentum and are now working on various initiatives."

To promote the local community and Fukagawa-meshi, the council holds tasting events every three months. Tourists are welcome, of course, but another aim is to familiarize locals with the dish so that they become regular customers at the restaurants.

The Tomioka Hachimangu Shrine is one of the turnaround points at the Tokyo Marathon, which is held every March. The council sets up a booth at the nearby Fukagawa Tokyo Modan Kan to serve Fukagawa-meshi for 100 yen per serving. The event has been very popular, selling out of the 300 servings prepared every year.

"We try to participate in markets and festivals held in Tokyo as much as possible. Fukagawa-meshi is a historical and cultural heritage of the area. It is important that restaurants continue, but I would also like to see the local people enjoy it regularly so that this heritage can be passed on to future generations."

Iijima Hiroyuki

Born in Fukagawa in 1963. After university, he started in a different career but later followed his father in the Fukagawa-meshi business. Currently, his father's restaurant is run by relatives and he runs his own restaurant by himself while serving as president of the Fukagawa-meshi Promotion Council.