Nagasaki Local Cuisine: Guzoni / Shimabara Guzoni

Alright, let’s warm up with a hearty and history-rich dish from Nagasaki Prefecture: “Guzoni,” also known as “Shimabara Guzoni.” This is a loaded-up version of zoni (New Year’s mochi soup) with a fascinating connection to the Shimabara Rebellion!

Dish Name: Guzoni / Shimabara Guzoni / 具雑煮／島原具雑煮

• Region / Location: Shimabara Peninsula, Nagasaki Prefecture.
• Primary Area of Tradition: Shimabara Peninsula.
• Main Ingredients: 丸餅 (Marumochi/round mochi), 鶏肉 (chicken), 白菜 (hakusai/napa cabbage), 人参 (carrot), ごぼう (gobo/burdock root), 干し椎茸 (hoshi-shiitake/dried shiitake mushrooms), 高野豆腐 (koya-dofu/freeze-dried tofu), 焼きアナゴ (yaki-anago/grilled conger eel), 卵焼き (tamagoyaki/Japanese omelet).

How It’s Eaten / Served

“Guzoni” is served hot, cooked and presented in an earthenware pot (donabe). While the ingredients can vary a bit from family to family, the basics usually include round mochi, chicken, napa cabbage, carrots, burdock root, dried shiitake mushrooms, freeze-dried tofu. Some families also add grilled conger eel and Japanese omelet as standard ingredients.

Cultural Background and Preservation

“Guzoni” is one of the most well-known local dishes of Shimabara. Its origins go back to the Shimabara Rebellion in 1637. It’s said that the leader of the rebellion, Amakusa Shiro, and his 37,000 followers fortified themselves in Shimabara Castle and ate a stew of mochi, mountain vegetables, and seafood to sustain their strength and morale during the long siege.

Unusually for zoni, it’s cooked in a clay pot, packed with many different ingredients. Tourists even visit Shimabara specifically to try this unique dish!

In local homes, “Guzoni” is traditionally eaten during celebrations like New Year’s and festivals.

Thanks to its popularity, it’s now served year-round in restaurants and other commercial establishments.

In 2007, it was selected as one of the “100 Best Local Dishes of Farming, Mountain, and Fishing Villages” by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. It’s a representative dish of the prefecture, enjoyed at home and sometimes served in school lunches. You can even find frozen “Guzoni” gift sets that can be shipped throughout Japan, which is quite unusual for zoni!

Additional information:

• Zoni (雑煮): A Japanese soup containing mochi (rice cakes) and various other ingredients, traditionally eaten on New Year’s Day.
• Donabe (土鍋): Japanese earthenware pot.