Ehime Local Cuisine: Satsuma

Alright, let’s head down to the Nanyo region of Ehime Prefecture and check out “Satsuma,” a local dish with a few interesting stories behind its name. It’s a hearty and flavorful dish that combines grilled fish with miso and served over rice.

Dish Name: Satsuma / さつま

• Region / Location: Nanyo region, Ehime Prefecture.
• Primary Area of Tradition: Nanyo region.
• Main Ingredients: 麦味噌 (barley miso), だし汁 (dashi broth), 白身魚 (white fish), 麦飯 (barley rice).

How It’s Eaten / Served

To make “Satsuma,” the fish is grilled, and while it’s still hot, the meat is flaked and mixed with barley miso in a mortar. Dashi broth, made from the fish bones, is added to the mixture. Lightly seasoned konnyaku, cut into strips, along with chopped green onions and minced citrus peel, are added as desired. This flavorful mixture is then spooned over warm barley rice. Sometimes, cucumber is also added.

Cultural Background and Preservation

“Satsuma” is known as a local dish throughout the Nanyo region, especially in places like Yawatahama City. While it’s traditionally made with white fish, the type of fish actually varies depending on the area. Besides sea bream, other fish used include red tilefish, lizardfish, mackerel pike, barracuda, sillago, grey mullet, sardines, and other small fish. In mountainous areas, they even use dried small fish and river fish like carp, crucian carp, and minnows, so it’s not strictly limited to white fish.

In the past, barley rice was commonly eaten in the Uwajima and Ainan areas of southwestern Ehime. “Satsuma” is said to have been a dish created by fishermen to make dry barley rice more palatable, and it’s also called “Iyo Satsuma.”

The origin of the name “Satsuma” has several theories. One is that it came from the Satsuma Province (Kagoshima Prefecture). Another is that the way the rice is scored in a cross pattern in the bowl so that the broth soaks in resembles the crest of the Shimazu family, who ruled the Satsuma domain. There’s also a theory that it comes from “Satsuma” (佐妻), meaning “supporting wife,” implying that it’s a dish a husband makes to help his wife. However, the true origin is uncertain.

“Satsuma” is a local dish of Ehime Prefecture that uses fresh fish and miso. Because it takes time to prepare, it’s not often made at home these days and is mainly served in local restaurants. The smooth texture of “Satsuma” makes it easy to eat, even in the summer when you don’t have much appetite.

For convenience, packaged versions of “Satsuma” are available as souvenirs at shops and highway service areas. Recently, sets containing the ingredients and broth have also become available, making it easy to enjoy this dish at home.

Additional information:

• Mugi-miso (麦味噌): Barley miso, a type of miso made from barley.
• Dashi (だし): Japanese soup stock.
• Mugi-meshi (麦飯): Barley rice.
• Konnyaku (蒟蒻): A jelly-like food made from the starch of the konnyaku potato.