Hokkaido Local Cuisine: Butadon

Alright, folks, let me tell you about a dish that’s a real star up in Hokkaido – Butadon! We’re talking about a hearty bowl of rice piled high with tender slices of pork, all slathered in a sweet and savory sauce. It’s the kind of grub that sticks to your ribs and leaves you with a big smile. If you ever find yourself in Tokachi, you’ve GOT to give this a try!

Dish Name: Butadon / 豚丼

• Region / Location: Hokkaido Prefecture, especially the Tokachi region.
• Primary Area of Tradition: Tokachi region.
• Main Ingredients: Pork, rice, and green onions.

How It’s Eaten / Served

Generally, they use either pork loin or belly for Butadon. The pork is pan-fried and then coated in a sugar and soy sauce-based sauce – that’s where the magic happens! Most of the time, you’ll see it topped with shredded white and green onions, but sometimes they might throw in some green peas for a bit of color. It’s a pretty simple dish, focusing on those core flavors. If you get a chance to try it grilled over charcoal, that smoky flavor takes it to a whole new level.

Cultural Background and Preservation

The story of Butadon goes back to the late Meiji era when pig farming started getting popular in the Tokachi region. With all that pork around, folks started getting creative, and that’s how Butadon was born in Obihiro City, Tokachi. The tale goes that a restaurant in Obihiro wanted to make a dish that would give farmers and pioneers the energy they needed after a long day’s work. Originally, they thought about using eel, you know, like in Unadon (eel rice bowl), but eel was too expensive and hard to come by. So, they switched to pork, which was plentiful and affordable in Tokachi at the time. And that’s how Butadon became a local favorite, eventually spreading across the country.

Butadon is a common dish in local homes and restaurants in Tokachi, enjoyed throughout the year by people of all ages.

These days, you can even find Butadon sauce sold in supermarkets, making it easy to whip up at home. It’s become a bit of a gourmet star, featured in food magazines and travel guides, drawing food lovers from all over, not just Hokkaido. And get this – a food company in Hokkaido even declared February 10th as “Butadon Day” because the numbers “2” and “10” can be pronounced as “buta” (pork) and “don” (bowl) in Japanese. They’re really serious about celebrating this dish!

Additional information:

• Unadon (鰻丼): A Japanese dish consisting of a bowl of rice topped with grilled eel (unagi) fillets glazed with a sweet and savory sauce.