Yamaguchi Local Cuisine: Kencho

Alright, let’s talk about a real home-style dish from Yamaguchi – “Kencho”! It’s a simple but satisfying stew of tofu, daikon radish, and carrots that’s enjoyed all over the prefecture. This is the kind of dish that gets passed down through families, and you’ll often find folks adding their own little twists, like taro root, deep-fried tofu, or even chicken. It’s the ultimate comfort food, perfect with a bowl of rice. Let’s get into the details!

Dish Name: Kencho

• Region / Location: Yamaguchi Prefecture (throughout the prefecture)
• Primary Area of Tradition: Yamaguchi Prefecture
• Main Ingredients: Daikon radish, tofu, carrot

How It’s Eaten / Served

Kencho is a simple stew made with tofu, daikon radish, and carrots. It’s a common home-cooked dish in Yamaguchi, and you’ll find variations with other ingredients like taro root, deep-fried tofu, konnyaku, chicken, and shiitake mushrooms. It’s often made in large pots and reheated over several days, which allows the flavors to meld together beautifully. The seasoning is usually a bit on the sweet and savory side, making it a great accompaniment to rice. You can also find it served as a soup, called “Kencho-jiru.”

To make Kencho, the tofu is boiled and drained well. The daikon radish is cut into 5mm thick slices, and the carrots into 2-3mm thick slices. Dried shiitake mushrooms are rehydrated and sliced. Bacon is also sliced into 5mm strips. Oil is heated in a pot, and the bacon, daikon radish, carrots, shiitake mushrooms, and tofu are stir-fried. Dashi (Japanese soup stock) and seasonings like soy sauce, sugar, and mirin are added, and the mixture is simmered. It’s served garnished with diagonally sliced green beans. Some people use deep-fried tofu instead of regular tofu to save time on draining and to add richness. You can also use chopped daikon radish leaves instead of green beans for garnish.

Cultural Background and Preservation

There are a couple of theories about the origin of the name “Kencho.” One theory suggests it comes from “Nagasaki Kenchin,” a dish of stir-fried vegetables and tofu that’s simmered or steamed. This dish is said to have originated after the Edo period and was served on special occasions like Buddhist memorial services. Another theory points to “Kamakura Kencho-ji,” a temple in Kamakura, suggesting that Kencho originated from a vegetable and tofu soup eaten as an everyday meal in the Kamakura period. In Shimonoseki, the theory that it comes from Kamakura Kencho-ji is considered more likely, given that Kencho is an everyday dish and the city has a history as a trade hub.

Kencho is a staple home-cooked dish in Yamaguchi and is also served in school lunches.

Additional information:

• Kenchin-jiru (けんちん汁): A Japanese vegetable soup, often containing tofu and root vegetables.
• Mirin (みりん): Sweet rice wine used for cooking.
• Konnyaku (こんにゃく): A jelly-like food made from the starch of the konnyaku potato.