Miyoshino Honten, which has been selling boxed lunches since Okayama Station opened in March 1981 (Meiji 24), released “Tokujo Matsuri Zushi” in March to commemorate the 135th anniversary of the start of ekiben sales.
It is said to be a reissue of the “Miyoshino Tokkyo Matsuri Zushi” that was once sold at Okayama Station, and can be considered a special version of the “Momotaro no Matsuri Zushi” that is still popular at Okayama Station today.
Sushi rice made with Asahi rice from Okayama Prefecture and Mannen vinegar, which has a history of more than 130 years in Okayama Prefecture, has a gentle sweet taste combined with a broiled egg on top. On top of the sushi rice is a parade of seafood associated with Okayama’s food culture.
You can enjoy a variety of flavors just by pickling: pickled mamakari that is satisfying and full of sourness, pickled Spanish mackerel that has a very different texture from mamakari, and pickled shabu-shabu that has a soft sourness.
The simmered sea eel in soy sauce tastes like an a la carte dish served at a small restaurant and would go well with sake. The grilled conger eel has sweet and spicy claws and a firm texture, and although it is small, it has a strong presence. The mogai tsukudani (tsukudani of mogai shell) is a little less seasoned, so you can really enjoy the taste of the shellfish, which is perhaps a bit unusual for a tsukudani. The shrimp stew comes in a shell, which is a little troublesome for me personally because it makes my hands dirty, but the taste, texture, and volume are all very satisfying.
The next delicacy from the mountains is vinegared lotus root, which has a deliciously refreshing taste and a chewy texture somewhere between crispy and hokuhoku (crunchy). The shiitake mushroom stew has a humble presence, but its thick meat allows you to fully enjoy the flavor of the ingredients. Bamboo shoot stew, which is spring-like in both texture and flavor, and black soybeans with a hint of sweetness are elegant.
The “Tokujo Matsuri Zushi” was a sumptuous ekiben that lived up to its name of “Tokujo,” with a full lineup of both seafood and mountain delicacies, and enough local flavor to make it a regional delicacy of Okayama.
On the back of the package, the history of Matsuri Zushi and Okayama’s ekiben is well documented, and this kind of knowledge is also fun to have as a travel companion.
Incidentally, April 10, the day we received this ekiben, is “Ekiben Day,” and there was a card in the package that explained its origin. The character for “bento” looks like a combination of the number 4 and the Chinese numeral 10, and the Chinese character for “to” is read as the numeral 10 (tou), which is why the date was chosen as April 10.
© Source travel watch