Gyohan
Gyohan (grilled fish and seasonal ingredients served over rice) is a traditional local dish in Takehara. The meat from white-fleshed fish, such as snapper from the Seto Inland Sea, is grilled and heaped on rice. A broth made from the bones, along with dashi stock and other ingredients, is then poured over it in the chazuke style (a simple dish of green tea, stock, or hot water over rice).
The dish was originally prepared by Takehara’s wealthy salt farm owners to welcome guests or to eat at celebrations such as festivals. Each family has their own unique recipe handed down through generations over hundreds of years. Gyohan is a local legacy dish inseparable from the history and culture of Takehara, a merchant town known for its salt and sake.
Gyohan is enjoyed as two dishes in one. First, it is eaten as flavored rice (takikomi gohan) with assorted local toppings, such as shredded egg, shrimp, and burdock root, available in season. Then the remaining rice is eaten as a soup-style dish (chazuke): a light refreshing broth is poured over the rice, with wasabi added as an extra seasoning.
Many restaurants present the toppings in bamboo (take) dishes, a reference to the name of the town (Takehara).