Title Shingoro (Grilled Rice Balls with Miso)

  • Fukushima
Topic(s):
Historic Sites/Castle Ruins Regional Specialties
Medium/Media of Use:
Web Page
Text Length:
≤250 Words
FY Prepared:
2021
Associated Tourism Board:
Shimogou Town

しんごろう


この”おにぎり”は、味噌にごまを混ぜて砂糖、酒、みりんで味付けした後、炭火で焼かれます。毎年秋に最初の稲刈りを祝うために伝統的に食べられ、下郷地方で最も有名なご馳走です。


しんごろうの名は、江戸時代(1603~1867)にしんごろうを発明したとされる人物に由来するという。当時、町の人々は収穫に感謝して神に餅を供えていましたが、高価な餅米を買うことができなかったため、新五郎は普通の米に味噌を加えて供えたのだといわれています。


この料理には、下郷でじゅうねんと呼ばれるシソの実が入った独特の味噌が使われています。じゅうねん味噌は健康に良いとされ、食べると10年長生きすると言われています。しんごろうは、柔らかく炊いたご飯をボール状にして竹串に刺し、そこにじゅうねん味噌を塗って作ります。炭火で焼いて、温かいうちに食べるのが一般的です。大内宿をはじめ、周辺の厳選されたレストランで食べることができます。


日本の他の多くの地域と同様に、下郷にも公式アンバサダーを務める愛すべきマスコット・キャラクターがいます。下郷の名物料理「しんごろう」からヒントを得た「しもごろー」は、味噌を塗ったお餅に手足と尻尾が付いた元気なキャラクターで、名前は下郷としんごろうを組み合わせたものです。


Shingoro (Grilled Rice Balls with Miso)


These rice balls are coated with miso mixed with ground sesame and seasoned with sugar, sake, and mirin, before being roasted over charcoal. They were traditionally eaten to celebrate the first rice harvest each autumn, and are the Shimogo region’s best-known treat.


According to legend, shingoro is named after a local man credited with inventing it during the Edo period (1603–1867). At that time, people of the town offered rice cakes to the gods in thanks for the harvest, but being unable to afford the more expensive glutinous rice required to make mochi cakes, Shingoro came up with the idea of coating regular rice balls with seasoned miso to create his own offerings.


The dish uses a distinct type of local miso which is mixed with the crushed seeds of egoma sesame, known in Shimogo as junen (lit., ten years). Junen miso promotes good health; it is said that those who eat it increase their life span by 10 years. To make shingoro, soft, cooked rice is made into small balls which are spiked onto a bamboo skewer before brushing on the junen miso mixture. Typically the balls of rice are roasted over charcoal and eaten while warm. Shingoro are available at shops in Ouchi-juku and selected restaurants in the area.


Like many towns and cities in Japan, Shimogo has its own lovable mascot. Shimogoro is a cheerful little miso-covered rice cake with arms, legs, and a tail. The name Shimogoro is a combination of Shimogo and shingoro, the town’s signature treat, which inspired the character.


Search