There is a system under which the Agency for Cultural Affairs recognizes stories that have been organized around local assets, such as historic buildings and streetscapes, as “Japan Heritage.”
Kurashiki City has three recognized Japan Heritage stories:
- A Kurashiki story beginning with a single cotton flower: A textile town woven from Japanese and Western influences
- A different world entwined with the dreams of men who overcame the stormy seas: Ports of call for Kitamaebune ships and shipowner settlements
- Okayama, Birthplace of the Legend of Momotaro: A tale of demon-slaying inspired by the heritage of ancient Kibi
Each Japan Heritage story also has cultural properties that make up the story (constituent cultural properties).
One of these is “barazushi,” a colorful arrangement of Setouchi’s abundant seafood and seasonal vegetables.
However, people probably have fewer opportunities to eat it at home these days. A “barazushi seminar” was held to learn about this dish, and here is a report on how it went.
The information presented is current as of when this article was published in April 2025. Please note that it may differ from current information.
What is “barazushi,” a constituent cultural property of Kurashiki City’s Japan Heritage?
“Barazushi” is one of the constituent cultural properties included in the Japan Heritage story “A Kurashiki story beginning with a single cotton flower: A textile town woven from Japanese and Western influences.”
Official materials explain “barazushi” as follows:
On festival days, merchant families in Kurashiki invited neighbors and acquaintances to their homes and prepared “barazushi,” a colorful arrangement of Setouchi’s abundant seafood and seasonal vegetables, to serve them.
Source: Constituent cultural properties of “A Kurashiki story beginning with a single cotton flower: A textile town woven from Japanese and Western influences” (e-book edition)
However, even though I am 45 and was born in Kurashiki City, I have almost no memory of eating barazushi at home. I tend to think of it as something you eat at a restaurant.
About the “Barazushi Seminar”
A “Barazushi Seminar” was held on March 16, 2025, with the aim of learning about and tasting barazushi. It was organized by the “Kurashiki City Japan Heritage Promotion Office.”
- Children from Kurashiki Higashi Elementary School Children’s Club Shirakabe Kids, dressed as Suinkyo
- Students from Okayama Prefectural Kurashiki Commercial High School
- Students from Okayama Gakuin University
The participants were mainly young people.
See the image below for details.
Opening remarks
The event opened with remarks from Miyake Junko, head of the Kurashiki City Japan Heritage Promotion Office.
She introduced Kurashiki City’s three Japan Heritage stories and 41 constituent cultural properties. Regarding the constituent cultural properties, Miyake said:
They offer an opportunity to learn more about Kurashiki, and I hope you’ll learn more about the city today through barazushi.
she said.
Learning about Kurashiki’s food
We heard about Kurashiki’s food from Osaki Satoshi, a professor at Okayama Gakuin University and Okayama College, and Hirano Satoshi, an instructor.
Osaki Satoshi’s explanation (history and ingredients)
First, he introduced some of Japan’s “sushi with lots of toppings,” including gomoku sushi, chirashi sushi, barazushi, and hakozushi.
Among these, barazushi is a popular Okayama specialty and souvenir. The best-known example is “Momotaro no Matsurizushi,” sold as a station bento at Okayama Station.
However, “Momotaro no Matsurizushi” is a registered trademark of Miyoshino Honten Co., Ltd. (No. 5839071), so care should be taken when referring to it as “matsurizushi.”
The origins of barazushi date back to the Edo period.
It is said to have originated when Ikeda Mitsumasa (1609–1682), lord of the Bizen-Okayama Domain, ordered people to practice frugality by decreeing that “meals should consist of one soup and one side dish” (the Frugality Edict). In response, people served dozens of ingredients together in one large dish, calling it “one dish.”
He then explained the main ingredients.
Hirano Satoshi’s explanation (nutritional value and local production for local consumption)
Next, Hirano Satoshi spoke about the nutritional value of barazushi.
Barazushi is also well-balanced from the perspective of the three food groups, which classify foods into red, yellow, and green according to the functions of their nutrients.
Blue-backed fish in particular can be difficult to include in a modern diet, but serving it on sushi makes it delicious and easy to eat.
He also explained that barazushi incorporates Kurashiki City’s seasonal local ingredients, so it can be made in any season.
Learning about Kurashiki barazushi
This is where the “Barazushi Seminar” really got underway. We learned how to make Kurashiki barazushi, including a live demonstration, from Mitsuhata Takaharu, fifth-generation owner of Uoharu, a long-established fish shop in Chayamachi, Kurashiki City. Uoharu was founded in 1898.
First, Mitsuhata explained how he came to talk about barazushi.
Mitsuhata was raised by his great-grandmother and says that as a child he mostly ate dishes such as simmered fish. He learned that, as food choices have diversified in modern times, more people do not know how to eat fish, and realized that the meals he ate as a child had been a form of food education.
With this in mind, he began his activities because he wanted to share more about the benefits of fish and hoped people would value local fish more, especially as climate change is reducing fish populations.
Next, he explained the difference between barazushi and chirashizushi.
Simply put, the difference is how the ingredients are prepared.
Chirashizushi is topped with “raw” ingredients, like sashimi. With barazushi, each ingredient is seasoned, and the ingredients are cooked and seasoned separately before being placed on top.
Sawara (Spanish mackerel) is commonly used in barazushi, but there is actually no fixed ingredient that must be included; people use whatever is available at the time.
Another fish used besides sawara is hirasu. It is caught throughout Japan, but is eaten almost exclusively in Okayama. As a result, hirasu caught around the country is brought to Okayama. Fishermen in Osaka and Aichi reportedly say “Okayama got a catch” when they catch hirasu.
The likely reason is that it has many bones, which must be cut through to eat it, making it a “troublesome fish.” However, he said it is indispensable in summer barazushi, and that he believes people in Okayama eat hirasu because barazushi includes it.
“I think you’ll understand why the bones have to be cut if you listen to the sound of me preparing the fish,” says Mitsuhata as he puts his knife to the hira.
Watching Bara-zushi Being Made
Next, Mitsuhata demonstrated how to make bara-zushi.
※Gara shrimp were unavailable that day
Make It and Give It a Try
Next, the participants tried making thin omelets.
Thinking about Kurashiki bara-zushi
After filling our stomachs, it was time for a workshop.
What could we do to make bara-zushi a more familiar food that people can enjoy easily?
That was the theme as we split into groups to discuss.
Finally, each group presented the ideas they had come up with.
- Sell ready-made bara-zushi at convenience stores and other shops
- Bring your own favorite ingredients and make it yourself
- Include it in school lessons
- Suggest new forms, such as making it into rice balls
A variety of ideas were raised.
As we were running a little behind schedule, the final part was somewhat rushed. Mitsuhata then gave some closing remarks, bringing the approximately four-hour “Barazushi Seminar” to an end.
From the Writer
I had thought of “barazushi” as little more than a local dish.
Hearing about its historical background and ingredients deepened my understanding, and discussing it together with many other participants made it feel more familiar.
Japan Heritage stories include not only “buildings” such as historic structures, but also familiar things like “food” as part of their cultural assets. I felt this makes the initiative accessible to many people.
Also, the “Japan Heritage Festival in Kurashiki” is scheduled to be held on October 25 and 26, 2025, so 2025 could be called Japan Heritage Year for Kurashiki City.
It seems that events related to Kurashiki City’s Japan Heritage are also planned in the lead-up to the festival.
Why not take this opportunity to learn about Japan Heritage?
Articles about Kurashiki City’s Japan Heritage
Bara-zushi Seminar Information
| Name | Bara-zushi Seminar |
|---|---|
| Date | March 16, 2025 10:00 a.m.–1:30 p.m. |
| Location | Kurashiki Health and Welfare Plaza, 3rd-floor Kitchen |
| Participation fee (tax included) | Free |
| Website | Japan Heritage Festival in Kurashiki |
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