Atsumeshi is a traditional dish from Yonozu, a fishing community in Saiki City, Oita Prefecture, facing the Bungo Channel. It is a rice bowl topped with slices of fish marinated in a soy sauce-based seasoning. The dish is usually finished with garnishes such as green onions, seaweed, and sesame seeds, and served with hot tea or dashi broth poured over the top.
Atsumeshi is believed to have originated as a simple meal prepared by local fishermen. After catching fish, they would slice some of their catch and eat it on board their boats. Any remaining pieces were preserved by marinating them in a family-recipe sauce so they could be eaten later. This preserved fish is thought to be the origin of the dish.
The sweet soy sauce-based marinade helps mellow the distinctive flavor of oily fish such as yellowtail and horse mackerel, making it an excellent accompaniment to rice.
Yamaro Watanabe’s Atsumeshi Sauce is an original seasoning designed to make it easy to recreate this local dish at home. Simply marinate your preferred sashimi in the sauce, then serve it over hot rice with hot tea and your choice of garnishes.
The sauce combines soy sauce, sesame, and other seasonings, with fish sauce added as a secret ingredient. It has the gently sweet flavor characteristic of Kyushu-style soy sauce-based seasonings.
Atsumeshi Sauce is based on the traditional marinating sauce used by fishermen in Yonozu, Saiki City. The dish is also closely related to ryukyu, another Oita-style preparation in which fresh fish is marinated in a seasoned soy sauce mixture.
In Oita, this type of marinated fish dish has long been enjoyed as a way to make the most of the fresh seafood available from local waters. The sauce is designed to complement fish while softening strong fishy aromas and bringing out its natural flavor.
Although it is especially well suited to fish, the sauce also pairs well with meat. It can be used to season dishes such as sukiyaki and pork ginger stir-fry, making it a versatile seasoning for everyday cooking.
With Atsumeshi Sauce, preparing a traditional-style bowl of atsumeshi is simple.
First, place your preferred sashimi in a container. Add green onions or white sesame seeds if desired. Pour in enough Atsumeshi Sauce to cover the fish and allow it to marinate.
The fish can be enjoyed immediately, or left in the refrigerator for a little while to allow the flavors to develop. To serve it in the traditional style, place the marinated fish over a bowl of steaming hot rice, add your favorite garnishes, and pour hot tea or dashi broth over the top.
The result is a comforting local rice dish that brings together the flavor of fresh fish, the sweetness of the sauce, and the warmth of freshly cooked rice.
Atsumeshi Sauce is not limited to marinating sashimi. It can also be used as an all-purpose seasoning for a variety of dishes.
It works well in vegetable stir-fries and meat dishes, and can be used to season rice topped with a raw egg. It is also suitable for dishes such as kakiage (mixed-ingredient tempura fritters) and katsudon (a rice bowl topped with breaded pork cutlet and egg).
When diluted, the sauce can also be used as a broth or dipping sauce for udon and soba noodles. Its versatility makes it a useful item to keep in the kitchen for preparing both traditional Oita dishes and everyday meals.
Atsumeshi Sauce is made by Yamaro Watanabe, a seafood-processing company founded in 1908 (Meiji 41).
The company has more than a century of experience in producing dried fish and processed seafood products. It places great importance on the fresh and varied fish caught in the Bungo Channel and continues to draw on the region’s seafood traditions in its products.
Through Atsumeshi Sauce, the company makes it possible to enjoy the flavors of a traditional fishermen’s dish in an easy and convenient way at home.