Seri Nabe is a traditional-style hot pot from Miyagi Prefecture made with generous amounts of Sendai seri, a fragrant Japanese water parsley grown locally. Especially popular during the cold winter months, this dish is enjoyed by both local residents and visitors to Sendai.
Fresh seri is known for its crisp texture and distinctive aroma. When added to a hot pot with meat and savory broth, it provides a refreshing contrast to the rich flavors of the dish. Seri Nabe is also notable because the roots of the seri are eaten as well as the stems and leaves.
Seri has been cultivated in Miyagi Prefecture since the Edo period, and Miyagi is Japan’s leading producer of the vegetable. Although seri itself has a long history in the region, Seri Nabe is a relatively modern local specialty.
The dish began appearing at izakaya-style restaurants in Sendai around 2004. Its popularity grew considerably during the process of regional recovery following the Great East Japan Earthquake of 2011, and it gradually became known throughout Japan as one of Miyagi’s characteristic winter foods.
The basic combination for Seri Nabe is seri with chicken or duck. Depending on the restaurant or household, additional ingredients such as green onions, burdock root, tofu, and fried tofu may also be included.
The broth varies from place to place. Some versions use a chicken-based stock seasoned with soy sauce, mirin, and sake, while others use a traditional Japanese dashi made from ingredients such as bonito flakes and kombu kelp.
One of the most distinctive characteristics of Seri Nabe is that the entire seri plant can be enjoyed, including the roots. The roots have an especially pronounced aroma and a firm, pleasant texture.
The crispness of the roots and stems adds an interesting contrast to the tender meat and warm broth. The leaves provide another texture and a delicate herbal flavor, allowing diners to enjoy several different characteristics of the same vegetable.
Seri (Oenanthe javanica) is a perennial plant in the parsley family and is traditionally regarded as one of the Seven Herbs of Spring in Japan. It naturally grows in wetlands and along streams, where it thrives in moist environments.
The plant is characterized by its strong, refreshing aroma and crisp texture. It has also been used in Japanese food culture for centuries and was traditionally believed to have various health-supporting properties.
Seri can be found naturally from Hokkaido to Kyushu in Japan and is also distributed in parts of Siberia, China, Southeast Asia, and Australia.
It prefers moist locations such as rice paddies, field edges, and the banks of streams. In Miyagi Prefecture, abundant spring water and the region’s temperature differences help create favorable conditions for growing high-quality seri.
Seri generally grows to around 20–80 centimeters in height. Its leaves are soft and green, sometimes developing a reddish tone as temperatures fall. The plant produces small white flowers in summer, followed by seeds that mature in autumn.
It is also a remarkably hardy plant that can survive through winter rather than completely dying back, making it well suited to the cold-season harvest for which Miyagi’s seri is known.
Seri is cultivated using two main methods: rice-paddy cultivation, known as ta-seri, and field cultivation, known as hata-seri.
For ta-seri, parent plants are planted in rice paddies supplied with clean spring water and harvested during winter. Hata-seri is grown in fields using runners, with repeated irrigation throughout the growing process.
Large quantities of water are essential for cultivation. About one month before harvest, growers manage the plants by continuously supplying flowing water, helping create the conditions needed for high-quality seri.
Seri is generally ready for harvest when it reaches approximately 20–40 centimeters in height. Seri grown using blanching techniques tends to have a gentler aroma and milder bitterness, making it easy to eat.
Seri from Natori City in Miyagi Prefecture and the Mikkaichi area of Yuzawa City in Akita Prefecture are particularly well regarded as branded regional vegetables.
Seri has a long history as a food plant in Japan. It appears in a poem in the Man’yoshu, an eighth-century Japanese poetry collection, and records of its cultivation can be found in the Engishiki, a set of regulations and customs compiled in 927.
During the Edo period, seri was cultivated as a local specialty in various parts of Japan. In Miyagi, cultivation of seri in rice paddies became particularly established from around the late 18th century.
Seri is a low-calorie vegetable containing nutrients such as vitamin C, vitamin K, and vitamin A in the form of beta-carotene. It also contains minerals including calcium, iron, and potassium.
These nutrients contribute to a balanced diet and are among the reasons why seri has long been valued as a nutritious seasonal vegetable.
Seri also contains dietary fiber, which is important for maintaining a healthy digestive system. Its crisp texture makes it particularly enjoyable in dishes where the vegetable is only lightly cooked.
The characteristic aroma of seri comes partly from its essential oil components, including myristicin and apiol. These aromatic compounds contribute to the vegetable’s distinctive culinary character.
Seri contains approximately 17 calories per 100 grams, making it a very light vegetable. When used in a hot pot, it can provide plenty of texture and flavor without adding large amounts of fat.
Seri is traditionally one of the Seven Herbs of Spring eaten in Japanese nanakusa-gayu, a rice porridge traditionally enjoyed on January 7. In Miyagi, however, the vegetable has also developed a strong association with winter through Seri Nabe.
Locally, seri is appreciated as a fragrant winter vegetable, and Seri Nabe has become a dish that many visitors look forward to when traveling to Sendai during the colder months.
When preparing Seri Nabe, chicken or duck is usually cooked first so that its flavor can enrich the broth. The seri is then added toward the end of cooking.
The key is not to overcook the seri. Light cooking preserves its characteristic crisp texture and fresh aroma. Diners can enjoy the roots, stems, and leaves together, experiencing the different textures and flavors of the entire plant.
Once the main ingredients have been eaten, rice porridge or udon noodles are often added to the remaining broth to create a satisfying final course.
Many restaurants in Sendai serve Seri Nabe, particularly during the winter season. For visitors, enjoying the dish on a cold evening is an excellent way to experience one of the city’s distinctive seasonal food traditions.
Its popularity has also spread through word of mouth and social media, helping establish Seri Nabe as a recognizable symbol of Miyagi’s winter food culture.
Seri Nabe is a delicious expression of the natural environment and food culture of Miyagi Prefecture. The locally grown Sendai seri, nourished by abundant water, is combined with flavorful broth and chicken or duck to create a warming winter meal.
Its fragrant aroma, crisp texture, and unusual tradition of eating the roots make it different from many other Japanese hot pots. For travelers visiting Sendai in winter, trying Seri Nabe is an excellent opportunity to discover a regional specialty that connects local agriculture, seasonal food culture, and the natural environment of Miyagi.