Kiritanpo

Kiritanpo is a traditional dish with origins in the Akita prefecture. It is made from cooked, half-smashed rice that is placed on a skewer, shaped into cylinders, then toasted over an open fire. The dish is traditionally consumed from autumn to spring, especially in November, when newly harvested rice is brought to the markets.

It is quite common to serve kiritanpo to guests and visitors in Japan. Locals usually place kiritanpo in a hotpot with chicken, green onions, Japanese parsley, and mushrooms, but kiritanpo can also be grilled over the fire together with miso. There are two theories about its origin: one says that the woodcutters used to wrap leftover rice around a stick and consume it with miso, while they were working in the woods, and the other theory says that bear hunters from Akita prefecture served it as an accompaniment to game meat dishes.

Regardless of the origins, both theories suggest that the people found a way to use the limited rice supplies instead of wasting them, and that is how kiritanpo was born. Today, one can consume kiritanpo at the annual Kiritanpo Festival, held in Odate.