Beef hot pot

About Beef hot pot

“Gyunabe,” which originated in Yokohama City, Kanagawa Prefecture, is a local dish that symbolizes civilization and enlightenment from the end of the Edo period to the Meiji period. After the opening of Yokohama Port in 1859, beef food culture spread mainly in foreign settlements. Influenced by this, the Yokohama izakaya “Isekuma” began serving it in 1862, which is said to be the origin of beef nabe. Eating beef was a revolutionary event for Japanese people at the time, and beef hot pot became a symbol of a new food culture.

The appeal of beef nabe lies in its unique cooking method in which carefully selected domestic beef is simmered in a sweet and spicy seasoning. The seasoning is based on soy sauce, mirin, and sugar, and adding sake creates a deep richness and mellow sweetness. In addition to beef, seasonal vegetables such as green onions, tofu, shirataki, shiitake mushrooms, and garland chrysanthemum are used as ingredients, and you can enjoy a deep flavor where layers of flavor overlap. The style in which beef simmered in an iron pot is passed through beaten eggs is characterized by the fact that you can enjoy both aroma and mellowness at the same time, keeping the tradition from the Meiji period intact.

Yokohama beef nabe is more than just a dish; it has evolved along with the history of the region. What led to the establishment of beef nabe culture lies in the historical background of the rapid penetration of Western culture through Yokohama Port. Also, during the Meiji period, many beef pot specialty stores were established, mainly in Yokohama, and spread all over the country, such as Tokyo and Kyoto. Even today, long-established stores such as “Ota Nawanoren” offer it to tourists while inheriting the flavors of that time.

As a related event, beef nabe is often taken up as a traditional local dish at the “Yokohama Gourmet Festival” held every October in Yokohama, and it is introduced as a local pride. Also, beef nabe is familiar to Yokohama citizens, as it is incorporated into local school lunches.

In terms of nutrition, you can get high protein and iron from beef, and vitamins and dietary fiber from vegetables. Pairing with Kanagawa's local sake “Izumibashi Megumi” and “Mount Hakone” further enhances local flavors and provides a memorable food experience.

“Gyu-nabe” was born in Yokohama with the scent of civilization and enlightenment. Each bite is filled with the history and culture of Yokohama as an open port city. When you visit Yokohama, be sure to enjoy the local flavors and go on a timeless gastronomic journey.

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