Kankan zushi (hey itazushi)

About Kankan zushi (hey itazushi)

“Kankan-zushi,” which is handed down in the Kamobe (Kabe) area of Sanuki City, Kagawa Prefecture, is a preserved food that has continued since the Edo period, and is a pressed sushi made from fresh Japanese mackerel (Japanese mackerel) caught in the Seto Inland Sea as the main ingredient. The name of this dish comes from the sound “can can” when a wedge is hammered in with a mallet.

To make it, first soak mackerel with salt and vinegar to enhance preservation. Next, pack the sushi rice in a wooden box, arrange the mackerel on top, place the leaves on top, and cover. By driving in the wedge with a mallet and pressing it firmly, it will be difficult for it to lose its shape. By letting it sit overnight, the flavor becomes familiar, and it can be stored for several days.

It used to be useful as a preserved food during the farming season (field work), and it is a dish filled with ingenuity for farmers to easily take nutrients while busy. It is also popular as a meal for events such as memorial services and festivals, and has played a role in deepening regional ties.

Spanish mackerel, which is the main ingredient, is high in protein, low in fat, rich in vitamin D, EPA, and DHA, and is excellent in terms of health. Rice used for sushi rice is important as an energy source, and the effects of vinegar can also be expected to improve appetite and recover from fatigue.

Kankan-zushi is characterized by its strong flavor, and it goes great with junmaishu, which has strong umami, and ginjoshu, which has a light acidity. In particular, by pairing it with local Kagawa sake, you can enjoy it while feeling the local climate.

Opportunities to make it at home are declining in modern times, but as a local dish representing the Tosan region of Kagawa prefecture, its traditions and flavors are still being handed down. When you visit, be sure to try this “kankan-zushi” and experience Kagawa's food culture.

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