Ehime's Two Types of Taimeshi — Cooked Hojo Taimeshi and Raw Uwajima Taimeshi

Completely Different Dishes with the Same Name

When ordering "taimeshi" (sea bream rice) in Ehime, a completely different dish is served depending on where in the prefecture you order it. One is rice cooked together with sea bream. The other is raw sea bream sashimi coated in sauce and placed on hot rice. The former is "Hojo Taimeshi" from the Chuyo region (which includes Matsuyama), and the latter is "Uwajima Taimeshi" from Uwajima in the Nanyo region. While both share the use of red sea bream (madai), the prefectural fish, the cooking methods and dining styles are entirely different, and the two are referred to distinctly within the prefecture.

Hojo Taimeshi — Cooking the Whole Sea Bream with Rice

Hojo Taimeshi involves cooking a whole sea bream together with rice. Its key characteristic is the absence of additional ingredients. Vegetables such as burdock root or carrots, as well as fried tofu, are not added; it is cooked solely with sea bream and kombu kelp broth. Once cooked, the fish meat is flaked and mixed into the rice, allowing the sea bream broth to infuse the entire dish.

In the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries' "Our Regional Cuisines" (Uchi no Kyodo Ryori), the Chuyo region is indicated as the primary traditional area for taimeshi, where it is introduced as a cooked rice dish using a whole sea bream. Because the rice and fish are finished in the same pot, flaking the cooked sea bream at the dining table forms part of the culinary experience.

As for its origin, it is said to have begun when Empress Jingu stopped by Kashima Myojin in Matsuyama, and rice was cooked topped with a sea bream presented by local fishermen. Although it is named after the Hojo district of Matsuyama City, it is a dining style that has been cherished throughout the broader Chuyo area.

Uwajima Taimeshi — Sashimi in Sauce Poured over Rice

Uwajima Taimeshi does not involve heating the fish. Fresh red sea bream fillets are sliced thinly, mixed with a sauce prepared with soy sauce, mirin, raw egg, sesame seeds, and dashi broth, and poured over warm rice to eat. It is said to have originated as a fishermen's meal eaten aboard ships by the Iyo Suigun navy, and has also been locally called "Hyuga-meshi." This way of eating using raw sea bream is considered unique to Uwajima across Japan.

Uwajima Taimeshi, passed down in the Nanyo region, also differs from the cooked Hojo Taimeshi in the sequence of preparation. Because sashimi is combined with sauce and poured over rice, there is no step of cooking rice and sea bream together. Understanding the two not just by the same name, but by categorizing them into cooked rice versus raw sea bream with sauce, makes it easier to confirm the distinction when ordering in Dogo.

Both Certified as "100-Year Food"

Both dishes were jointly certified in fiscal year 2021 under the Traditional 100-Year Food Category of the Agency for Cultural Affairs' "100-Year Food" program, which recognizes local culinary cultures (the certification was announced on March 3, 2022). In the same fiscal year from Ehime, Igisu Tofu was certified in the Traditional Category, while Tsushima no Rokuhō and Mitsuhama-yaki were certified in the Modern Category. This represents a case where two local dishes using the same fish from a single prefecture were both recognized.

Comparing Both in Dogo

Around Dogo Onsen, there are restaurants that serve both styles of taimeshi. Establishments offering both cooked and raw versions allow visitors to compare them at the same time. Neither is superior to the other; they stand alongside each other as two distinct dishes with different origins and flavor profiles. If your travel itinerary permits, trying both rather than just one reveals the breadth of ways Ehime enjoys seafood and rice.

Menu offerings and operating hours at each restaurant are subject to change. Please check the detailed spot pages and official restaurant information before visiting.

When searching for the two in Dogo, checking not only the restaurant name but also whether it serves cooked Hojo Taimeshi or Uwajima Taimeshi (raw sea bream poured over rice with sauce) will help avoid discrepancies with the dish you wish to order. Records from the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries organize the background and traditional regions of Ehime Prefecture's taimeshi, and documents from the Agency for Cultural Affairs and Matsuyama City confirm their certification as 100-Year Foods. Comparing the two is not meant to determine superiority, but rather serves as an opportunity to learn about the differing ways of eating the same red sea bream within the prefecture.

When searching for the two in Dogo, checking not only the restaurant name but also whether it serves cooked Hojo Taimeshi or Uwajima Taimeshi (raw sea bream poured over rice with sauce) will help avoid discrepancies with the dish you wish to order. Records from the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries organize the background and traditional regions of Ehime Prefecture's taimeshi, and documents from the Agency for Cultural Affairs and Matsuyama City confirm their certification as 100-Year Foods. Comparing the two is not meant to determine superiority, but rather serves as an opportunity to learn about the differing ways of eating the same red sea bream within the prefecture.

When searching for the two in Dogo, checking not only the restaurant name but also whether it serves cooked Hojo Taimeshi or Uwajima Taimeshi (raw sea bream poured over rice with sauce) will help avoid discrepancies with the dish you wish to order. Records from the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries organize the background and traditional regions of Ehime Prefecture's taimeshi, and documents from the Agency for Cultural Affairs and Matsuyama City confirm their certification as 100-Year Foods. Comparing the two is not meant to determine superiority, but rather serves as an opportunity to learn about the differing ways of eating the same red sea bream within the prefecture.

*Note: There are various theories regarding the origins. The descriptions introduced here are based on explanations published by public institutions.