Protected local food
Odate Tonburi
大館とんぶり
Tiny processed seeds of the kochia plant from Odate, Akita. They have almost no taste but pop like fish roe, which earned them the name 'field caviar'.
Key facts
- Registered as a protected name
- 26 May 2017
- Region
- Tohoku
- Official name in Japanese
- 大館とんぶり
- Official area (in Japanese)
- 秋田県大館市
From a broom plant
Tonburi is made from the seeds of houkigi (kochia), an annual plant whose stems were once tied into brooms. The seeds fall off easily, so the plant does best in sheltered places. Odate in Akita is ringed by mountains and has little wind, plus plenty of spring water for processing the seeds.
Field caviar
The grains are only 1 to 2 mm across. They taste of very little, but they pop between your teeth like fish roe. That texture earned tonburi its nickname, field caviar. The name is said to come from buriko, the roe of hatahata (sandfish), Akita's prefectural fish.
How to eat it
People in Akita have eaten tonburi since the Edo era. Try it on grated yam, mixed with natto or as a topping for tofu and salads. It is also good with a little mayonnaise on crackers.
Good to know
- Look for small jars of tonburi in Akita's station shops and supermarkets. It keeps well and is easy to pack.
- It suits vegetarians who want the texture of caviar without fish.
Questions travellers ask
Is tonburi really caviar?
No. It is a plant seed, but its popping texture is like caviar, hence the nickname 'field caviar'.
Where is it made?
Odate city, in northern Akita Prefecture.
Where it comes from
More protected foods from the same area
Crafts from the same area
Heritage stories from the same area
Sources
We checked the facts on this page against these sources.