#Japan #Tokyo #Asakusa #Tororo #Mugitoro

Celebrating Tororo Day at Asakusa Mugitoro

On June 16, 2025, Asakusa Mugitoro will celebrate "Tororo Day" by hosting a special event named "Tororo Day Fair," offering exclusive menus designed for foreign tourists and those health-conscious. This limited-time opportunity runs from June 16 to June 20 and from June 23 to June 27, with only a limited number of servings available each day.

Background and Purpose

The influx of foreign visitors to Japan continues to rise, with over 36.87 million anticipated in 2024, showcasing a growing interest in the country’s culinary culture. Asakusa Mugitoro intends to enhance international understanding through the unique flavor of "tororo"—a traditional Japanese dish made from grated yam—thereby contributing to a multicultural society.

Simultaneously, a pressing health issue within Japan is the serious deficiency in vegetable intake. Recent national nutrition surveys indicate that the average daily vegetable consumption for adults aged 20 and above is only 250.6g, significantly below the Ministry of Health's recommendation of 350g. Both men and women have seen a remarkable decrease in their vegetable intake over the past decade, highlighting an urgent challenge to public health. To address this problem, Asakusa Mugitoro is presenting two special menus featuring tororo as an ideal food rich in vitamins, potassium, dietary fiber, and digestive enzymes (diastase).

The Special Menus

The fair will showcase two unique dishes:
1. Tororo Zukushi - Tororo no Kakurenbo (for foreign tourists, priced at 9,900 yen, tax included). This dish consists of 12 beautifully crafted items that blend tororo with familiar flavors, including Iwate beef and nagaimo steak, temari sushi, and assorted tempura. This selection challenges preconceived notions about tororo and culminates in a rich bowl of tororo rice with a flavorful egg.
2. Tororo Zukushi - Ajisai Osechi Style (for health-conscious diners, priced at 6,600 yen, tax included). Featuring 25 distinct preparations of yam, this dish showcases a variety of cooking techniques—raw, boiled, grilled, steamed, and fried—delightfully presented to resemble colorful hydrangeas, emphasizing both nutrition and aesthetic appeal.

Insights from the Executive Chef

Chef Hidetoshi Natori, head chef at Asakusa Mugitoro, notes that the menu for Tororo Zukushi - Tororo no Kakurenbo was specifically designed to reduce the sliminess typically associated with tororo. The goal was to present the dish in an appealing manner for foreign guests, ensuring a satisfying experience that gradually highlights the presence of tororo throughout the meal. Meanwhile, Tororo Zukushi - Ajisai Osechi Style seeks to elevate the charm of yam through various cooking methods while also paying tribute to the traditional Japanese concept of auspicious cuisine meant to celebrate occasions, enriched with vibrant colors of budding hydrangeas in the rainy season.

Addressing Social Issues

The event's overarching theme aims to resolve several societal challenges:

• - Contributing to Public Health: Through balanced meals centered around nutrient-rich yam, the initiative addresses modern Japanese health issues, such as lifestyle diseases and nutritional improvement.
• - Culinary Heritage: By shedding light on the value of yam as a healthy food source, the fair aims to preserve and innovate traditional culinary practices.
• - Promotion of Multicultural Exchange: It seeks to share Japan's culinary beauties with tourists and foster cultural exchanges through food.
• - Reducing Food Waste: The event encourages awareness and practices for sustainable food through appreciation for ingredients.

Asakusa Mugitoro continues to explore the potential of traditional dishes like tororo, dedicating its efforts to improving people’s lives and enhancing society through cuisine.

About Asakusa Mugitoro

Founded in 1929, Asakusa Mugitoro is a renowned restaurant in Tokyo’s Asakusa district, famous for its tororo, made from meticulously selected domestic yam. Driven by a commitment to not just preserve traditional flavors but also to innovate, the restaurant aims to deliver joy and delight to its customers through its culinary offerings.