{"id":2786,"date":"2026-02-05T12:00:41","date_gmt":"2026-02-05T03:00:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/goodie-foodie.com\/en\/?p=2786"},"modified":"2026-02-05T11:05:28","modified_gmt":"2026-02-05T02:05:28","slug":"ikameshi-guide-how-to-eat-hokkaido-squid-rice-ekiben-25023","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/goodie-foodie.com\/en\/ikameshi-guide-how-to-eat-hokkaido-squid-rice-ekiben-25023\/","title":{"rendered":"Ikameshi Guide: How to Eat Hokkaido\u2019s Squid Rice Ekiben"},"content":{"rendered":"

Get to Know \u201cIkameshi\u201d<\/h2>\r\n
\"Get<\/picture><\/div>\r\n

Ikameshi, a local specialty from Hokkaido, is a dish made by stuffing glutinous rice into a squid and boiling it. It’s known for being filling and easy to eat.<\/p>\r\n

In 1941, Ikameshi Abe Shoten in Mori, Hokkaido, began selling ikameshi as an ekiben, and it quickly became a hit. More than 80 years later, it is still loved by many people.<\/p>\r\n

The shop seasons it with a secret sauce that has remained unchanged since the early days. The deep, savory-sweet flavor of tender squid and glutinous rice soaked in the sauce is irresistible!<\/p>\r\n

The best way to eat ikameshi is to take a big bite<\/h2>\r\n
\"The<\/picture><\/div>\r\n

With its striking appearance, \u201cikameshi\u201d makes a strong impression. In the ekiben, you\u2019ll find two whole squids inside. So, how should you start eating it…?<\/p>\r\n

From the fin (ears)? From the body? And is it OK to eat it with your hands? You might wonder, but the answer is: don\u2019t worry\u2014go ahead and use your hands and take a bite. It\u2019s seasoned well enough that you can enjoy it as-is, without adding any condiments. It\u2019s a luxurious way to savor the squid\u2019s umami to the fullest.<\/p>\r\n

If the lower part of the body is secured with a toothpick, it\u2019s easier to hold that part and start from the fin side. Of course, taking a bold bite straight into the body\u2014packed with glutinous rice\u2014is also OK. Try different ways and see what you like!<\/p>\r\n

Slicing it into rounds is also \u25ce<\/h2>\r\n
\"Slicing<\/picture><\/div>\r\n

If you take it back home or to your lodging and share it with friends or family, slicing it into bite-size rounds is also recommended. This style might be especially good as a snack to go with drinks! Enjoy the beautiful cross-section, with glutinous rice packed tightly inside the squid, as you savor each piece.<\/p>\r\n

How our editors like to eat it<\/h2>\r\n

Ikameshi is richly seasoned, so enjoying it as-is is best\u2014but some of you may want to have fun changing up the flavor.<\/p>\r\n

For those people, here are two \u201cflavor twists\u201d recommended by one of our editors who\u2019s from Hokkaido!<\/p>\r\n

\u2460 Shichimi togarashi \u00d7 mayonnaise<\/h3>\r\n
\"\u2460<\/picture><\/div>\r\n

With grilled squid\u2014popular as a drinking snack\u2014you\u2019ll often see \u201cshichimi mayo\u201d served on the side.
\r\nSo this time, we tried applying it to ikameshi!<\/p>\r\n

With shichimi mayo, it\u2019s OK to use a surprisingly generous amount! The sharp heat brings out the sweet-and-savory flavor of ikameshi. It pairs perfectly with alcohol, transforming it into an irresistible dish for drink lovers.<\/p>\r\n

\u2461 Yuzu kosho<\/h3>\r\n
\"\u2461<\/picture><\/div>\r\n

For those who want a refreshing taste (and a bit of a palate cleanser), \u201cyuzu kosho\u201d is recommended.
\r\nAdding the citrusy aroma of yuzu to rich, sauce-soaked, satisfying ikameshi makes it feel lighter to eat.<\/p>\r\n

Ikameshi, made generously with squid, is a local gourmet born from Hokkaido\u2019s abundant natural bounty. Finding your own favorite way to customize it might be part of the fun!<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u201cEkiben,\u201d boxed meals sold for railway passengers, are a uniquely Japanese food culture\u2014and recently they\u2019ve been gaining renewed excitement in regions across the country. Among them, ikameshi is well known as one of Hokkaido\u2019s signature ekiben. With its distinctive \u201cwhole squid\u201d appearance, many people aren\u2019t sure how to eat it at first. This time, we visited Ikameshi Abe Shoten, the original shop behind the ikameshi bento, to ask the best way to enjoy it!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":18,"featured_media":2790,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[55],"class_list":["post-2786","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-slug_articles","tag-how"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/goodie-foodie.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2786","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/goodie-foodie.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/goodie-foodie.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/goodie-foodie.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/18"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/goodie-foodie.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2786"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/goodie-foodie.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2786\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2789,"href":"https:\/\/goodie-foodie.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2786\/revisions\/2789"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/goodie-foodie.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2790"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/goodie-foodie.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2786"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/goodie-foodie.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2786"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/goodie-foodie.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2786"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}