Uwajima Taimeshi: Where to Eat, Prices & Hours (Ehime)

Uwajima taimeshi is a raw style of sea bream rice, completely different from the cooked version of Matsuyama. Fresh sea bream sashimi is dressed in a special sauce of egg and dashi soy sauce, placed over piping hot rice, and eaten with gusto. It is said to have begun as a working meal that fishermen of the Uwa Sea ate on their boats, and the boldness of those seafarers lives on in the dish.

Origin and History

Its beginnings are old, said to go back to the Iyo navy that based itself on islands such as Hiburishima in the Uwa Sea from the Nanbokucho period into the Edo period. It is said to have started when the sailors shared sake over fish on their boats, then put rice into the leftover bowls and ate it mixed with soy sauce and sashimi. In this style, fillets of sea bream are dipped in a sauce combining soy sauce, mirin, sesame, and dashi, then egg yolk is added and it is poured over rice. Along with Matsuyama taimeshi, it is certified as a 100 Year Food by the Agency for Cultural Affairs.

Highlights

Glistening slices of sea bream, coated in sauce and egg, mingle richly over the rice in a striking sight. Scattering plenty of sesame, chopped scallion, and seaweed adds even more aroma and texture. You get the ease of a luxurious egg over rice together with the refined savoriness that only sashimi offers, all at once.

Enjoying the Seasons

Sea bream is especially fine from winter into spring when it is at its fattiest. The contrast of cool sashimi and warm rice can be enjoyed all year and goes down smoothly even in the hot season.

Practical Travel Notes

It can be enjoyed around the roadside station Minato Oasis Uwajima Kisaiya Hiroba in central Uwajima and at local restaurants across the city. Many shops are within walking distance of JR Uwajima Station, which makes them easy to drop by between sights. Because raw sashimi is used, shops mainly serve it at lunchtime when the fish is fresh. Popular shops can get crowded, so it is reassuring to visit with time to spare.

A Quick Tip

Add the sauce little by little to balance the savoriness of the fish and the richness of the egg to your own taste.

Practical Information for Your Visit

• Public facility where you can try it: The Kyodo Ryori Shoku no Hiroba food court inside Kisaiya Hiroba, the roadside station and Minato Oasis Uwajima (1-318-16 Bentencho, Uwajima City). Open 10:30-16:30 (last order 16:00). It is also listed among the restaurants serving taimeshi by the Uwajima City Tourism and Products Association.
• Facility information: The complex as a whole is open 9:00-18:00, closed only on January 1, with parking for 228 cars and toilets available 24 hours. The Minami-kun specialty products center (9:00-18:00) stocks farm and seafood products from about 400 producers.
• Access: About 1 km, or a 15-minute walk, from JR Uwajima Station. It is right by the Uwajima Asahi IC on the Uwajima Road, and there is also a shuttle bus to and from JR Uwajima Station.
• Points to note: The food court uses ticket machines, and reservations for meals or seats are not accepted. The regular closing days also differ from stall to stall (Kadoya on Thursdays, Hozumitei on Wednesdays, Wabisuke on Tuesdays).

* Opening hours and prices at individual shops vary from shop to shop.

(Sources: Kisaiya Hiroba official website; Uwajima Tourism Guide (Uwajima City Tourism and Products Association), Uwajima Taimeshi)

Information Sources

This article is compiled from tourism information for Uwajima City and Ehime Prefecture and from information published by each restaurant. Prices and menus differ from restaurant to restaurant and may change, so please check the official information of each restaurant for details.

Sightseeing Checklist

• Budget guide: from around a thousand yen for a set meal
• Where to eat it: local cuisine restaurants in the Nanyo region, centered on Uwajima City
• Best time to go: mainly at lunchtime; daytime is best for fresh sea bream
• Avoiding the crowds: popular restaurants fill up at lunchtime, so go outside peak hours
• Enjoy it together with: Uwajima Castle, the terraced fields of Yusu Mizugaura, and jakoten