Kawamata Shamo A Free Range Chicken of Firm Bite and Rich Flavor

Kawamata shamo is a branded chicken of Kawamata Town in Fukushima. In Kawamata, which flourished on silk weaving in the Edo period, the wealthy long kept shamo game fowl for cockfighting, and out of that tradition came efforts to improve the bird for the table.

Highlights

Research into edible shamo began in 1983, and the present Kawamata shamo was created by crossing the pure line shamo Akazasa with the American breeds Rhode Island Red and Red Cornish. Compared with ordinary chicken, it is marked by a firm bite and a deep umami that spreads as you chew. Not fatty yet richly flavored, its moderate, springy texture that is neither too tough nor watery is prized. In 2022 it was registered under the Geographical Indication protection system, giving official backing to its quality. It shines across a wide range of dishes from grilled skewers to parent and child rice bowls and hot pots.

Enjoying the Seasons

Charcoal grilled skewers are popular year round. In the cold season a hot pot in which the shamo umami melts out warms the body. In an oyako donburi the springy chicken contrasts wonderfully with soft, silky egg.

Access and Basic Information

It can be tasted at restaurants in Kawamata Town and at some shops in Fukushima City. It is available through hometown tax gifts and mail order, and can be enjoyed at home as processed goods such as hot pot sets and smoked items. The whole town works to protect and nurture the brand.

Practical Travel Notes

• Where to eat: Mainly restaurants in Kawamata Town, with some shops in Fukushima City also serving it
• Dishes: Grilled skewers, oyako donburi, and hot pot, the last especially popular in the cold season
• Takeaway: Processed goods such as hot pot sets, smoked items, and frozen meat via mail order or hometown tax gifts
• Brand: Registered as a GI product in 2022, raised by farms belonging to the promotion association

A Quick Tip

Shamo tends to toughen if overcooked. Grill the skewers on the rare side to savor the moist texture and umami.

Practical Information for Your Visit

• Production area: Registered on 31 March 2022 (Reiwa 4) as No. 118 under the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries' Geographical Indication (GI) scheme. The production area is Kawamata Town, Date District, Fukushima Prefecture, and the registered producers' body is the Kawamata Shamo Promotion Association. At an altitude of roughly 200 m or more, with cooling winds blowing down from the Abukuma Highlands even in summer, the area is considered well suited to raising chickens.
• Public facility where you can taste it: Shamoll, the Kawamata Shamo restaurant inside Michi-no-Eki Kawamata roadside station (13-1 Aza Higashi, Oaza Tsuruzawa, Kawamata Town, Date District / 024-565-5250). Open 10:00-15:00 (last order 14:30), closed every Tuesday. Oyakodon (chicken and egg rice bowl) 980 yen, seared oyakodon 1,300 yen.
• Public facility where you can buy it: Kawamata Meihinkan Silk Pia, in the same roadside station (024-566-5253). Open 9:00-17:00 (until 17:30 in summer), closed from 3 p.m. on 30 December until 1 January.

Note: Opening hours and prices at individual shops vary from establishment to establishment.

(Sources: Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Geographical Indication Protection System No. 118 Kawamata Shamo; official website of Kawamata Town)

Information Sources

This article is compiled from tourism information for Kawamata Town and Fukushima Prefecture and from information published by the individual shops. Prices and menus differ from shop to shop and are subject to change, so please check the official information of each shop for details.

Travel Checklist

• Budget guide: From around a thousand yen for a rice bowl, a little more for a set course
• Where to eat it: Local free-range chicken restaurants and diners in Kawamata Town and across Fukushima Prefecture
• Best time of day: Both lunch and dinner. Try the richly flavoured rice bowls and hot pots
• Avoiding the crowds: Popular restaurants get busy at lunchtime, so try shifting your visit outside peak hours
• Great to combine with: Kawamata Shamo oyakodon, yakitori skewers and local sake