Shio Koji Pickled Spring Cabbage

This recipe for shio koji pickled spring cabbage, when added to the first two that I posted here (steamed rice with barley and the simple tofu & wakame miso soup), rounds out the basic meal pattern eaten in temples throughout Japan. It is referred to as ichi-jyū issai, and translates as "one soup, one dish." The rice is understood as a given, and, therefore, is omitted from the counting.

There are variations that you will see across the internet, but this is the one that I am familiar with: rice, soup, and pickles. There was a cup of tea that was served alongside the meal, but not for drinking. It was used at the end as a way to clean the bowls and dishes that the meal was served in. More about that in an upcoming post!

The season has just ended here in Hokkaido for this particular variety of cabbage, but it works well with any cabbage or hearty leafy green. There is really little room for error with only three ingredients. Play around with it and have fun with it. You can't go wrong.

Shio Koji Pickled Cabbage by Eiten Higgins © 2025 Tenzo's Kitchen LLC