akashiyaki

{{Short description|Japanese round dumpling with octopus filling}}

{{Italic title|reason=:Category:Japanese words and phrases}}

{{Infobox food

| name = Akashiyaki

| image = File:明石燒, 玉子燒 (25165926536).jpg

| caption =

| alternate_name = Tamagoyaki

| country = Japan

| region = Akashi

| creator =

| course =

| type = Dumpling

| served =

| main_ingredient = batter (flour, eggs, octopus, dashi)

| variations = Takoyaki

| calories =

| other =

}}

{{nihongo|Akashiyaki|明石焼き}} is a small round dumpling from the city of Akashi in Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. The dumpling is made of an egg-rich batter and octopus dipped into dashi (a thin fish broth) before eating. Modern style akashiyaki was first sold in the Taishō period by a yatai owner Seitarō Mukai.{{cite web|script-title=ja:明石名物玉子焼き |trans-title=Tamagoyaki, a specialty of Akashi |publisher=Akashi Tourism Association |url=http://www.yokoso-akashi.jp/tamago-top.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060828161258/http://www.yokoso-akashi.jp/tamago-top.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=2006-08-28 |access-date=2011-04-13 |language=ja }}

Although takoyaki, another Japanese dumpling, is more popular in Japan, it is based on akashiyaki.{{cite web | last = Alan | first = Wiren | title = Takoyaki: Icon of Osaka | publisher = Japan Visitor | url = http://www.japanvisitor.com/index.php?cID=361&pID=1168 | access-date = 2011-04-13 | archive-date = 2012-07-25 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120725201459/http://www.japanvisitor.com/index.php?cID=361&pID=1168 | url-status = live }} Both are made with a takoyaki pan, a type of frying pan or cooktop with many hemispherical molds. Compared to takoyaki, akashiyaki has a softer, more eggy texture.

Akashiyaki is shown in the cyberpunk visual novel video game Snatcher. In the English release, however, it was changed to "Neo Kobe Pizza" (which substitutes soup for the dashi and a slice of pizza for the dumplings), a meal that fans of the game have gone through the effort of recreating.{{cite web |last1=Burch |first1=Anthony |title=Neo Kobe Pizza: a Snatcher-inspired dinner in pictures |url=https://www.destructoid.com/neo-kobe-pizza-a-snatcher-inspired-dinner-in-pictures/ |website=Destructoid |access-date=6 October 2023 |date=1 May 2009 |archive-date=12 October 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231012122244/https://www.destructoid.com/neo-kobe-pizza-a-snatcher-inspired-dinner-in-pictures/ |url-status=live }}

== History ==

Akashiyaki used to be known as tamagoyaki (grilled egg) for a long time locally. However, around 1988, a city official renamed tamagoyaki to akashiyaki for the purpose of promoting the city of Akashi. The origin of the name comes from the decoration called akashidama. Akashidama is a kind of artificial coral made by hardening egg whites with saltpeter, and it was used as decoration in kanzashi. From the end of the Edo period to the Taisho period, the production of akashidama was a thriving local industry in Akashi.

It is said that people started making akashiyaki because there was a large amount of leftover egg yolk and wheat flour from the production of akashidama. In addition, Akashi city had abundant catches of octopus. People started mixing those ingredients together and created akashiyaki.{{cite web |url=https://www.yokoso-akashi.jp/akashi/akashi-yaki.html |title=明石焼（玉子焼）の達人 |language=Japanese |accessdate=2022-12-08 |archive-date=2022-12-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221208080211/https://www.yokoso-akashi.jp/akashi/akashi-yaki.html |url-status=live }}