Is Raw Egg a Must for Soy Sauce Egg Rice? ... Why Is Japan So Serious About Raw Eggs? [Nichiyobi Nichi Culture]

Chicken that crossed the Korean Peninsula... Food culture spreading since the Meiji era
Dedicated to egg research and development... Short shelf life allows raw consumption

Do you like eggs? When you're hungry but too lazy to even lift a finger, nothing is more satisfying than putting a soft-fried egg on rice and making soy sauce egg rice.

Korean soy sauce egg rice also exists in Japan. While Korea has soy sauce egg rice, Japan has "Tamago Kake Gohan," which is rice topped with raw egg and soy sauce mixed together. Like the Korean abbreviation 'Gankye-bap,' Tamago Kake Gohan is abbreviated as "TKG" from its English initials. The difference is that instead of cooked eggs, the egg is cracked raw and mixed directly with the rice.

Japanese soy sauce egg rice, 'Tamago Kake Gohan'. (Photo by Kobayashi Golden Egg Homepage)

At this point, many might wonder, "How do you eat that?" In fact, raw eggs are not very popular in Korea. Many find them fishy, so opinions are divided. So why did Japan start putting raw eggs on rice instead of fried eggs? Today, we will share the story of Japan’s soy sauce egg rice, Tamago Kake Gohan.

Originally, chickens were introduced to Japan from the Korean Peninsula around 100 BCE. However, at that time, Japan revered Buddhism and prohibited meat consumption, so chickens were not eaten, and eggs were not particularly regarded as food. Eating eggs became common in Japan only from the Edo period in the 17th century. In the early Edo period, there were even egg vendors shouting "Eggs for sale," similar to Korea. Eggs were recognized as a highly nutritious complete food and were very precious, so they were not eaten daily but treated as a health food. Late Edo period cookbooks recorded recipes for egg rice as a health dish, describing a dish where rice cooked in a cauldron was cracked with eggs, covered with a lid to steam, and then seasoned before eating. Still, cooked eggs were more common than raw eggs at that time.

Rice topped with raw egg is known to have started in the Meiji period. The first person to invent this raw egg rice bowl in Japan was a man named Kishida Ginko. He was a journalist and entrepreneur credited with opening a new horizon in Japanese newspaper advertising. He always ordered rice with raw egg for breakfast and began recommending it to those around him.

A view of the 'Hwansang Egg Shop' selling over 90 types of eggs from all over the country. (Photo by Hwansang Egg Shop website)

In the early 20th century, during the Taisho period, poultry farming began in earnest, making eggs relatively easier to obtain. However, eggs were still expensive. A Japanese essay describing the dining table at that time notes, "The basic breakfast was egg rice, but a family of parents and three children shared one egg sprinkled over their rice."

It was only in the subsequent Showa period, with the introduction of American poultry farming technology, that eggs became widely available in households. By 1970, the annual egg consumption per person in Japan rose to about 250 eggs.

During the Showa period, American poultry farming technology was introduced, significantly increasing egg production. Eggs became widely consumed in households, and by 1970, the annual egg consumption per person in Japan exceeded 250 eggs. After that, egg-related food culture in Japan rapidly developed. Like Korea’s organic eggs and pasture-raised eggs, Japan increased the variety of "special eggs" by focusing on chicken feed and production methods, expanding consumer choices. Japan is the second-largest egg-consuming country in the world after Mexico. With such dedication to eggs, raw egg rice bowls naturally became established as part of the food culture.

There are even eggs and soy sauce sold exclusively for raw egg rice bowls. These special eggs are designed to match the weight of a 160g bowl of rice, smaller than extra-large eggs, and are characterized by less fishiness. In 2019, a "Raw Egg Rice Laboratory" was established in Japan, and a "fantasy egg shop" featuring over 90 brands of eggs from across the country appeared, showing the thriving raw egg culture.

'Tamagokake Gohan Exclusive Eggs' sold as gifts. (Photo by Rakuten)

However, the concern is Salmonella bacteria. According to research, Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries manages egg quality well, so there is no need to worry about Salmonella. Because raw egg consumption is so common in Japan, the shelf life of eggs is set short at two weeks. In Korea and other countries, the shelf life is usually about one month from the laying date. Nevertheless, nearly 1,000 people annually suffer food poisoning from eggs in Japan.

Anyway, it’s fascinating how the same menu can have such different ways of eating eggs. Just as some people add butter or sesame oil to soy sauce egg rice, in Japan, some use only the raw egg yolk, while others add katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes). On a lazy weekend when you don’t want to lift a finger, I recommend soy sauce egg rice for lunch.