Photos by Tohoku Digital Archive

Historical Background

There was a native breed of chicken from the Akita prefecture, called Hinai dori. In the Edo period, it was so tasty that it was used as a tax tribute. In the Meiji period, the number of the Hinai dori breed greatly decreased because of the import of exotic breeds, which put the Hinai dori breed at risk of extinction. Hinai dori chickens also have a relatively low reproduction rate so the population could not keep up. Therefore, in 1942, Japan designated the Hinai dori as a national treasure for conservation. It could not be bred or sold for consumption. Then, in 1973, the Akita Prefectural Livestock Experiment Station (now the Livestock Experiment Station of the Akita Prefectural Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries Research Center) started conducting single crossing tests with Hinai dori male parents to look for effective use of the breed, and they found that a cross between the Hinai-dori and Rhode Island Red breeds worked perfectly, especially because the result was a raised reproduction rate. As a result, the crossbred was commercialized as the Hinai jidori chicken. 

Characteristics

There are strict standards for raising Hinai jidori to maintain the taste and quality. Chickens are free-range (their fat used in hotpots is clear because they get more exercise) with lots of sun light and slow raised for at least 150 days before consumption. Wider spaces are used for raising Hinai jidori compared to other normal chickens. They are fed a special feed specifically made for Akita Hinai-Jidori for first 60 days of life. Prepared Hinai chicken is tender and juicy with a strong umami flavor. The deliciousness of Hinai Jidori is scientifically proven since the amount of umami elements like inosinic acid and arachidonic acid contained in Hinai Jidori is higher than other breeds of chicken. Due to their unique genetic makeup, Hinai jidori eggs are also coveted. They are typically very large eggs with large, dark yellow yolks - this dark yolk color indicates that the chicken was raised outdoors/free-range (access to sunlight) on a natural (typically vegetarian) diet. The flavor of the dark yellow yolk is described as a very rich flavor, so it is typically used to add richness to a dish such as Oyakodon.

Where to eat

To know more!