Many in Japan have speculated on the origins of tonjiru, also known as butajiru, a hearty pork-based miso soup with winter vegetables.
Some believe it originated from kenchinjiru, a vegan soup popular with Zen Buddhists that is similar to tonjiru but without the animal products in it. Others think it is based on a dish known as botan nabe (boar hot pot), and yet another theory posits the word “tonjiru” comes from “tonpeijiru,” a soup eaten by the tondenhei, or “tonpei,” agricultural soldiers who colonized and defended Hokkaido during the Meiji Era (1868-1912).
The speculation doesn’t stop there, either. Some believe that tonjiru is based on a rice curry made by the Imperial Japanese Navy, except that they turned it into a miso soup, and some say it might simply be a pork version of satsumajiru, a soup from Kyushu that uses pork, chicken or other meats. However it came to be, there’s no disputing that tonjiru is perfect fare for warming you up when the weather gets cold.