Shabu Shabu was invented by Shoya Yoshida, a doctor from Tottori Prefecture. He joined the mingei movement (Japanese crafts), which began in the late Taisho period (1912-192), and established the Tottori Folk Craft Museum in 1949. Legend has it that Kublai Khan, grandson of the infamous Genghis Khan, was hungry for lamb before a great battle. Unfortunately, enemy troops were getting closer quickly. To save time, the chef decided to cut the lamb into thin slices, which allowed the meat to cook quickly.
The Khan enjoyed the food so much that he served it to his army when he won the battle. This new dish was called instant boiled lamb. For Nabemono Shabu Shabu, founder Jessica Roan, the shabu symbolizes family, but it also marks the beginning of her journey as a young Asian businesswoman, woman and business owner.
