Hyogo Prefecture has the second largest catch of all kinds of octopus in the country and the number one catch of the common octopus in Japan (Madako).
It is recorded that octopus fishing in the Seto Inland Sea was already well known in the Edo period (1603–1868), and Tako meshi was prepared as an easy dish with rice after fishing.

Today, it has become popular as a homemade dish, with several variations of octopus rice using raw, boiled or dried octopus. It is also sold as a specialty ekiben (boxed take-out food sold at train stations) and is an indispensable local dish.

The umami of the dashi enhances the flavor of the octopus and rice, which are cooked in a rice cooker, making it very easy to prepare.