Kanzarashi is a traditional sweet that has been made in the Shimabara area in the past. It is said that “Kanzarashi” originated from the wisdom of the residents of Shimabara, who used to make dumplings from rice flour and eat them in spring water to keep the rice scraps from spoiling. The recipe for the honey used on the dumplings differs from household to household and from store to store, making it possible to enjoy a variety of flavors, which is one of the charms of this sweet.
Kanzarashi are traditional sweets made by cooling boiled small dumplings in spring water. In Shimabara City, you can try your hand at making kanzarashi. Refined rice flour, called kanzarashi flour, is kneaded to form round dumplings, boiled, and then soaked in running water to finish. After immersing them in running water, the kanzarashi have a mild texture that goes well with sweet syrup. Try your hand at making your very own kanzarashi.
According to another report, after the riot in Shimabara-Amakusa, immigrants from Shodoshima introduced the method of making hand-stretch somen noodles. Visitors can experience the process of stretching the noodles to a length of about 2 meters by inserting a large pair of chopsticks called “sabaki. The texture of the freshly made “raw” somen noodles after stretching is chewy, a taste that can only be experienced in the area.
The town of Minamikushiyama in the city of Unzen, due to its hilly terrain and scarcity of lowlands, has a unique scenery of terraced fields, called tanabatake, that line the hillsides. The Tanabatake Observation Deck is a popular spot for taking pictures, offering a panoramic view overlooking about 800 neatly arranged terraced fields. Designated one of Nagasaki Prefecture’s 10 best terraced fields, they boast one of the largest yields of potatoes in Japan.
The mild climate of the Seto Inland Sea, with its long hours of sunshine, was ideal for citrus cultivation, and citrus cultivation flourished on the entire slopes where sea breezes blow and sunlight pours down. Citrus varieties grown in Onomichi include lemons, satsuma mandarin, hassaku orange, Chinese citron, navels, anseikan, sumo mandarin, and Kiyomi orange. Lemon trees are planted on a sunny slope in “Lemon Valley” in Setoda-cho, Onomichi City, and their flowers bloom in early summer and the yellow lemon fruits ripen in winter and spring.
Shimabara has long been known as the City of Water and is home to many natural springs. One of the dishes utilizing the spring water is somen-nagashi (running water noodles), in which tenobe-somen (‘Hand-pulled somen’), a specialty of the area, are washed in the spring water. At somen-nagashi restaurants, water is poured in the middle of the table, and patrons enjoy the tenobe-somen after dipping them in the water. These restaurants once abounded throughout the city but are now becoming fewer and fewer. However, there are also places where you can enjoy somen-nagashi using bamboo sticks, and we encourage you to enjoy this specialty when visiting Shimabara.
“LOG” is a complex of accommodations, restaurants, and stores that was renovated and revitalized from an apartment building near Senkoji Temple. The restaurant is popular for its menu, which uses a variety of ingredients from local producers, and also hosts events where visitors can taste local vegetables and fresh seafood from the Seto Inland Sea, as well as workshops where they can experience the traditional way of living, which places great importance on the calendar.
“Onomichi Ramen” is the original local ramen. Originating in Onomichi City, Hiroshima Prefecture, it is characterized by a soy sauce-based soup with pork back fat floating in it and flat noodles. There are many ramen stores in the city, and each store has its own original flavor, making it a pleasure to compare different types of Onomichi ramen.
The “Shimanami Sea Route” connects Onomichi City and Imabari City in Ehime Prefecture. This sea route was also developed as Japan’s first bicycle path that crosses the straits. It has been selected as one of the “Seven Greatest Cycling Routes in the World” by America’s CNN, and has attracted the attention of cyclists from all over the world. With little traffic, the course is safe even for beginners and is popular as a spot to enjoy the spectacular scenery of the islands of the Seto Inland Sea.
Located in northeastern Kyusyu, Kunisaki Peninsula has a rich history and culture such as Beppu Onsen, one of the most popular hot springs in Japan, and the Usa Shrine, which is said to be the first shrine-temple that incorporated Shinto and Buddhism. Kunisaki Peninsula has been producing grains like flour for centuries and locals have used them in powdered form. Dango jiru, a miso soup with flat dumplings, is a specialty dish in the area created during a time when the yield of rice was low.
