SAVOR JAPAN was created in 2016 by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries (MAFF) to promote food regions in Japan to overseas tourists.

Because of the Japanese archipelago’s mountainous terrain, many places in Japan developed unique ways of preparing food. MAFF hopes to use the SAVOR JAPAN program to provide information on regional specialties, encouraging visitors to the country to “find your local” whether it be a mountain, farming, or fishing village.

Seasonal ingredients are prized in traditional Japanese cooking, and many regional dishes are closely tied to the time of year. Akita’s kiritanpo hotpot is seen as purely an autumn and winter dish but the cold soup and rice of hiyajiru from Miyazaki is the perfect treat in the summer. MAFF encourages visitors to plan their trips mindful of the seasons, and to open themselves to discovering new seasonal specialties unknown outside Japan.

No matter when or where you visit, your gastronomic adventure in Japan is sure to be a success!