At an altitude of 650m to 1500m, the sunny weather and cool climate nurture high-quality agricultural products such as highland vegetables and fruits. It has prospered as a post town on Nakasendo since ancient times, and the fermented food culture such as miso-based dishes and pickles is still rooted in the people’s lives. The nutritious carp dish is a local soul food. No wonder it’s a prefecture known for health and longevity.
The mountain village of Maze has a bountiful food culture that can be experienced through innumerable dishes, including salt-grilled sweetfish and hobazushi, sushi ingredients wrapped in a magnolia leaf. A local take on miso incorporates barley koji, a fermentation known for its gentle, sweet flavor, and dishes are often accompanied by a rich variety of pickled vegetables.
More than a century has passed since eel and soft-shell turtle farming was developed in the Hamamatsu and Lake Hamana area, and in that time over a hundred restaurants specializing in eel have sprung up. Because the area is situated halfway between Eastern and Western Japan, you can find the eel cuisine styles of both regions in Hamamatsu. In the Eastern style, the eel is slit along the back before broiling, and in the Western style, the cut is made along the belly.
The greatest appeal of the local seafood is its freshness. Some of the specialty seafoods from the region include the mud crab, known locally as the “phantom crab” for its rarity.
At Yaizu Port facing Suruga Bay, where the Oi-River flows, you can enjoy various things such as Yaizu Southern Bluefin Tuna, which is called “red diamond” because of its elegant fat and sweetness, bonito flakes which are royal gifts, as well as sashimi and tataki. The bonito fishes used to make these delicious dishes are caught here.
Kenchin-jiru is a soup made with Ohtawara’s signature vegetables and seasoned with soy sauce or miso. It is a classic local cuisine that has been enjoyed by many homes since the olden days. It used to be eaten as shojin-ryori (Buddhist vegetarian meal). Since it is a vegetarian cuisine made with plenty of vegetables and mushrooms fried in oil, it is said that kenchin-jiru was an essential dish during the festivals where the killing of animals was prohibited.
The mellow aroma of the cooked rice and the sweetness that spread in your mouth when chewing are sure to be addictive. It is said that delicious rice and water are essential to brew sake. The gentle-tasting local sake is made with underground water with plenty of umami that is polished by a the Nasu mountain range which acts as a natural filtration device. Ohtawara has won numerous awards at sake competitions nationwide.
The variety of alcohol produced in Chichibu is rare for a single region in Japan: sake, beer, shochu (distilled from potatoes or rice), wine, and whisky are all available. Pride in the local products runs so deep that there is actually legislation stipulating that the first toast of any gathering should be made with a Chichibu beverage. The purity of the mountain springs is particularly important to area whisky distilleries, such as the world-famous Ichiro’s. Local whisky continues to win prizes at tasting conventions year after year, and it is scarcely exaggeration to say world-class beverages spring from the land itself in Chichibu.
In addition to alcohol, Chichibu owes several other regional specialties to its mountainous surroundings. Overpopulations of deer and wild boar have begun to damage the forests and the habitats of other wildlife, so in response the local government has begun to promote gibier, or wild game cuisine. Area establishments are now offering specials featuring wild game as a way to increase interest among visitors. Another recent initiative relating to local cuisine is the rise in maple tree cultivation. The climate and terrain of Chichibu are particularly suited to maples, and confectioners have taken to planting them in the mountains to harvest their sap—simultaneously protecting the forests and supporting the rise of a new regional specialty: maple syrup.
Breads and rolls known as “Tokachi pan” are made with 100 percent local wheat. And lest you forget dessert, the confections made from local azuki (red beans) are a special treat as well.These are among the many wonderful culinary attractions to enjoy when visiting Tokachi.
