The hunting roots of Akita kiritampo and warm, local hospitality Akita is one of Japan’s largest rice-producing regions, and the kiritampo that is made and eaten there is a testament to the versatility of rice. The kiritampo is said to come from the Matagi, a subculture of woodland hunters with great reverence for nature. The Matagi would stew together pounded rice and wild fowl on long mountain trips, a practice which became a customary part of Odate’s regional cuisine in the form of the kiritampo that we know today. Handed down through generations, the kiritampo is deeply rooted in Akita culture and evokes an image of family and friends gathered together for a warm meal.