Shinshu beef is a brand of beef cattle raised in Nagano Prefecture and is called “apple-fed beef” because it is raised on feed with apples added. Its meat is characterized by its tenderness, aroma, and excellent marbling. There are many restaurants in Nagano Prefecture that specialize in sukiyaki using this Shinshu beef, and people become to call it sukiyaki in Nagano Prefecture. It is a must-try when you travel to Nagano.
Minamichita is famous for its natural puffer fish, and the offshore waters of the Atsumi Peninsula have become a good fishing ground for natural puffer fish. Locals can enjoy puffer fish dishes such as tecchiri and fugu sashimi.
“Edible flowers” are flowers that can be eaten, and the English word “edible flower” has become a common name in Japan. Edible flowers are made without pesticides or with low amounts of pesticides and can be eaten raw, and are often served with food or sweets. In Hakuba Village, edible flower production is thriving, and many restaurants serve dishes using edible flowers or hold edible flower events. How about a nice “flower meal” in Hakuba Village?
The Hinai Jidori chicken is a crossbreed between the Hinai chicken and the Rhode Island Red and is designated as a natural monument. Hinai Jidori chickens are raised for more than three times longer than ordinary broilers and are one of the three most important chickens in Japan. This Oyako-don(Chicken and Egg over rice) is made using this Hinai Jidori.
Kinka saba is a brand of Japanese chub mackerel fished off the coast of Kinkasan, Ishinomaki. The best season for Kinka saba is between fall and winter. Though it’s high in fat, the aftertaste is pure umami. The kinka saba don’t swim away from the coast of Kinkasan, where they can feed off on quality plankton.
Kahoku Seri (Japanese parsley) is a GI registered crop with a history spanning over 300 years in the area. It has a crisp texture and can be enjoyed in zoni and with oysters in a winter speciality, Ishinomaki Seri Hotpot.
The area also takes pride in having the biggest catch of anago (sea eel) in all of Japan. Anago here is exceptional in size and rich in fat, making it perfect for sushi and rice bowls when paired with the high-quality local Sasanishiki rice.
Tsuyama city in northern Okayama has been a market for cows and horses, making the area deeply associated with beef consumption. Yomenakase, which is the name of the beef around the heart. This popular meat has a crunchy texture and is served as grilled, fried, or tempura. The second dish is Nikogori. In general, Nikogori is a fish dish but in Tsuyama, they use beef. It’s been a winter favorite of the locals. It’s made by simmering beef tendon and making it into a soup, then poured into cubes and served after it’s become firm like jelly. It is packed with collagen and it goes well with Sake.
Okayama prefecture is in the south east Chugoku region. Tsuyama, a city located in the north part of Okayama has been a transportation hub for centuries and known for its livestock trade in cattle and horses. The documents show that livestock markets were often held by merchants by the end of 705 in the Asuka period. Although the Japanese had enjoyed consuming beef for the most part, the arrival of Buddhism in Japan changed their beliefs and diet, which also led them to avoid consuming beef for various reasons. Despite the changes, the locals in the Tsyuyama area continued with the custom of having beef for medicinal purposes. It was something the livestock brokers had started but eventually became quite the norm in the area. All these things are part of the reasons why beef is still quite popular and a key part of their food culture today. Also, Tsuyama has always had many Wagyu breeders that raised and sold baby cows However, these baby cows were sold and supplied outside Tsuyama, that would eventually breed helped pave the way for other Wagyu brands in Japan. However, a growing number of baby cows ended up being supplied outside the Tsuyama areas prompted a move among the locals to create their own brand of Wagyu beef.
Located in Chubu region, Nagano Prefecture sits near the center of Japan. Mountains as high as 2,000 – 3,000 meters run north to south in this landlocked prefecture. Even though rice has been a staple for centuries in Japan, buckwheat, which adapts well to severe winter weather or poorly conditioned land, has been grown all over Japan as a substitute for rice when the rice yields are low. Nagano’s climate, which has a big difference in temperature between day and night, makes soba produced in Nagano quite flavorful. Soba noodles made in Nagano using locally produced buckwheat are called Sinshu Soba, one of the most known dishes in the prefecture. Ina city, located in southern Nagano has a unique soba noodle called Takato Soba, which is served with a dipping sauce made with the extract of Japanese radish and roasted miso.
