Miso – one of the most significant seasonings in Japanese cuisine, is a traditional fermented food made from soybeans and Koji kin, a fermentation culture. Japan has various kinds of miso unique to the region and they are used not only in miso soup but also in a wide variety of Japanese regional cuisine. Shinshu miso, mainly made in the Nagano Prefecture, is said to be first made back in the Sengoku period by order of a powerful warlord in the region, Takeda Shingen. Shinshu miso is made from rice koji and soybeans, thus being called rice miso. It is light yellow in color and slightly on the spicy side. Gohei Mochi is a traditional regional food that’s been around in the city of Ina in southern Nagano. It used to be one of the offerings to thank God for blessing the farmers with new rice crops, and to ask for next year’s abundance again. To make Gohei Mochi, smash firm, steamed uruchi-mai (white rice) and divide them into small flat pieces, put them on skewers, brush them with a mix of miso paste, mirin, sugar and crushed walnuts, then grill them over a traditional irori stove or a gas stove.
Located right in the center of Japan, Nagano Prefecture is surrounded by land, and the mountain range, which soars as high as 2,000 – 3,000 meters, runs down north to south. Saku City in the eastern part of Nagano is known for its koi fish farming. The Chikuma river’s serene water is perfect for the production of rice and koi fish farming. Back in the day, farmers used to farm koi fish in the rice paddies while growing rice. These days, koi fish farming is done in farming facilities. The koi fish around the area is called Saku-Goi. The meat is dense with just the right amount of fat, and yet it has no distinctive smell of the koi fish. Some of the popular Saku Goi dishes are Arai, which is koi fish filleted and sliced, then soaked in ice water to remove the smell, Umani, a soy and sugar-simmered dish, or Koi Koku, which is also simmered but with miso. Koi fish is quite nutritious and it pairs well with Sake, the Japanese rice wine.
Hoya, a type of ascidians, also known as sea pineapple, is an acquired taste with a bumpy, pineapple-like appearance. Harvested around the coast of Hokkaido and the Sanriku Coast, it’s often served as sashimi or with a vinegar dressing. Spring and summer are the best time to enjoy them. Known as one of the world’s biggest fishing ports, Ishinomaki area offers an abundance of seafood.
Surrounded by forests of sawtooth oak trees, the traditional growing of shiitake mushrooms has long been practiced in this area. Shiitake mushrooms on oak trees grow bigger and plumper. By taking well over two years to grow them, they retain umami and aroma, making them perfect for high-quality dried shiitake with a chewy texture.
Touted as the Jewel of Suruga Bay, Sakura ebi or Sakura shrimps are only 4 to 5 cm in size, yet they pack full of umami and flavor. They are translucent while in the water but once on the shore, their light pink pigments become more apparent, making them appear pink in color just like Sakura, or cherry blossoms. For conservation purposes and to protect the ecosystem, only the Shizuoka Prefecture has the permit to harvest them in Japan.
Aomori Prefecture is known as the biggest producer of garlic in Japan, producing over 70% of the annual yields in 2020. Towada city in Aomori is one of the leading areas in growing garlic. Their garlic is rather big in size with pure white, packed with strong umami.
Introducing Bara-yaki, a home-cooked dish enjoyed around the Towada area. Bara-yaki is made by cooking bara beef (meat around ribs) and a plenty of onion on a hot iron pan seasoned with soy-based sweet and spicy sauce. The concept comes from Bulgogi, a Korean dish with grilled beef. These days, it’s not only a popular home-cooked dish, it’s now served at local restaurants in the area.
Ehime Prefecture has over 200 islands off the coast of the Seto Inland Sea and the Uwa Sea and it is known as the leading producer of citrus fruits. Yawatahama has famous terraced mikan orchards on the slopes made with stones stacked from the coastline. Taking in all the sunlight from the sky, the sea, and the stone slopes, unshu mikan oranges grown here are high-quality in terms of sweetness and color.
Hegi Soba is Tokamachi’s signature local dish with a supple and chewy texture. Even though there are many types of soba in Japan, what makes Hegi Soba different from the rest is the process in which a seaweed called Funori is used as a binder while kneading. After the soba is boiled. it is then laid out on a wooden tray waving the hand.
In Yukiguni country, people spend the entire year with the upcoming long winter in mind. When the snow melts, they store mountain vegetables in the spring, summer vegetables in the summer and mushrooms in the autumn. They store the vegetables in various ways, some are salted and others are dried. When the winter comes, they use the stored vegetables in nimono, stir-fry or soup and various recipes.
