Simmered dried daikon
Iwami region (Hamada City, etc.)
In Shimane, the tradition of making dried and preserved foods has been passed down for generations, especially from autumn into winter...
SHIMANE
Shimane Prefecture
The surveyed city is Matsue. Of all 394 items in the household survey, Shimane Prefecture stands out most for Freshwater clams (shijimi) — 10.3× the national average (Matsue 2,055 g / national 200 g).
10.3×Biggest standout
Freshwater clams (shijimi)
per household / year
Freshwater clams (shijimi)
per household / year
4Items ranked #1 nationally
28Regional dishes
RANK
Furthest above the national average
All figures are annual spending/quantity per household (not per person). 2023–2025 average, showing Matsue’s value as a multiple of the national average.
| Item | vs. average | Matsue | National | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Freshwater clams (shijimi)#1Seafood | 10.28× | 2,055g | 200g | #1 |
| Horse mackerel#1Seafood | 2.81× | 1,780g | 633g | #1 |
| CrabSeafood | 2.76× | 979g | 355g | #5 |
| ShellfishSeafood | 2.52× | 3,300g | 1,312g | #2 |
| SardinesSeafood | 2.26× | 926g | 409g | #3 |
| FlounderSeafood | 2.12× | 1,135g | 536g | #5 |
| Japanese pearsFruit | 2.07× | 3,852JPY | 1,858JPY | #3 |
| Other shellfishSeafood | 1.83× | 325g | 178g | #4 |
| MackerelSeafood | 1.78× | 1,097g | 617g | #2 |
| Sea breamSeafood | 1.55× | 643g | 416g | #15 |
| Beans#1Dried Foods, Seaweed & Soy Products | 1.54× | 599JPY | 389JPY | #1 |
| SquidSeafood | 1.50× | 2,478JPY | 1,648JPY | #4 |
#1
Where this prefecture ranks #1
Items where Matsue ranked #1 among the 52 surveyed cities.
- Horse mackerel
- Freshwater clams (shijimi)
- Cabbage
- Beans
LINK
Where regional dishes meet the statistics
Ingredients used in regional dishes here that also show up as standout spending in the household survey — cross-referencing MAFF's regional-dish database with Japan's Statistics Bureau data.
Kaku-zushi / Hako-zushi (pressed box sushi)
Main ingredients: Vinegared rice, carrots, burdock, shiitake mushrooms, and other seasonal vegetables
→ Fresh shiitake mushrooms is 1.2× the national average in Matsue (1,652 g, #8 nationally)
Heka (iron-pot hot pot)
Main ingredients: Seafood, onion, napa cabbage, shimeji mushrooms, and other seasonal vegetables
→ Onions is 1.1× the national average in Matsue (16,864 g, #7 nationally)
Kuroda parsley and spinach ohitashi
Main ingredients: Kuroda parsley, spinach
→ Spinach is 1.1× the national average in Matsue (2,187 JPY, #19 nationally)
Simmered and stir-fried Oki arame seaweed
Main ingredients: Oki arame seaweed, carrots, fried tofu, etc.
→ Carrots is 1.1× the national average in Matsue (3,049 JPY, #7 nationally)
Sumoji (pressed mackerel sushi)
Main ingredients: Mackerel, rice, glutinous rice, etc.
→ Rice cakes (mochi) is 1.1× the national average in Matsue (1,948 JPY, #11 nationally)
DISHES
28 regional dishes from Shimane Prefecture
From Japan's Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) “Regional Dishes to Pass on to the Next Generation.” Each dish name links to the MAFF page.
Simmered and stir-fried Oki arame seaweedSp
Oki region
The sea-surrounded Oki Islands yield a wide variety of seaweed, including wakame and nori. From the water's surface down...
Kaku-zushi / Hako-zushi (pressed box sushi)
Iwami region
Kaku-zushi and hako-zushi are both types of pressed sushi. They differ in the shape and size of the wooden mold used...
Uzume-meshi (hidden ingredient rice)SpWi
Iwami region (Hamada City, Hikimi in Masuda City, Tsuwano Town, etc.)
At first glance it looks like ochazuke topped with dashi and wasabi, but small ingredients are hidden beneath the rice...
Azuki bean zoni (New Year's soup)
Eastern region
A New Year's soup of mochi in lightly sweetened simmered azuki beans. On New Year's Day, a clear "sumashi zoni" with rock nori...
Simmered bamboo shoots with sansho pepperAu
Eastern region (Shimada district)
The Shimada district is mostly surrounded by mountains and could never harvest enough rice. In such conditions...
Kaki-namasu (persimmon and daikon salad)Wi
Throughout Shimane Prefecture
Shimane's best-known persimmon is the Saijo persimmon, grown throughout the prefecture. Facing the Sea of Japan...
Bakudan onigiri (rice ball)Au
Izumo region, Oki region
The Oki Islands, off the northeast coast of Shimane, are made up of four main islands and more than 180 smaller ones...
Whale riceSpWi
Iwami region (Hamada City, Masuda City, etc.)
Hamada City and Masuda City, in western Shimane, face the Sea of Japan. Together with Oda City, the area is known as "Iwami"...
Kuroda parsley and spinach ohitashiAuWi
Matsue City
Kuroda parsley is a heritage vegetable of Matsue City, Shimane, dating back to the Edo period. "Kuroda" comes from the former place name Kuroda...
Eel and tofu hot potWi
Izumo region
In 1756, eels suddenly appeared in Lake Nakaumi, which borders Matsue and Yasugi cities...
Hosho-yaki grilled sea bassAuWi
Matsue City
Lake Shinji, in northeastern Shimane, is said to have formed about 10,000 years ago...
Icefish kakiage (tempura fritters)
Matsue City
Icefish, one of the "Shinji Seven Delicacies" from the brackish Lake Shinji where fresh and seawater mix...
Koi no ito-zukuri (thread-cut carp sashimi)Wi
Matsue City
Lake Nakaumi, a brackish lake spanning Shimane and Tottori where fresh and seawater mix...
Steamed ark shell in the shellSpWi
Izumo region
A lake holding water of intermediate salinity between sea and fresh water is called a "brackish lake." Japan has 18 such lakes...
Simmered flying fish roeSu
Oki region
Flying fish, Shimane's prefectural fish, migrate in from mid-May onward, and locals...
Loach kenchin soupSu
Eastern region (Yasugi City, etc.)
"Yasugi-bushi" is a folk song long passed down in Yasugi City, performed with a colander and humorous...
Butterbur sprout miso
Izumo region, Iwami region, etc.
Butterbur sprouts, a familiar taste of spring, also grow well in Shimane, blessed with clean water and fertile land...
Simmered fish balls
Izumo region, Iwami region, Oki region, etc.
Shimane's coastline runs 1,028km, the 10th-longest of any prefecture in Japan. Offshore...
Sumoji (pressed mackerel sushi)
Eastern region (Unnan City, etc.)
Shimane ranks among the top prefectures nationwide in annual mackerel catch. Rough, cold waves of the Sea of Japan give the fish rich fat...
Izumo sobaAu
Izumo region
The signature soba noodle of the Izumo region. Alongside Iwate's "wanko soba" and Nagano's "Togakushi soba," it is one of Japan's...
Turban shell riceWi
Throughout the Oki region, and the coastal areas of Iwami and Izumo
The waters around the Oki Islands, where the warm Tsushima Current meets the cold Liman Current, are rich in plankton and...
Flying fish sashimiSu
Eastern region, Oki region
Shimane has a large flying fish catch. Locals affectionately call it "ago." Nationwide...
Kashiwa mochi (oak leaf rice cake)Sp
Throughout Shimane Prefecture
Made throughout Shimane around the Boys' Festival season and loved as a children's snack...
Freshwater clam soupSu
Eastern region (Izumo region, etc.)
Lake Shinji, at the mouth of the Hii River in eastern Shimane, is Japan's 7th-largest lake...
Heka (iron-pot hot pot)
Iwami region (Oda City, etc.), Eastern region
A local dish of Shimane, which faces the Sea of Japan and has practiced fishing since ancient times. Cooked in an iron pot called a "heka-nabe"...
Sumashi zoni (clear New Year's soup)Wi
Throughout Shimane Prefecture
A New Year's soup of round mochi in a clear, soy-sauce-based broth. The other ingredients vary by area...
Sasa-maki (bamboo-leaf wrapped rice cake)SpSu
Eastern region, Oki region
Kneaded rice flour wrapped in bamboo grass leaves and boiled. A traditional food for the old-calendar Boys' Festival...
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