Edible Chrysanthemum OhitashiAuWi
Throughout Yamagata
Yamagata, a major grower of edible chrysanthemum (excluding the small garnish variety used for sashimi), has dishes built around it...
YAMAGATA
Yamagata Prefecture
The surveyed city is Yamagata. Of all 394 items in the household survey, Yamagata Prefecture stands out most for Ramen (chuka soba) — 2.5× the national average (Yamagata 21,695 JPY / national 8,752 JPY).
2.5×Biggest standout
Ramen (chuka soba)
per household / year
Ramen (chuka soba)
per household / year
16Items ranked #1 nationally
29Regional dishes
RANK
Furthest above the national average
All figures are annual spending/quantity per household (not per person). 2023–2025 average, showing Yamagata’s value as a multiple of the national average.
| Item | vs. average | Yamagata | National | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ramen (chuka soba)#1Dining Out | 2.48× | 21,695JPY | 8,752JPY | #1 |
| Taro#1Fresh Vegetables | 2.45× | 1,856JPY | 758JPY | #1 |
| CrabSeafood | 2.40× | 852g | 355g | #8 |
| Bamboo shoots#1Fresh Vegetables | 2.31× | 1,312g | 569g | #1 |
| Other fruit#1Fruit | 2.19× | 11,247JPY | 5,131JPY | #1 |
| School lunch#1Dining Out | 2.14× | 16,636JPY | 7,756JPY | #1 |
| KelpDried Foods, Seaweed & Soy Products | 2.12× | 388g | 183g | #3 |
| ApplesFruit | 1.86× | 15,072g | 8,095g | #4 |
| Dried udon & sobaGrains | 1.79× | 5,237g | 2,924g | #2 |
| Konjac#1Dried Foods, Seaweed & Soy Products | 1.78× | 2,910JPY | 1,634JPY | #1 |
| Salted salmonSeafood | 1.78× | 4,504JPY | 2,530JPY | #4 |
| ScallopsSeafood | 1.72× | 524g | 304g | #5 |
#1
Where this prefecture ranks #1
Items where Yamagata ranked #1 among the 52 surveyed cities.
- Konjac
- Taro
- Soy sauce
- Bamboo shoots
- Green onions
- Bean sprouts
- Chocolate confectionery
- Bacon
- Ramen (chuka soba)
- Other mushrooms
- Other fruit
- Other leaf vegetables
- School lunch
- Fruit
- Fresh fruit
- Noodles
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.
Natto-jiru (fermented soybean soup)
Main ingredients: Natto, tofu, fried tofu, wild mountain vegetables, dried taro stem, konnyaku, mushrooms, green onion, mitsuba greens, miso
→ Konjac is 1.8× the national average in Yamagata (2,910 JPY, #1 nationally)
Edible Chrysanthemum Ohitashi
Main ingredients: Edible chrysanthemum, vinegar, soy sauce
→ Soy sauce is 1.4× the national average in Yamagata (5,356 mL, #1 nationally)
Dongara-jiru / Kandara-jiru (winter cod soup)
Main ingredients: Winter cod (including organs), miso, green onion, rock nori seaweed
→ Green onions is 1.3× the national average in Yamagata (5,581 g, #1 nationally)
Warabi Tataki (pounded bracken)
Main ingredients: Bracken, miso, and other seasonings
→ Miso is 1.2× the national average in Yamagata (2,719 JPY, #5 nationally)
DISHES
29 regional dishes from Yamagata 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.
Dashi (chopped raw vegetable relish)Su
Murayama and Okitama regions
A staple summer dish for eating raw vegetables easily; Yamagata's summers are hot and humid, surrounded by mountains...
Natto-jiru (fermented soybean soup)SpWi
Throughout Yamagata
In Yamagata, homemade natto was once a preserved food to help get through winters short on ingredients...
Dongara-jiru / Kandara-jiru (winter cod soup)Wi
Shonai region
True cod spawns amid the rough winter waves of the Sea of Japan and is a beloved winter taste of the Shonai region...
Imoni (taro and beef stew)AuWi
Throughout Yamagata
Imoni dates back as far as the mid-1600s; it originated at the terminus of shipping on the Mogami River...
Shoyu no Mi (fermented soybean and grain relish)
Shonai region
Shoyu no mi is made by mixing soybeans, wheat (sometimes pressed barley), and rice with malt spores...
Udo and Dried Daikon SimmerSp
Mogami region
Dried daikon and dried mochi are preservation methods common across Tohoku, suited to snow country...
Warabi Tataki (pounded bracken)SpAuWi
Northern region
Yamagata leads Japan in bracken production; its bracken is prized for being tender with a strong, silky texture...
Shiobiki-zushi (salted salmon sushi)
Yonezawa City
Handed down as a festive dish, shiobiki-zushi originated in Yonezawa City; salmon is salted...
Simmered Dried Kukitachi GreensSpAuWi
Yonezawa City (Okitama and Murayama regions)
This dish uses kukitachi, a brassica vegetable; kukitachi...
Tama-konnyaku (skewered konnyaku balls)SpWi
Throughout Yamagata
Affectionately called 'tamakon,' tama-konnyaku is a soul food for Yamagata residents...
Tamago Kanten / Shoyu Kanten (egg or soy sauce agar jelly)Wi
Shonai region
Agar-based dishes have long been eaten in Yamagata, served as a treat with tea...
Masu no Ankake (trout in thick sauce)Sp
Shonai region
Masu no ankake, a representative spring dish of the Shonai region, uses the most prized variety of trout...
Okahijiki with Mustard DressingSuAu
Murayama and Okitama regions
Okahijiki, used in this mustard-dressed salad, is a plant that originally grows wild along the coast...
Karakai-ni (simmered dried ray cartilage)SuWi
Throughout Yamagata
'Karakai' is a dried food made from the cartilage of ray fins caught in Hokkaido...
Hatahata no Yuage (blanched sandfish)
Shonai region
Hatahata is a scaleless fish with a delicate flavor, cherished as an autumn taste of the Shonai region...
Seisaizuke (pickled Yamagata mustard greens)SpAuWi
Throughout Yamagata
Yamagata has a rich pickling culture; seisaizuke uses 'Yamagata seisai,' a variety of mustard greens...
Omizuke (chopped mixed pickle)AuWi
Murayama, Mogami, and Okitama regions
Yamagata has a rich pickling culture; omizuke uses 'Yamagata seisai,' a variety of mustard greens...
Yukina no Fusubezuke (smoked-pickled snow greens)Wi
Okitama region
This dish uses yukina, one of the branded 'Yamagata Okitama heirloom vegetables' of the Okitama region...
Akebi Stuffed with Miso, Grilled
Throughout Yamagata
Akebi is an indispensable local flavor for Yamagata residents, gathered in season...
Ukogi no Kiri-ae (chopped aralia with miso)SpAu
Okitama region, Yonezawa City
Kiri-ae, finely chopped ukogi mixed with miso, comes from the Okitama region, where ukogi hedges are most common...
Koi no Umani (sweet-simmered carp)SuWi
Okitama region, Yonezawa City
Koi no umani is carp cut into rounds and simmered in sugar, soy sauce, and sake...
Simmered Dried Hyo (gourd flower buds)AuWi
Murayama and Okitama regions
All of Yamagata is designated heavy-snow country, and in an era of poor distribution, securing winter food...
Kujiramochi (rice cake, despite the whale name)Sp
Mogami and Murayama regions
Despite its name meaning 'whale mochi,' this rice cake contains no whale meat at all; the name comes from...
Sasamaki (bamboo leaf-wrapped mochi)SpWi
Throughout Yamagata
Sasamaki is made by soaking and draining glutinous rice, wrapping it in bamboo leaves, tying it, and boiling it...
Toyama Turnip Sake Lees SoupAuWi
Yonezawa City
Toyama turnip is a heirloom vegetable of Yamagata originating in Yonezawa City, named for the Toyama district there...
Shio Kujira-jiru (salted whale soup)SuAu
Throughout Yamagata
Shio kujira-jiru is a traditional stamina dish for getting through hot inland summers; salted whale was once a preserved food...
Hiyajiru (cold vegetable steep)SpAuWi
Okitama region, Yonezawa City
Despite the name suggesting a soup, hiyajiru is actually seasonal vegetables steeped in cold dashi...
Moso-jiru (bamboo shoot soup)SuAu
Shonai region
Moso-jiru uses bamboo shoots from moso bamboo; the shoots are in season...
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