Chanchan-yaki (grilled salmon and vegetables)
Ishikari region
Chanchan-yaki is salmon caught from autumn to winter, steam-grilled together with seasonal vegetables...
AUTUMN / Sep–Nov
Autumn in Japan
Of the 1,365 regional dishes recorded by Japan's Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, 313 are eaten in autumn.
313Autumn dishes
47Prefectures represented
Sep–NovApproximate season
Ingredients
Ingredients most tied to autumn
Ingredients that appear often in the "main ingredients" of autumn dishes, matched against the city that buys the most of each — cross-referencing the regional-dish database with the household spending survey.
| Ingredient | Dishes | #1 city | Amount | vs. average |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carrots | 38 | NahaOkinawa Prefecture | 3,984JPY | 1.4× |
| Daikon radish | 36 | KyotoKyoto | 2,154JPY | 1.2× |
| Miso | 28 | NaganoNagano Prefecture | 3,133JPY | 1.4× |
| Tofu | 27 | NahaOkinawa Prefecture | 7,708JPY | 1.4× |
| Chicken | 26 | KagoshimaKagoshima Prefecture | 23,534JPY | 1.2× |
| Green onions | 26 | KyotoKyoto | 4,397JPY | 1.3× |
| Fresh shiitake mushrooms | 26 | ToyamaToyama Prefecture | 2,467JPY | 1.3× |
| Taro | 25 | YamagataYamagata Prefecture | 1,856JPY | 2.4× |
DISHES
Autumn regional dishes by prefecture
Each dish name links to its page on the MAFF (Japan's agriculture ministry) website.
Hokkaido8
Nishinzuke (pickled herring with vegetables)
Rumoi region
Nishinzuke reflects the history of Hokkaido's herring industry, dating back to the late Edo period...
Ruibe (frozen raw salmon)
Coastal areas including Ishikari, Hakodate, and Kushiro
Ruibe is salmon or trout that is frozen and eaten as sashimi without thawing...
Shishamo no Kanroni (sweet-simmered shishamo smelt)
Iburi, Hidaka, Kushiro, and Tokachi regions
A dish featuring shishamo, one of Hokkaido's signature fish...
Ikura no Shoyuzuke (soy sauce-marinated salmon roe)
Throughout Hokkaido
Ikura, one of Hokkaido's signature seafoods, is well known nationwide and loved by all ages...
Tachi no Misoshiru (cod milt miso soup)
Throughout Hokkaido
In Hokkaido, cod milt is called 'tachi' — true cod milt is 'ma-dachi' and walleye pollock milt is...
Izushi (fermented fish and rice sushi)
Throughout Hokkaido
Izushi is sushi made by pickling fish and vegetables in rice malt and lactic-fermenting the mixture...
Teppo-jiru (crab miso soup)
Eastern Hokkaido (mainly Nemuro region)
In eastern Hokkaido, miso soup made with crab is called teppo-jiru...
Aomori Prefecture5
Keiran (sweet rice dumpling soup)
Shimokita region
As autumn deepens and rice harvesting ends in November, there is a custom called 'aki-jimai' marking the close of the farm season...
Niaekko (simmered vegetable medley)
Shimokita region
Niaekko is a dish of the Shimokita region, where cold damage from the yamase wind long made rice farming difficult...
Nerikomi (thick simmered vegetable stew)
Tsugaru region
Long ago, monks from Hirosaki's thirty-three Zen temples gathered vegetables through alms-collecting to make a dish called 'kuzuyose'...
Akakabu no Senmaizuke (thin-sliced red turnip pickle)
Tsugaru region
A traditional Tsugaru pickle; red turnips harvested just before the first snowfall are pickled with kelp stock, vinegar, and coarse sugar...
Cabbage and Trout Pickle
Tsugaru region
In the inland central-southern Tsugaru area, fresh seafood was once hard to come by, especially fish...
Iwate Prefecture7
Mame Shitogi (green soybean sweet)
Northern region
Mame shitogi is a fresh confection of boiled, mashed green soybeans kneaded with rice flour and sugar...
Imonoko-jiru (taro soup)
Kitakami River basin
The soil along the Kitakami River is well suited to growing taro, long cultivated in abundance there...
Hecchoko Dango / Ukiuki Dango (millet dumplings)
Northern region
Northern Iwate's cool climate makes rice hard to grow, so hardy grains like millet, foxtail millet, and buckwheat...
Azuki Batto (sweet red bean noodle soup)
Sanriku coastal area
Azuki batto is short, wide wheat noodles simmered in sweetened azuki bean broth...
Donko-jiru (flathead fish soup)
Sanriku coastal area
'Donko' refers to fish such as Ezo eelpout and gray eelpout commonly caught off the Sanriku coast, in season through winter...
Kenchin-jiru (vegetable and tofu soup)
Northern region
Kenchin-jiru is made by stir-frying finely cut carrot, daikon radish, burdock root, and tofu in oil before simmering...
Mizutataki (grated uwabamisō)
Ou and Kitakami mountain areas
The Ou mountain range on the border with Akita Prefecture is cold and snowy but rich in mountain produce...
Miyagi Prefecture8
Okuzukake (thick vegetable and noodle soup)
Southern region
A meatless dish eaten mainly in southern Miyagi during the spring and autumn equinox and Obon periods...
Harako Meshi (salmon and roe rice)
Watari Town
Miyagi has many rivers large and small, including the Kitakami, Naruse, and Abukuma, that salmon return to each year...
Donko-jiru (flathead fish soup)
Throughout Miyagi
Donko, also known as Ezo eelpout or gray eelpout, is in season from autumn to winter...
Gojiru (ground soybean soup)
Throughout Miyagi
Soybeans are called 'meat of the field' for their well-balanced essential amino acids and high-quality protein...
Sanma no Kigaki (raw Pacific saury with vegetables)
Port towns including Kesennuma
In the Motoyoshi area of Kesennuma, bonito once migrated close to shore and was landed in huge quantities...
Sanma Surimi-jiru (minced Pacific saury soup)
Miyagi Prefecture
Pacific saury caught off Kinkasan has long been treasured as a taste of autumn...
Nasu-iri (stir-fried eggplant)
Miyagi Prefecture
Eggplant is in season from summer to autumn, and the varieties grown differ greatly by region...
Heso Daikon Nishime (simmered dried daikon rings)
Southern Miyagi
In the harsh cold of the Tohoku region, there has long been a custom of preserving vegetables and fish by exposing them to cold winter wind...
Akita Prefecture10
Iburigakko (smoked pickled daikon)
Southern inland Akita
Akita's signature smoked and dried takuan pickle, now made across the prefecture, though once...
Sasamaki (bamboo leaf-wrapped mochi)
Throughout Akita
Glutinous rice wrapped in bamboo grass leaves, tied with rush grass, and steamed; a traditional food made across the prefecture...
Damako-nabe (mashed rice dumpling hot pot)
Akita City, Oga, Minami-Akita, and the northern coast to Noshiro-Yamamoto
A winter Akita hot pot of chicken-bone broth with chicken, vegetables, and dumplings made from mashed rice...
Natto-jiru (fermented soybean miso soup)
Inland southern region, Nakanaone area of Yurihonjo City
Natto-jiru is a miso soup mixed with finely mashed natto, a dish handed down in southern Akita
Kiritanpo-nabe (grilled rice stick hot pot)
Odate City, Kazuno City
Kiritanpo-nabe simmers mashed cooked rice and vegetables in a chicken-bone broth seasoned with...
Imonoko-jiru (taro soup)
Southern region
Imonoko-jiru is a soup, also served as a hot pot, made with taro; found across Iwate and Akita...
Tamago Kanten (egg agar jelly)
Throughout Akita
Tamago kanten is made by mixing beaten egg and sugar into agar liquid and letting it set; agar is made from tengusa seaweed...
Junsai-nabe (water shield hot pot)
Northwestern region
Junsai-nabe is a hot pot loaded with water shield alongside chicken and burdock root and other ingredients...
Nasu no Hanazushi (eggplant flower sushi)
Southern region
Nasu no hanazushi is made by pickling thick rings of eggplant stuffed with glutinous rice, chrysanthemum petals, and red chili pepper...
Nasu no Kojizuke (malted eggplant pickle)
Southern region
Nasu no kojizuke is eggplant pickled with rice and rice malt, made mainly in southern Akita...
Yamagata Prefecture13
Edible Chrysanthemum Ohitashi
Throughout Yamagata
Yamagata, a major grower of edible chrysanthemum (excluding the small garnish variety used for sashimi), has dishes built around it...
Imoni (taro and beef stew)
Throughout Yamagata
Imoni dates back as far as the mid-1600s; it originated at the terminus of shipping on the Mogami River...
Warabi Tataki (pounded bracken)
Northern region
Yamagata leads Japan in bracken production; its bracken is prized for being tender with a strong, silky texture...
Simmered Dried Kukitachi Greens
Yonezawa City (Okitama and Murayama regions)
This dish uses kukitachi, a brassica vegetable; kukitachi...
Okahijiki with Mustard Dressing
Murayama and Okitama regions
Okahijiki, used in this mustard-dressed salad, is a plant that originally grows wild along the coast...
Seisaizuke (pickled Yamagata mustard greens)
Throughout Yamagata
Yamagata has a rich pickling culture; seisaizuke uses 'Yamagata seisai,' a variety of mustard greens...
Omizuke (chopped mixed pickle)
Murayama, Mogami, and Okitama regions
Yamagata has a rich pickling culture; omizuke uses 'Yamagata seisai,' a variety of mustard greens...
Ukogi no Kiri-ae (chopped aralia with miso)
Okitama region, Yonezawa City
Kiri-ae, finely chopped ukogi mixed with miso, comes from the Okitama region, where ukogi hedges are most common...
Simmered Dried Hyo (gourd flower buds)
Murayama and Okitama regions
All of Yamagata is designated heavy-snow country, and in an era of poor distribution, securing winter food...
Toyama Turnip Sake Lees Soup
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)
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)
Okitama region, Yonezawa City
Despite the name suggesting a soup, hiyajiru is actually seasonal vegetables steeped in cold dashi...
Moso-jiru (bamboo shoot soup)
Shonai region
Moso-jiru uses bamboo shoots from moso bamboo; the shoots are in season...
Fukushima Prefecture9
Ika Ninjin (squid and carrot pickle)
Fukushima City
Shredded dried squid and carrot are marinated in a sweet-savory sauce of soy sauce and coarse sugar or mirin...
Sanma Popo-yaki (grilled minced Pacific saury)
Iwaki City
Iwaki City has seven coastal areas known as the 'Iwaki Nanahama,' with many fishing ports nearby...
Miso Kanpura (miso-glazed potatoes)
Furudono Town
In parts of Fukushima such as Furudono, potatoes are called 'kanpura' and were once eaten as a staple food...
Ohira (mixed simmered stew)
Tadami Town
A simmered dish balancing the bounty of sea, mountain, and river, with seaweed, maitake mushroom, and dace (a river fish)...
Kohridofu no Tamagotoji (freeze-dried tofu with egg)
Fukushima City
Kohridofu, freeze-dried tofu made by freezing, rehydrating, and drying tofu, is a dish unique to cold regions...
Junen Botamochi (perilla seed rice cake)
Fukushima City, Iwaki City
Fukushima is a noted producer of perilla (junen/egoma), grown there since before the Meiji era...
Shingoro (grilled rice cakes with perilla miso)
Shimogo Town, Minami-Aizu Town
Fukushima grows large amounts of perilla, called 'junen' locally, used in many dishes...
Junen Hiyadare (cold perilla dipping noodles)
Samegawa Village
Fukushima grows large amounts of perilla, and dishes made with it are common...
Donko-jiru (flathead fish soup)
Soma City
Donko lives along the coast from around Hakodate, Hokkaido, down to the Hamadori area of Fukushima...
Ibaraki Prefecture6
Pickled smelt and lotus root
Throughout Ibaraki Prefecture
Pickled smelt and lotus root is a specialty of Lake Kasumigaura, Japan's second-largest lake by surface area...
Tsuke-kenchin (kenchin dipping soba)
Throughout Ibaraki Prefecture
Ibaraki Prefecture has large temperature swings between morning and night and many well-drained slopes, and since the Edo period...
Shikinbai (purple pickled plum flakes)
Mito City
Kairakuen in Mito, one of Japan's three great gardens, is planted with about 3,000 plum trees of roughly 100 varieties...
Kabocha itokoni (simmered pumpkin and red beans)
Throughout Ibaraki Prefecture
Ibaraki Prefecture is known for highly regarded pumpkin varieties, starting with Edosaki kabocha, along with Naka kabocha and...
Aka-mochi (red sorghum mochi)
Kanasago district and elsewhere
Aka-mochi is a red-colored mochi made from red sorghum flour. Around the Kamakura period...
Handmade sashimi konnyaku
Northern region
The Okukuji region of Ibaraki Prefecture has long cultivated konnyaku and is said to be its birthplace...
Tochigi Prefecture8
Imogushi (grilled taro skewers)
Northwestern Tochigi, Central Tochigi
Imogushi, skewered taro grilled until the miso glaze chars fragrantly, was made to mark ceremonies and events...
Wheat manju (steamed wheat buns)
Throughout Tochigi Prefecture
Wheat manju is a steamed bun of red bean paste wrapped in a wheat-flour skin, often called simply "manju"...
Kate soba (bulked-up soba)
Central to southern Tochigi, Kanuma City
"Kate" here refers to a bulking ingredient. Adding daikon radish or garlic chives increases the volume of the noodles...
Yuzu-maki (yuzu peel rolled in daikon)
Northern Utsunomiya City
Yuzu-maki is a local dish of yuzu peel rolled in daikon radish and pickled in sweet vinegar for two to three days. Eaten at autumn festivals...
Simmered age-maki yuba (fried rolled tofu skin)
Nikko City
Age-maki yuba no nimono is made by rolling and deep-frying yuba (tofu skin), then simmering it in seasoning; it represents Nikko City...
Botamochi (sweet rice cake)
Throughout Tochigi Prefecture
An essential treat for the equinox holidays. In spring, when peonies bloom, it's called "botamochi"; in autumn, with bush clover...
Stir-fried chitake mushrooms and eggplant
Central Tochigi
A dish of Tochigi's signature mushroom, chitake, stir-fried with eggplant. "Chitake" is short for "chichitake" (milk mushroom)...
Eggplant and green beans with miso
All areas except the northwestern mountains
Eggplant is a signature vegetable from summer through autumn. Inland Tochigi, where summer temperatures run high, is well suited to...
Gunma Prefecture2
Simmered scarlet runner beans
Nakanojo Town, Tsumagoi Village, Kusatsu Town (Agatsuma region), Naganohara Town
The Agatsuma region grows a wide range of agricultural products, including vegetables, konnyaku potatoes, and fruit...
Goju (soybean miso soup)
Oizumi Town
Gunma, where crops grow abundantly, produces large quantities of flavorful soybeans. As a prefecture, it also...
Saitama Prefecture11
Goju (soybean miso soup)
Throughout Saitama Prefecture
Goju is a local dish loved throughout Saitama Prefecture, especially in areas that practiced rice and field farming...
Hiyajiru / Suttate (cold miso soup)
Kawajima Town, Iruma region, northern Saitama
Made with vegetables and fish local to each area, this dish developed independently in various regions across Japan...
Iga manju (chestnut-burr-shaped rice bun)
Konosu City, Kazo City, Hanyu City, Gyoda City
Iga manju, said to have originated in Konosu City (formerly Kawasato Town), is found mainly in the grain-producing region of northeastern Saitama...
Shio anbin (salted red bean mochi)
Kuki City, Kazo City, Gyoda City
In areas from northern to eastern Saitama, such as Kuki City, Kazo City, and Gyoda City, when the new rice harvest...
Nibouto / Himokawa (simmered flat udon)
Fukaya City, Iruma District, Hiki District, Chichibu region
In Saitama Prefecture, where wheat was widely grown as a secondary crop after rice, many different regions developed their own varieties of...
Kanrobai (sweet-pickled plums)
Ogose Town
Ogose Town, in Iruma District at the center of Saitama Prefecture, is home to Ogose Plum Grove, said to be one of the three great plum groves of the Kanto region...
Simmered chestnuts with inner skin
Hidaka City
Hidaka City is one of Saitama Prefecture's top chestnut-producing areas, where the largest chestnuts weigh over 30 grams each...
Ude manju (steamed wheat buns)
Throughout Saitama Prefecture
Saitama Prefecture, with its deep-rooted wheat culture, has produced many kinds of manju. Tokorozawa City in particular was once...
Simmered loach
Eastern Saitama, Tone River and Ayase River basins
In Saitama Prefecture, home to rivers such as the Arakawa and Tone, which originate in the Chichibu mountains, people have long enjoyed the rich bounty of the rivers...
Simmered arrowhead bulbs
Saitama City
Arrowhead (kuwai) is planted in paddies from late June to early July, with a harvest season from late November to mid-December...
Shoten-zushi (Gyoda-style sushi)
Menuma area of Kumagaya City
The Menuma area of Kumagaya City flourished during the Edo period thanks to water transport on the Tone River, and its rich fields of rice paddies and farmland produced rice and...
Chiba Prefecture5
Futomaki sushi rolls
Throughout the prefecture, centered on the Kazusa and Shimosa regions
A type of sushi passed down in farming and other ordinary households, dating back to the Kansei era (1789-1801)...
Boiled peanuts
Throughout the prefecture (Chiba City, Yachimata, Tomisato, Sodegaura, etc.)
Peanuts, native to the Andes in South America, arrived in Japan via East Asia in 1706...
Peanut miso
Throughout the prefecture
Peanuts, also known as "nankin mame," are said to have been introduced to Japan around the Edo period...
Fukashi (steamed clam rice)
Bay area from Futtsu to Funabashi
Fukashi, made with clams, is a local dish from the bay area stretching from Futtsu to Funabashi...
Gonjuu (pork belly rice balls)
Tateyama City
Gonjuu is a rice ball made by simmering pork belly and fried tofu in a sweet-savory sauce and mixing it into rice, from Chiba...
Tokyo6
Oden
Throughout the metropolis
Oden is a dish of ingredients such as fried fish cake, daikon, konjac, and chikuwabu (wheat gluten cake) simmered in a broth made from bonito flakes and kelp...
Bettara-zuke pickled daikon
Throughout the metropolis
Bettara-zuke is a pickle made by first salting daikon, then pickling it in rice malt and sugar. Since the Edo period...
Shokkara soup (fermented mackerel scad soup)
Shikinejima, Niijima, and Mikurajima islands
Shokkara-jiru is a soup made with "shokkara," small round scad minced whole, salted, and fermented...
Jisuke potato with green onion miso
Okutama region
Jisuke-imo no negi-miso is a dish of steamed jisuke potato served with green onion miso...
Noshikomi udon
Okutama region and surrounding areas
Noshikomi udon is chewy udon noodles served in a broth made from dried sardines and shiitake mushrooms, seasoned with sake, salt, and soy sauce...
Grilled eel (unagi kabayaki)
Throughout the metropolis
Edomae-style unagi kabayaki is made by splitting live eel, skewering it, grilling it plain, steaming it...
Kanagawa Prefecture7
Raw whitebait rice bowl
Shonan region
A rice bowl topped with fresh raw whitebait over vinegared or plain rice. In the Shonan area, including Chigasaki, Kamakura, and Enoshima...
Ume rice (pickled plum rice)
Odawara City
A rice dish cooked in dashi broth with pickled plum and dried baby sardines mixed in. The refreshing aroma of the plum...
Harihari-zuke pickled dried daikon strips
Miura City
A local dish handed down in Miura City at the tip of the Miura Peninsula. Daikon, a local specialty, is cut...
Norabouna greens ohitashi
Kawasaki City
Norabouna, a traditional vegetable said to have been grown for around 800 years in the Suge district of Tama Ward, Kawasaki City...
Ishigaki dango (sweet potato dumplings)
Sagamihara City
A local dish of the Sagamihara area, a steamed bun made by kneading local flour with sweet potato...
Miso-simmered river snails (tanishi)
Around Iiyama Onsen, Atsugi City
A local dish of the Iiyama hot spring resort, known as Tokyo's inner retreat, made by simmering river snails in a sweet-savory miso...
Boiled peanuts
Hadano City, Ninomiya Town, Oiso Town
Peanuts boiled in their shells with salt. Japan's first peanut cultivation took place in Kanagawa...
Niigata Prefecture10
Igoneri (seaweed jelly)
Throughout Niigata Prefecture
Igoneri is a Sado specialty made from igogusa seaweed harvested in the Sea of Japan. In autumn...
Sasa dango (bamboo-leaf wrapped rice dumplings)
Kaetsu region
Sasa dango, known as a Niigata specialty, is a bale-shaped dumpling wrapped in bamboo grass leaves and tied with sedge cord...
Sake no yakizuke (grilled and marinated salmon)
Northern Niigata Prefecture
Murakami City, through which the salmon-bearing Miomote River flows, is known as "Salmon Town." In autumn...
Hoshi daikon zuke (pickled dried daikon)
Throughout Niigata Prefecture
In snowy Niigata Prefecture, hoshi daikon zuke was made as a preserved food to get through winter...
Kensan yaki (grilled miso rice balls)
Throughout Niigata Prefecture
Kensan yaki is a regional dish of rice balls coated with ginger miso or sweet miso and grilled...
Sado no nishime (Sado-style simmered vegetables)
Sado City
Made with dashi from grilled flying fish, vegetables, kombu, and grilled tofu simmered slowly...
Fukashi nasu (steamed eggplant)
Throughout Niigata Prefecture
Niigata Prefecture, which consumes more eggplant than any other prefecture in Japan, has a regional dish called fukashi nasu. Locally...
Hegisoba (seaweed-bound soba noodles)
Throughout Niigata Prefecture
Hegisoba is soba noodles bound with funori seaweed, served on a wooden box tray called a hegi...
Imomiso (taro with sweet miso)
Kaetsu region
Gosen City, through which the Agano and Hayade rivers flow, has fertile yet well-drained soil and abundant...
Akakabu zuke (pickled red turnips)
Sanpoku area of Murakami City (and surrounding parts)
In the Sanpoku area of Murakami City, on the border with Yamagata Prefecture, slash-and-burn fields are cultivated around mid-August, and...
Toyama Prefecture7
Tarajiru (cod soup)
Asahi Town
Asahi Town, at the eastern edge of Toyama Prefecture, has the Northern Alps on one side and a Sea of Japan coast where jade is found on the other...
Suzuki (vinegared taro stalks)
Throughout Toyama Prefecture
A dish of taro leaf stalks (zuiki) pickled in vinegar. Refreshing and...
Kaburazushi (fermented turnip and fish)
Western Toyama
Kaburazushi is made by slitting salted turnips, sandwiching in yellowtail or other fish, and slowly fermenting it with rice koji...
Itokoni / Nizai (simmered beans and vegetables)
Throughout Toyama Prefecture
Toyama Prefecture, where Jodo Shinshu Buddhism is deeply rooted and known as a "Shinshu kingdom," marks the death anniversary of founder Shinran...
Kuromame okowa / Mitama (black bean sticky rice)
Eastern Toyama
Kuromame okowa is eaten mainly in eastern Toyama Prefecture, also known as "mitama" or...
Ika to satoimo no nimono (simmered squid and taro)
Throughout Toyama Prefecture
Squid is caught year-round in Toyama, with different species in season, giving rise to many squid dishes...
Takenoko no misoni (miso-simmered bamboo shoots)
Throughout Toyama Prefecture
Takenoko no misoni, simmered in miso enriched with kombu umami, signals the arrival of spring...
Ishikawa Prefecture6
Jibuni (simmered duck and vegetables)
Throughout Ishikawa Prefecture
Jibuni is a signature simmered dish of Ishikawa Prefecture, made with duck meat, sudarefu wheat gluten, and seasonal vegetables...
Sazaemeshi / Sazaebeshi (turban shell rice)
Noto region
About 50 km north of Wajima Port in Wajima City lies Hegura Island, a remote island in the Sea of Japan, where...
Nasu no orandani (deep-fried simmered eggplant)
Around Kanazawa City
Kanazawa City brands vegetables traditionally grown locally as "Kaga vegetables"...
Oshizushi (pressed sushi)
Around Kanazawa City, Kaga region
In Ishikawa Prefecture, oshizushi (pressed sushi) is eaten at festivals and other special occasions. In Kanazawa City...
Hinezushi (fermented fish and rice)
Noto region
Hinezushi is a fermented food made by packing salted fish with rice and letting it mature; it is passed down in Wajima, Ana...
Hasumushi (steamed stuffed lotus root)
Around Kanazawa City
Kanazawa City has a certified brand of vegetables called "Kaga vegetables." This brand name came into full use...
Fukui Prefecture6
Honkosan / Hoonko ryori (memorial feast dishes)
Throughout Fukui Prefecture
Fukui Prefecture has long been devoted to Buddhism, especially Jodo Shinshu, and marks the death anniversary of its founder Shinran...
Suko (pickled taro stalks)
Okuetsu region
Around the death anniversary of founder Shinran (November 28 on the old lunar calendar, January 16 on the new), from autumn into...
Satoimo no koroni (simmered taro)
Okuetsu region
Around the death anniversary of founder Shinran (November 28 on the old lunar calendar, January 16 on the new), from autumn into...
Nishinzushi (fermented herring and rice)
Reinan region
From the mid-Edo period (mid-18th century) to the 1900s, ships crossed the Sea of Japan from Hokkaido to Osaka...
Hazushi (leaf-wrapped sushi)
Denga area of Fukui City, Tannan area
Hazushi is sushi wrapped in the leaves of abura-giri (tung tree), a deciduous tree in the spurge family...
Aka kabura no suzuke (pickled red turnips)
Miyama area
Fukui's famous red turnip has been cultivated for over 800 years in the Kawachi hamlet of the Miyama area of Fukui City...
Yamanashi Prefecture5
Azuki houtou (adzuki bean flat noodle soup)
Hokuto City, Ichikawamisato Town, Minobu Town, Kai City, Kofu City
Hakutaku, the noodle houtou descends from, is recorded in aristocratic diaries as having been eaten in adzuki bean broth during the Heian period...
Sanma meshi (Pacific saury rice)
Chuhoku region
Even landlocked Yamanashi sees good, fresh sanma (Pacific saury) in autumn. That seasonal sanma paired with new...
Akebono daizu no edamame (Akebono soybean edamame)
Minobu Town
Akebono soybeans have been grown since the Meiji era in the Akebono area of Minobu Town and elsewhere, larger than ordinary soybeans...
Imogara iri futomaki zushi (dried taro stalk sushi roll)
Throughout Yamanashi Prefecture
Imogara, eaten regularly throughout Yamanashi Prefecture, comes from the stalks of yatsugashira, akame-imo, and other taro varieties...
Shoyu no mi (fermented soybean relish)
Ashiyasu area
Shoyu no mi is a food long passed down in the Ashiyasu area, made by fermenting soybeans and rice koji...
Nagano Prefecture9
Teuchi soba (hand-cut buckwheat noodles)
Throughout Nagano Prefecture
In Nagano Prefecture, soba is the signature regional dish—so much so it's called "Shinshu soba." In the cool climate...
Takenoko jiru (bamboo shoot miso soup)
Hokushin region
Takenoko jiru is a miso soup made with nemagari-take bamboo shoots, eaten in the Hokushin region and Niigata's Joetsu area...
Notamochi (edamame-coated rice cake)
Suwa region, Kamiina region
Notamochi is a regional dish eaten in the Suwa and Kamiina regions. The "nota" in notamochi...
Oshibori udon (udon with spicy daikon juice)
Hokushin region
Oshibori udon, passed down around Sakaki Town in Hanishina District, is made by grating spicy daikon and mixing the juice...
Tanabata houtou (Star Festival noodle soup)
Matsumoto region
Matsumoto City, with the Northern Alps to the west and the Utsukushigahara plateau to the east, sits near the center of Nagano Prefecture...
Sunkizuke (fermented turnip greens)
Kiso region
The mountainous Kiso region has long had its own distinctive food culture, one example being fermented pickles made from red turnip leaves...
Nozawana zuke (pickled Nozawana greens)
Throughout Nagano Prefecture (Nozawa Onsen Village)
In this prefecture with severe cold, no greens can be harvested from the fields in winter, so in late autumn...
Kobuna no kanroni (sweet-simmered crucian carp)
Saku region
Saku City, in eastern Nagano Prefecture on the border with Gunma Prefecture, raises freshwater crucian carp and carp in its paddies...
Inago no tsukudani (sweet-simmered grasshoppers)
Throughout Nagano Prefecture
The Ina Valley in the Nanshin region has a long-rooted insect-eating food culture, including locusts, bee larvae, and...
Gifu Prefecture12
Hebo meshi (wasp larvae rice)
Tono region
Hebo (also called kurosuzumebachi or jibachi, a ground-nesting wasp about 2 cm long)...
Myogabochi (fava bean dumpling wrapped in myoga leaf)
Kitagata Town, Gifu City
Myogabochi wraps sweet fava bean paste in a wheat flour dough, then wraps that in myoga ginger leaves...
Ayu narezushi (fermented sweetfish sushi)
Gifu City
Ayu narezushi, made as a preserved food, packs freshly cooked rice into the belly of salted ayu...
Gohei mochi (grilled rice cake skewers)
Tono region, Hida region
A regional dish of mashed rice wrapped around a skewer, coated in sauce, and grilled, mainly in areas bordering Nagano's Kiso...
Hoba miso (miso grilled on magnolia leaf)
Hida-Takayama region
Homemade koji miso grilled on a magnolia leaf. Goes well with rice and is also enjoyed as a drinking snack...
Imomochi (taro and rice cake)
Ehoku area of Nakatsugawa City, Chuno region
Imomochi is also claimed as a regional dish in Hokkaido, Wakayama, and Kochi prefectures, but...
Suttate jiru (ground soybean soup)
Shirakawa Village
Suttate jiru is made with "suttate," boiled soybeans ground in a mortar or stone mill...
Akakabu zuke (pickled red turnips)
Hida region centered on Takayama City, Hida City
A pickle that was a vital food source in the mountainous Hida region, cut off by snow in winter. Daikon, turnips, and...
Kaki namasu (vinegared vegetables with dried persimmon)
Chuno, Gifu, and Seino regions
Kaki namasu is a regional dish of vinegared daikon and carrot with dried persimmon added. In some areas...
Aka datsu no suzubute (vinegared red taro stalks)
Gifu region centered on Yamagata City
Taro leaf stalks (zuiki) dressed in mixed vinegar. "Datsu" means "zuiki," and...
Tsukemono misoni (miso-simmered pickles)
Gujo City
Salty soybean miso called Gujo miso, in a broth of dried sardine dashi, simmered with sliced pickled napa cabbage...
Kuwanoki mame ni (simmered mulberry tree beans)
Yamagata City
Kuwanoki mame ni is made from kuwanoki mame (mulberry tree beans), grown and eaten in the Miyama area in northern Yamagata City...
Shizuoka Prefecture3
Tororo jiru (grated mountain yam soup)
Chubu region (Shizuoka City)
Tororo jiru is grated wild mountain yam mixed with dashi and miso, poured over barley rice...
Oridonasu no dengaku (grilled eggplant with miso)
Shizuoka City
Oridonasu is a native eggplant variety from Miho in Shizuoka City's Shimizu Ward, round in shape with sharp thorns and a deep blackish...
Hesomochi (dimpled moon-viewing rice cake)
Central and western regions (mainly west of the Fuji River)
Hesomochi is offered alongside tsukimi dango at the Jugoya (mid-autumn) moon-viewing on the 15th night of the 8th lunar month, or...
Aichi Prefecture7
Renkon no nimono (simmered lotus root)
Owari region
Lotus root cultivation is said to have begun in the Edo period when a temple priest in Aisai City, Aichi Prefecture, planted it in the paddy in front of the temple...
Oni manju (sweet potato steamed bun)
Throughout Aichi Prefecture, centered on Nagoya City
Oni manju was born in the food-scarce years during and after the war, using sweet potato, which was relatively easy to obtain...
Karimori no kasuzuke (pickled melon in sake lees)
Throughout Aichi Prefecture
Karimori and early-season karimori are white melon varieties grown for pickling in the Nobi Plain since the Meiji era...
Hebo meshi (wasp larvae rice)
Nishimikawa, Higashimikawa, and Okumikawa regions
"Hebo" refers to the larvae of digger wasps such as the kurosuzumebachi—in other words, bee larvae...
Iga manju (rice-studded sweet bean bun)
Nishimikawa region
Oshimon (okoshimon) is rice flour kneaded with boiling water, pressed into molds, then colored...
Haze tsukudani (sweet-simmered goby)
Coastal areas
Mikawa Bay, wedged between the Chita and Atsumi peninsulas of Aichi Prefecture, has long stretches of shallow water including the Rokujogata and Shiogawa tidal flats...
Togan jiru (winter melon soup)
Throughout Aichi Prefecture, centered on the Owari and Nishimikawa regions
Aichi Prefecture ranks second nationally in winter melon shipments, after Okinawa, and winter melon dishes are widely established here...
Mie Prefecture4
Ibara mochi (catbrier-leaf rice cake)
Throughout Mie Prefecture
"Ibara mochi" is rice cake wrapped in sarutoriibara (catbrier) leaves, eaten around the Boys' Festival in May...
Narezushi (fermented sushi)
Throughout Mie Prefecture
"Narezushi," an ancient form of sushi, is made by packing salted fish with rice and letting it ferment...
Iwashi-zushi (sardine sushi)
Iga food culture region, Central-southern Ise food culture region, Hokusei food culture region
By catch volume, Mie Prefecture ranks first nationally for spiny lobster, second for anchovy, and sixth for sardines...
Salted fish (shiokara)
Ise-Shima food culture region
Where the Kumano-nada meets the freshwater-rich current flowing out of Ise Bay, plankton is abundant...
Shiga Prefecture7
Isaza mame (simmered goby and soybeans)
Throughout the prefecture, mainly Nagahama and Takashima cities
"Isaza mame" is a tsukudani-style preserve made by simmering isaza, a goby species endemic to Lake Biwa, together with soybeans...
Gori no tsukudani (simmered river goby)
Throughout the prefecture, mainly around the north lake
"Gori no tsukudani" is a soy-simmered preserve made from gori, a small fish that lives in Lake Biwa...
Ame-no-io gohan (Biwa trout rice)
Throughout Shiga Prefecture
"Ame-no-io gohan" is rice cooked together with biwa trout, a species endemic to Lake Biwa...
Saba somen (mackerel somen noodles)
Kohoku region
"Saba somen" simmers grilled mackerel and tosses it with somen noodles, a dish centered mainly on the Kohoku region...
Choji-fu with mustard vinegar-miso
Throughout Shiga Prefecture
"Choji-fu no karashi-ae" is a standard local dish using choji-fu, a local wheat gluten specialty of Shiga...
Saba no bo-zushi (pressed mackerel sushi)
Throughout the prefecture, mainly the Kohoku region
"Saba no bo-zushi" is a standard local dish served as a festival delicacy; besides pressed mackerel sushi...
Kurumi gobo (edamame-dressed burdock root)
Koka City
"Kurumi gobo" is burdock root tossed with a paste made from edamame, a dish from the Shigaraki area of Koka City, Shiga...
Kyoto19
Simmered black soybeans
Nantan region, Chutan region, Tango region
"Kuro-daizu" (black soybeans) are grown mainly in the Tamba region, including Kyotamba Town and Nantan City...
Bamboo shoots with kinome dressing
Yamashiro region, Kyoto City
Known for its white, tender flesh and mild bitterness, "Kyo-takenoko" is a moso bamboo shoot...
Simmered Manganji peppers with dried baby sardines
Chutan region, Kyoto City
This dish uses Manganji peppers, one of Kyoto's branded specialty vegetables...
Kigosho peppers
Kyoto City
"Fushimi togarashi" is a traditional Kyoto vegetable once grown around Fushimi Ward, Kyoto City...
Senmai-zuke (sliced turnip pickles)
Kyoto City
"Senmai-zuke" is a pickle of thinly sliced Shogoin turnip cured in salt; along with suguki-zuke and shiba-zuke...
Shiba-zuke (pickled eggplant and shiso)
Kyoto City
In Kyoto, where groundwater flows freely, vegetables have long been cultivated across the region...
Grilled hamo (pike conger)
Kyoto City, Chutan region, Tango region
Hamo (pike conger eel) is indispensable to Kyoto cuisine; it lives in seas influenced by warm currents, and off Tango...
Tai-kabu (simmered sea bream and turnip)
Kyoto City
"Tai-kabu," simmered Shogoin turnip and sea bream, is a local dish long eaten in Kyoto City...
Heshiko (salt-and-rice-bran cured fish)
Tango region
Kyoto is often thought to lack seafood, but the Tango region, facing the Sea of Japan...
Simmered herring and eggplant
Throughout the prefecture
Pairing seasonal ingredients, or ingredients that complement each other well, is called "deai" in the world of Kyoto cuisine...
Niku-dofu (beef and tofu simmer)
Kyoto City
"Niku-dofu" is a simple dish of beef, tofu, and green onion simmered together, using Kyoto's traditional Kujo green onion...
Suguki-zuke (pickled suguki turnip)
Kyoto City
Suguki is a type of traditional Kyoto turnip known for its distinctive sourness...
Zuiki no taitan (simmered taro stalks)
Chutan region, Tango region
"Zuiki no taitan" is a simmered dish made from zuiki, the leaf stalk of taro, a homestyle dish...
Ebi-imo and dried cod simmer
Kyoto City, Chutan region, Tango region
This dish uses ebi-imo, a Kyoto vegetable known for its shrimp-like shape and striped pattern...
Kamo eggplant dengaku
Kyoto City
Among Kyoto's traditional vegetables, Kamo eggplant is especially popular, round and over 10cm across...
Ohagi (sweet rice cake)
Throughout the prefecture
"Ohagi" is enjoyed throughout Japan; the red color of azuki beans has long been believed to ward off evil...
Millet, foxtail millet, and horse chestnut mochi
Nantan region, Chutan region
Kyoto Prefecture has the Tango mountains in the north and the Tamba mountains in the center, low ranges under 1,000m, and the Chutan region...
Chestnut rice
Chutan region, Nantan region
One of Kyoto's specialty products is the Tamba chestnut, grown in the Tamba region...
Saba-zushi (mackerel sushi)
Throughout the prefecture
Mackerel has long been caught in abundance in Wakasa Bay and cherished as an everyday fish; before refrigeration technology developed...
Osaka5
Lightly pickled Senshu mizunasu eggplant
Senshu region
Senshu mizunasu, a prized eggplant variety from the Senshu region of southern Osaka, lightly pickled in rice bran or a pickling liquid...
Jakogoko (aged pickled eggplant with dried shrimp)
Senshu region
Old pickled Senshu mizunasu eggplant, desalted and simmered sweet and savory with small dried shrimp...
Wakagobo no itameni (stir-simmered young burdock)
Kawachi region (Yao City)
A local dish of fried tofu and young burdock, a specialty of Yao City, stir-fried and simmered together...
Semba-jiru (salted mackerel and daikon soup)
Osaka City
A clear soup made with salted mackerel trimmings and daikon radish, long enjoyed as a home-style dish in the Semba district...
Osaka shirona no karashi-ae (mustard-dressed Osaka shirona greens)
Osaka City
Osaka shirona is said to be a hybrid of Shandong cabbage or napa cabbage with tainai greens...
Hyogo Prefecture8
Himeji oden
Himeji City and surrounding area
Oden is usually eaten with mustard, but Himeji oden is instead topped with ginger-flavored soy sauce...
Saba-zushi (mackerel sushi)
Throughout the prefecture
A traditional sushi made with vinegar-cured salted mackerel, prepared as whole-fish sushi, pressed rolls, or hand-formed nigiri...
Tsukudani-style simmered sansho pepper
Asakura, Yabu City (Asakura sansho); Kobe City (Arima sansho)
Sansho, a spice widely used to season Japanese cuisine, is said to have arrived from China in the Heian period...
Hamosuki (conger pike eel hot pot)
Awaji Island
Conger pike eel and Awaji Island onions simmered in a yosenabe-style broth, a specialty of Awaji Island...
Kokerazushi (pressed fish-floss sushi)
Awaji City
A pressed sushi topped with dried, flaked sea bream, wrasse, and goby over vinegared rice...
Saba no jau (sukiyaki-style mackerel hot pot)
Toyooka City, Kami Town (Tajima region)
A sukiyaki-style hot pot of mackerel simmered with seasonal vegetables like green onion and napa cabbage, along with grilled tofu...
Tororo rice (grated yam over rice)
Tamba Sasayama City
Grated mountain yam thinned with a dashi broth of dried sardines and bonito flakes, valued as an aid to digestion...
Simmered black soybeans
Tamba Sasayama City
Tamba Sasayama's black soybeans grow plump and richly flavored, thanks to the region's fertile clay soil and sharp day-night temperature swings...
Nara Prefecture4
Imobota (taro rice cake)
Throughout the prefecture
A botamochi rice cake made with taro mixed in; since glutinous rice was once a precious commodity...
Tako momiuri (massaged cucumber and octopus salad)
Throughout the prefecture
Thinly sliced cucumber rubbed with salt until softened, then mixed with octopus...
Sanma-zushi (Pacific saury sushi)
Totsukawa Village
Sanma-zushi is passed down mainly as a local dish of Totsukawa Village in Yoshino District, Nara Prefecture...
Ayu-zushi (sweetfish sushi)
Yoshino River basin
Wild sweetfish raised in the clear streams of the Yoshino mountains feed on algae growing on riverbed stones, giving them their distinctive fragrance...
Wakayama Prefecture12
Mehari-zushi (pickled mustard green rice balls)
Southern region
A packed lunch food from the fishing- and forestry-heavy southern part of the prefecture, easy to eat during breaks in busy fishing or mountain work...
Sanma-zushi (Pacific saury sushi)
Southern region
From late October through March, Pacific saury ride the cold current down from off Sanriku to spawn in the Kumano Sea...
Narezushi (fermented mackerel sushi)
Arida region
Long made as a festival food for local celebrations; fish preserved with rice through fermentation...
Moray eel dishes / tsukudani-style moray eel
Southern region
Known as the 'gangster of the sea,' the moray eel is aggressive and armed with sharp upper and lower teeth...
Kakinoha-zushi (persimmon leaf sushi)
Katsuragi Town, Kudoyama Town
The Ito region along the Kinokawa River is a famous persimmon-growing area, with Kudoyama Town known for fuyu persimmons and Katsuragi Town for tanenashi persimmons...
Kokera-zushi (flaked fish sushi)
Northern and southern regions
Grilled, flaked fish along with shiitake mushroom, carrot, and egg are layered over sushi rice...
Mikan mochi (mandarin orange rice cake)
Arida City
Wakayama is one of Japan's leading mandarin orange producers, particularly Arida, the home of Arida mikan...
Inoko mochi (harvest rice cake)
Northern and southern regions
The boar has long been worshipped as a god of agriculture, said to visit the fields on the first day of the boar in the second lunar month...
Mame gohan (pea rice)
Central region
Wakayama is one of Japan's leading producers of peas, grown in Inami, Hidakagawa, Minabe, Gobo, and Mihama towns and cities...
Shoga meshi (ginger rice)
Wakayama City
In the soft sandy soil areas along the Kinokawa River, such as Kasai and Nunobiki in Wakayama City, the mild climate favors ginger cultivation...
Hatagonbo-zushi (local burdock sushi)
Hashimoto City
'Hatagonbo' is a burdock variety grown in the Nishihata district of Hashimoto City, on the slopes of 552-meter Mt. Kunigi...
Wasabi-zushi (wasabi leaf sushi)
Aridagawa Town
In the Arida region, this sushi has long been indispensable for seasonal events such as rice planting, Obon, and autumn festivals...
Tottori Prefecture5
Kaki-no-ha-zushi (persimmon leaf sushi)
Chizu Town
This local dish, long passed down in Chizu, Tottori, was served for hospitality at Obon and festivals...
Pickled rakkyo
Fukube (Tottori City), Hokuei Town
Rakkyo cultivation in Tottori dates back to the Edo period, said to have arrived from the Koishikawa medicinal herb garden during the daimyo's alternate attendance in Edo...
Imobota (sweet potato botamochi)
Yumihama Peninsula
Imobota is a botamochi rice cake made with sweet potato, long passed down on the Yumihama Peninsula...
Gancha-jiru (river crab soup)
Throughout Tottori Prefecture
Gancha-jiru uses river crabs caught in Tottori's clear rivers. In Tottori, mitten crabs...
Simmered grilled mackerel
Eastern region
A dish long loved as everyday fare in the eastern region. Large catches of mackerel are landed from the Sea of Japan...
Shimane Prefecture5
Simmered bamboo shoots with sansho pepper
Eastern region (Shimada district)
The Shimada district is mostly surrounded by mountains and could never harvest enough rice. In such conditions...
Bakudan onigiri (rice ball)
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...
Kuroda parsley and spinach ohitashi
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...
Hosho-yaki grilled sea bass
Matsue City
Lake Shinji, in northeastern Shimane, is said to have formed about 10,000 years ago...
Izumo soba
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...
Okayama Prefecture4
Matsuri-zushi / Bara-zushi (scattered sushi)
Throughout Okayama Prefecture
Matsuri-zushi, also called "Okayama bara-zushi" or "Bizen bara-zushi," is a dish long known in the Bizen-Okayama area...
Mackerel sushi
Maniwa City, Takahashi City
Mountainous northern Okayama has surprisingly many traditional fish dishes. Mackerel sushi is mainly found in...
Sorghum dumpling soup
Soja City, Ibara City, Takahashi City, Niimi City
Takakibi, a type of sorghum brought from the Chinese mainland, is also known as "morokoshi-kibi"...
Yuzu miso
Ibara City
Yuzu citron, whose refreshing scent brings a sense of the season to the table, is harvested from around October...
Hiroshima Prefecture5
Wani sashimi (shark sashimi)
Miyoshi City and Shobara City, Bihoku region
Although called "wani" (crocodile), what's actually eaten is shark, also called "fuka"...
Uzumi (hidden ingredient rice)
Fukuyama City
"Uzumi" comes from the Edo-period custom of burying ("uzumeru") the ingredients beneath the rice to make the meal look modest...
Kaku-zushi (square pressed sushi)
Geihoku region, from Hiroshima City to Kitahiroshima Town and Akitakata City
A type of pressed sushi made by packing vinegared rice and toppings into a square wooden mold, found in the Geihoku region from Hiroshima City's Asakita ward...
Azuma (vinegar-cured sushi)
Onomichi City, Fukuyama City
Nigiri sushi made with vinegar-cured mamakari fish. In place of vinegared rice, vinegar-seasoned okara is used as the base...
Iga mochi (rice-studded mochi)
Kure City
Sweet azuki bean paste is wrapped in a skin made of glutinous rice or rice flour, topped with colorful grains of glutinous rice...
Yamaguchi Prefecture1
Natsumikan-gashi (summer mandarin sweets)
Hagi City
Each prefecture selects a flower to represent it. Yamaguchi Prefecture's flower is the natsumikan (summer mandarin), which originated in Odai, Nagato...
Tokushima Prefecture7
Bouze no sugatazushi (whole-fish sushi with butterfish)
Southern region, throughout the prefecture
During the autumn festival season, Tokushima is known for "sugatazushi," sushi made by leaving various fish whole in their original shape...
Dekomawashi (skewered potatoes and dumplings, Iya style)
Iya region of Miyoshi City
Bite-sized potatoes, soba dumplings, rock tofu, and round konjac are skewered and coated with a miso sauce...
Handa somen (thin wheat noodles)
Handa district of Tsurugi Town, throughout the prefecture
Handa somen, made in the Handa district of Tsurugi Town, has a long history...
Yubeshi (steamed citrus confection)
Naka Town (upper Naka River), Katsuura region, Kamikatsu
Naka Town in Tokushima is especially known for growing yuzu. Heavy rainfall and large swings between daytime and nighttime temperatures...
Imomochi (sweet potato rice cake)
Throughout the prefecture
Sweet potatoes are widely grown in Tokushima Prefecture; the most nationally famous variety is "Naruto Kintoki"...
Zukigashi (taro stem sweet)
Throughout the prefecture
"Zuiki," the leaf stem of the yatsugashira taro variety, is a common ingredient in Tokushima's local cuisine...
Hasuimo no kuki no sunomono (vinegared taro stem)
Southern Tokushima
"Hasuimo," eaten mainly in Tokushima and Kochi, is a type of taro said to originate in Southeast Asia...
Kagawa Prefecture6
Shippoku udon (udon with autumn vegetables)
Throughout the prefecture
"Shippoku udon" as known in Kagawa is a hot udon dish topped with several kinds of autumn-to-winter vegetables and fried tofu...
Aji no sanbai (horse mackerel in three-flavor vinegar)
Throughout the prefecture
In summer, when children and adults alike once helped haul in beach seine nets, fishermen would reward them with horse mackerel and sardines...
Barazushi (scattered sushi)
Throughout the prefecture
"Barazushi" is vinegared rice mixed with seasonal vegetables and other ingredients, served mainly on celebratory occasions...
Ebi miso-jiru (shrimp miso soup)
Toyonaka Town
The Seto Inland Sea yields an abundance of shrimp. Among them, one species that grows to only about 10cm...
Kakimaze (mixed rice with mountain and sea ingredients)
Shodoshima Island
"Kakimaze" is a local dish that makes generous use of the sea and mountain bounty of Shodoshima Island. Also called "omaze"...
Ochirashi ame (barley malt candy)
Throughout the prefecture
"Ochirashi ame" is a confection made by kneading ochirashi flour with millet jelly (mizuame). Ochirashi is...
Ehime Prefecture2
Imotaki (simmered taro)
Throughout the prefecture
"Imotaki" is said to have originated in Ozu City, simmered with chicken, taro, konjac, shiitake mushrooms, and more...
Pheasant and dried daikon mixed rice
Kihoku Town
Pheasant, appearing even in the Japanese folktale "Momotaro," has long been familiar in Japan...
Kochi Prefecture10
Katsuo no tataki (seared bonito)
Throughout the prefecture
Bonito, Kochi Prefecture's official fish, is eaten as an everyday ingredient. "Katsuo no tataki"...
Ryukyu no sunomono (vinegared taro stem)
Throughout the prefecture
In Kochi Prefecture, the petiole connecting leaf and stem of hasuimo (a taro-family plant) is called "ryukyu"...
Himeichi to mikan no karashini (spicy simmered fish with citrus)
Throughout the prefecture
Himeichi is a small fish caught in small-scale bottom trawl nets in Tosa Bay; its formal name is Upeneus japonicus...
Taimo no korobashi (sesame-coated taro)
Throughout the prefecture
In Kochi Prefecture, taro is called "taimo," and has long served as a valuable nutrient source second only to rice...
Hachiku to endo no nimono (simmered bamboo shoots and peas)
Throughout the prefecture
Bamboo shoots are widely eaten in Kochi Prefecture. In early spring, moso bamboo shoots appear on the market...
Tsugani-jiru (mitten crab soup)
Shimanto River, Niyodo River, Monobe River basins
"Tsugani-jiru" is one of Kochi's representative local dishes. Tsugani refers to the mitten crab caught in the Shimanto and Niyodo rivers...
Chate no aemono (chayote salad)
Throughout the prefecture
As the hot summer passes and autumn approaches, chayote season arrives. Chayote is a tropical...
Zenmai no itameni (stir-simmered fiddlehead fern)
Mountainous areas
In mountain villages, dishes like oil-fried zenmai, shiraae, and simmered dishes have long been eaten...
Ginburou-zushi (bean sushi)
Otoyo Town
"Ginburou" is a type of kidney bean grown for home use in the Nishitoyonaga district of Otoyo Town...
Ha-ninniku no nuta (garlic leaf with vinegar-miso)
Throughout the prefecture
Nuta is a traditional Kochi seasoning made by mixing garlic with miso and vinegar, used with raw fish or konjac...
Fukuoka Prefecture6
Hakata no gomasaba (sesame-marinated mackerel)
Fukuoka district
Fukuoka and Hakata have long landed fresh seafood. Because mackerel spoils quickly, it is not usually eaten raw nationwide...
Game no ha manju (steamed bun wrapped in sarsaparilla leaf)
Northern Fukuoka Prefecture
Made around the time of the Boys' Festival, it is also a familiar treat for children...
Tohei-nabe (conger eel hot pot)
Oshima district, Munakata City
Tohei is a fish resembling a large eel, found in waters from central Honshu southward; its official name is...
Yuzu-kosho (citrus and chili paste)
Throughout the prefecture
Yuzu-kosho is a familiar everyday condiment throughout Kyushu. Its place of origin is disputed, with...
Amagi no kawatake (river laver)
Asakura City
Kawatake is a rare wild freshwater laver that can only be harvested from the Kogane River in Asakura City, Fukuoka Prefecture...
Kutsuzoko no nitsuke (simmered sole)
Ariake Sea coastal area
The Ariake Sea is bordered by four Kyushu prefectures. Its muddy seabed averages about 20 meters deep, and it holds Japan's largest tidal flats...
Saga Prefecture7
Ika no kakeae (squid and grated daikon salad)
Throughout the prefecture
Found throughout Japan under names like 'oroshi-namasu,' 'kakiae,' and 'nutaae,' this dish combines seafood with grated daikon...
Nigomi (simmered chicken and vegetables)
Throughout the prefecture
Kunchi festivals, passed down in Saga Prefecture and other parts of northern Kyushu, are also called okunchi and offer new-harvest rice to the local guardian deity...
Gameni (simmered chicken and vegetables)
Throughout the prefecture
Among Saga Prefecture's many local dishes, gameni is a classic staple. Nationally it is better known as 'chikuzen-ni'...
Kuchizoko no nitsuke (simmered sole)
Ariake Sea coast
The Ariake Sea, with Japan's greatest tidal range and vast mudflats, is home to mudskippers, mekaja, and...
Kuri okowa (chestnut sticky rice)
Throughout the prefecture
Kuri okowa, passed down in Saga Prefecture and also called 'kuri kowai' or 'kowai,' was made for village festivals and family...
Tsugani meshi (river crab rice)
Throughout the prefecture
Saga Prefecture, bordered by the Ariake Sea and the Genkai Sea, retains many local dishes shaped by its abundant seafood...
Ara no sugatani (whole simmered grouper)
Karatsu City
Karatsu Kunchi, whose float procession is part of the UNESCO-listed 'Yama, Hoko, Yatai' intangible cultural heritage...
Nagasaki Prefecture3
Hikado (fish and sweet potato stew)
Nagasaki City
A local dish handed down in Nagasaki since the early 1600s, brought by Portuguese missionaries and traders once living there...
Morobuta-zushi (pressed sushi)
Throughout northern Nagasaki Prefecture
A pressed sushi long handed down in Sasa Town, northern Nagasaki, whose origins trace to a dish from Omura City...
Almado (egg and fish paste roll)
Hirado area
Said to have first been made in Hirado, where Dejima was originally located, during Japan's period of isolation; a fish paste roll filled with boiled egg...
Kumamoto Prefecture10
Dagojiru (flat dumpling soup)
Throughout Kumamoto Prefecture
Made by kneading wheat flour (or rice flour) with water, letting it rest, then stretching and tearing it by hand into the soup...
Candied grilled ayu (sweetfish)
Hitoyoshi-Kuma region, Yatsushiro region
The Kuma River, Kumamoto's largest Class-A river, runs through the Hitoyoshi basin and the Yatsushiro plain before reaching the Yatsushiro Sea...
Tsubonjiru (chicken and root vegetable soup)
Hitoyoshi-Kuma region
Made with chicken, fish cake, and root vegetables such as taro, burdock root, carrot, and daikon radish...
Aso takana-zuke (pickled mustard greens)
Aso City
Aso takana is a traditional vegetable grown in Aso's cold climate and volcanic-ash soil, sown in autumn...
Akado-zuke (pickled taro stems)
Aso region
A traditional pickle handed down alongside takana-zuke in parts of Aso, such as the former Ichinomiya Town, known for its distinctive color...
Makigaki (rolled dried persimmon)
Uki region, Yamato Town, Kamimashiki District
A traditional food handed down in the Uki district and Yamato Town, Kamimashiki District, both known for producing dried persimmons...
Mazegohan (mixed rice)
Throughout Kumamoto Prefecture
Also called gumeshi, this dish appears without fail at local festivals and celebratory gatherings, made with chicken...
Kasuyose (rice and vegetable dumpling)
Kamimashiki region
Traditionally made at home in Yamato Town for celebrations, festivals, and other gatherings...
Tai somen (sea bream with somen noodles)
Amakusa region, Kamimashiki region (Mamihara, Yamato Town)
Sea bream has long been indispensable for celebrations, and Kumamoto Prefecture is one of Japan's leading producers of fresh...
Simmered jabara daikon (accordion-cut dried daikon)
Southern Aso region
Jabara daikon is a dried daikon long made in the southern Aso region using the cold winter wind...
Oita Prefecture4
Dangojiru (flat dumpling soup)
Throughout Oita Prefecture
Much of Oita's land is elevated terrain unsuited to rice farming, so field crops have long formed the basis of local food...
Koneri (miso-simmered summer vegetables)
Bungo-ono City
Made by frying summer vegetables such as eggplant and bitter melon in oil, then seasoning with dashi-thinned miso...
Ganjiru (river crab soup)
Usa City area
Usa City sits at the base of the Kunisaki Peninsula, bordered to the north by the Suo Sea...
Amimeshi (mysid shrimp rice)
Usa City, Nakatsu City, Bungotakada City area
The Buzen Sea, stretching from eastern Fukuoka to the northern Oita coast, has extensive tidal flats due to its shallow waters...
Miyazaki Prefecture3
Nutaimo (miso-dressed taro)
Central Miyazaki region
Miyazaki is a major taro producer, consistently ranking among the top prefectures alongside Saitama and Chiba...
Sunoshui (vinegared sardine and daikon soup)
Western Miyazaki region
A warm vinegar-based soup made by simmering grated daikon and sardines in vinegar and soy sauce...
Stir-fried tsuwabuki (leopard plant)
Miyazaki City, Miyakonojo City, Nichinan City
Tsuwabuki is native to Japan, growing wild south of Fukushima and Ishikawa prefectures on Honshu, but mainly in Kyushu...
Kagoshima Prefecture5
Buri daikon (simmered yellowtail and daikon)
Throughout Kagoshima Prefecture
Made with yellowtail and daikon, both Kagoshima specialties, this is a beloved winter staple...
Papaiya-zuke (pickled papaya)
Amami region
Made by salting young papaya, then pickling it in miso or soy sauce...
Karukan (steamed yam cake)
Throughout Kagoshima Prefecture
Made from karukan flour, mountain yam, and water, this Kagoshima confection is famous throughout Japan...
Karaimo gohan (sweet potato rice)
Throughout Kagoshima Prefecture
A local dish made with sweet potato, Kagoshima's specialty known nationwide...
Kibinago sashimi (silver-stripe round herring)
Throughout Kagoshima Prefecture
Kagoshima is blessed with wide fishing grounds spanning Kagoshima Bay, the East China Sea, and the Pacific Ocean...
Okinawa Prefecture1
Naabeeraa nbushi (simmered loofah)
Throughout Okinawa Prefecture
Naabeeraa means loofah, and nbushi refers to simmering tofu, vegetables, and pork together in miso...
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In season now: autumn
Ingredients in season this time of year whose local consumption is far above the national average.
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冷凍浜茹でセコガニ 大中6〜7杯（1kg超） 松葉ガニメス
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