🍱 Gomoku Inarizushi

Agriculture has been practiced since ancient times in Ibaraki prefecture to take advantage of the year-round temperate climate and good water quality. Living up to its reputation as an "Agricultural Prefecture," Ibaraki boasts the top-class production in Japan of numerous vegetables including napa cabbage, lotus root, green bell pepper, and produces all kinds of ingredients ranging from vegetables to meat. "Gomoku Inarizushi" has been well-known for many years as a regional cuisine that features local agricultural products. Kasama City is home to Kasama Inari Shrine, one of the three major Inari shrines in Japan, where citizens and pilgrims have been offering "Gomoku Inarizushi" since long ago. Even today, the town is livened up by this practice. "Kasama Inarizushi" is known for using a wide range of ingredients such as carrot, burdock root, and shiitake mushroom that are often included in "Gomoku" (five ingredients), as well as locally produced soba (buckwheat noodles), chestnut, and maitake mushroom. The Inarizushi made with colorful ingredients has a beautiful appearance.