🍱 Imogushi

Imogushi" is a local dish of roasted sweet potatoes on skewers with a savory miso sauce, which has been prepared for ceremonial occasions and events. Sato-imo was introduced to Japan from tropical Asia during the Jomon period (before rice cultivation). In Tochigi Prefecture, sato-imo has been cultivated in a wide area except for the former Kuriyama Village, which is unsuitable for sato-imo cultivation due to its cold climate. In the past, the word "taro" used to refer to sato-imo, which was offered at festivals and annual events, as well as in everyday life. For example, there is a custom in Tsukizawa, Nasu-Shiobara City, to eat imogushi while enjoying osechi (New Year) dishes and sake around the hearth at New Year's. In Yamakubo, Nikko City, there is a custom to make and eat imogushi at the festival of Inari Shrine on the first horse day of the lunar calendar.