🍱 Inakazushi

“Inaka-zushi” is a type of Sushi using vegetables that are rare in Japan. It is a traditional event food in the mountainous areas of Kochi Prefecture, and the ingredients for the Sushi are made with vegetables from the mountains. It is served during” Okyaku”（ a banquet in the Tosa dialect）, and is also part of the "Sawachi" or "Sahachi" dishes that are a staple of the” Okyaku” culture. It is said that originally the people made this sushi because they could afford to get the ingredients from mountains when Kelp and Seaweed were hard to get . Ingredients vary from region to region, but they include a wide range of ingredients such as “Ryukyu” (a stalk of lotus root),” Myoga”, “Konjac”, and “Shiho-tiku” (bamboo shoots). Vivid colors decorate the dining table, such as "Ryukyu-zushi" with “Ryukyu” on top and “Shiho-tiku no Hitokuchi-zushi"(one bite size Sushi with Bamboo shoots) in which the hollow part of the Bamboo shoots is filled with vinegared rice.