🍡 Ishigaki Dango (Sweet Potato Mochi Ball)

This is a local dish in the Sagamihara region, a steamed bun made by mixing local flour and sweet potatoes. It offers a simple taste that highlights the natural sweetness of the ingredients. The Sagamihara plateau, covered with volcanic ash and poor in nutrients, has been a place where barley and sweet potatoes are widely cultivated. Therefore, local people have been familiar with local flour and sweet potatoes as common ingredients. Originally, this snack eaten during breaks from farming activities was called "okojū" (little daytime snack). The Ishigaki Dango, including the simple and affordable enjoyment of local ingredients, became a popular okojū. The name "Ishigaki Dango" comes from the many stone walls in the surrounding area, and the diced sweet potatoes resemble stones on the wall.