🍱 Junjun
Junjun is a hotpot dish of beef, chicken, lake fish, and so on seasoned in the style of sukiyaki. Junjun made with beef or chicken is eaten on special occasions such as the New Year and Obon. Junjun made with lake fish is mainly eaten around lakes such as the Kohoku region, Kosai region, Koto region, and Okishima. It is said that the name “junjun” comes from the sound that is made when the ingredients are boiled in a pot. It is said that it has long been eaten by simmering isaza gobies, eels, and catfish caught in Lake Biwa with seasonal vegetables. In addition, ingredients such as Omi beef, one of Japan's three major wagyu beef, isaza gobies endemic to Lake Biwa, and Toyoura green onions and Azuchi Nobunaga green onions produced around Azuchi Town, Omihachiman City, where Azuchi Castle was located, go well with junjun and can be eaten even more deliciously. In particular, Toyoura green onions, which are a traditional vegetable of Shiga Prefecture, are produced in small quantities, but have a good flavor and become soft and sweet when heated. On the other hand, Azuchi Nobunaga green onions are thick, and their deep sweetness increases when heated. Both are vegetables that go well with hotpot dishes. In addition, Shiga Prefecture's specialty products such as chojifu and red konjac are also suitable for hotpot dishes. Chojifu is characterized by its square shape, chewy texture, and smooth mouthfeel. Red konjac is dyed red with iron sesquioxide, which is good for one's health.