🍡 Yakimochi
Gunma has a rich source of water flowing from the Tone River and long hours of sunlight, one of the longest in Japan. The area is also blessed with a rich natural environment, with elevations ranging from 10 to 1,400 meters above sea level, and the benefits of this abundance of nature have resulted in an abundance of delicious agricultural and livestock products. In the plains of Gunma Prefecture, a double cropping of rice and wheat has been widely practiced since ancient times. In many areas, rice is harvested in the fall, followed by wheat cultivation through the spring. As a result, people often eat wheat-based dishes as staple foods and snacks, and udon, mochi, and manju, which are made from wheat flour, are popular. Yakimochi," which is made from wheat flour and baked, is one of the local dishes that grew out of Gunma's flour-based food culture. Yakimochi is made with soy sauce or miso paste prepared in each household and seasonal vegetables, and baked over an open hearth. In addition to yakimochi, it is also called "oyaki" or "jiriyaki" in some areas.