Top Regional Dishes

73 dishes

• 🐟Ago no Yaki📍 TottoriAgo no Yaki is a representative local specialty of the San'in region. In Tottori Prefecture, it is also known as Ago Chikuwa. It is very popular as a souvenir.
• Anko nabe📍 IbarakiAnko Nabe is a hot pot dish featuring 'kiankou' (goosefish), which belongs to the Lophiiformes order and Lophiidae family, as its main ingredient.
• Botan nabe📍 HyōgoBotan Nabe (Boar Hot Pot) is a Japanese hot pot dish using boar meat. It is sometimes also called Shishi Nabe.
• Chan Chan Yaki📍 HokkaidoChanchan-yaki is a Japanese local dish made by grilling fish, such as salmon, with vegetables and seasoning it with miso or other ingredients. It is a famous dish in the fishing towns of Hokkaido and Aomori Prefecture.
• Chikuzenni📍 FukuokaChikuzenni is a dish that originated from northern Kyushu, Japan, made of braised chicken and vegetables. It is often eaten when bringing in the new year in Japan.
• 🍚Fukagawa-don (Fukagawa Rice Bowl)📍 TokyoFukagawa-meshi is a dish made by simmering shellfish such as clams, hard clams, or round clams with vegetables like green onions, and serving it over rice or cooking it with rice. It is also called Fukagawa-don or Asari-meshi (clam rice).
• 🍜Gomadashi📍 ŌitaGomadashi is a condiment from Saiki City, Oita Prefecture, made by grinding grilled fish like lizardfish together with sesame seeds and mixing in soy sauce. It is commonly dissolved in hot water and eaten with udon noodles as 'Gomadashi Udon,' which has been selected as one of the 100 Best Local Dishes of Japan's farming, mountain, and fishing villages.
• Hittsumi📍 IwateHittsumi, also known as Tottenage (in the northern part of Iwate Prefecture, formerly the Morioka Domain) or Tsumeri (in areas such as the former Esashi District, formerly the Sendai Domain), is a local soup dish made with wheat flour dough. It is also called Hittsumi-jiru and is a type of suiton (flour dumpling soup). It is eaten mainly in the Kitakami Basin of Iwate Prefecture. The name 'Hittsumi' is said to have evolved from the dialect 'hittsumamu,' meaning 'to tear by hand.' Ingredients and broth vary by region and household, sometimes including local chicken, mushrooms, river crabs, river fish, or mitten crabs.
• Imoni📍 YamagataImoni (芋煮) is a type of taro and meat soup eaten traditionally in the autumn in the Tōhoku region of Japan. Yamagata Prefecture in particular is famous for its imoni, but other prefectures in the region also have their own different varieties.
• Inaniwa udon📍 AkitaInaniwa Udon is a hand-stretched dried udon noodle originating from Inaniwa-cho, Yuzawa City, Akita Prefecture. It is considered one of Japan's three great udon noodles. There is also 'Inaniwa Somen' made using the same method.
• Ise udon📍 MieIse Udon is an udon dish eaten mainly around Ise City, Mie Prefecture. The standard preparation involves serving thick, soft noodles topped with a sauce made from a small amount of tamari soy sauce (the liquid skimmed from the top during the production of bean miso) and bonito stock. The Ise Udon Association has established registration standards for the noodles and sauce.
• Ishikari-nabe📍 HokkaidoIshikari Nabe is a Japanese hot pot dish featuring salmon as the main ingredient, seasoned with miso, and is a local specialty of Hokkaido.
• Izumo soba📍 ShimaneIzumo Soba is a local buckwheat noodle dish widely eaten in the Izumo region of Shimane Prefecture. It is one of the three great soba dishes of Japan.
• Jakoten📍 EhimeJakoten (じゃこ天) is made from small fish that are blended into a paste and then fried. It is a special product of Uwajima in southern Ehime Prefecture. Jakoten has a long history, having been eaten since the Edo period.
• Jingisukan📍 HokkaidoJingisukan is a Japanese grilled mutton dish prepared on a convex metal skillet or other grill. It is often cooked alongside beansprouts, onions, mushrooms, and bell peppers, and served with a sauce based in either soy sauce or sake. The dish is particularly popular on the northern island of Hokkaidō and in China.
• 🍱Karashi Renkon📍 KumamotoKarashi Renkon is a Japanese comedy duo affiliated with Yoshimoto Kogyo (Tokyo headquarters). Formed in 2013, they are graduates of NSC Osaka School's 35th class and were finalists in the M-1 Grand Prix 2019.
• 🍜Miwa somen📍 NaraMiwa Somen is a local specialty produced in the Miwa region, centered in Sakurai City, Nara Prefecture. The Miwa region is also said to be the birthplace of somen noodles.
• Morioka reimen📍 IwateMorioka reimen is a local dish of Morioka, Iwate Prefecture. It is a cold noodle dish and one of the three great noodles of Morioka, along with Morioka jajamen and Wanko soba. It is known for its chewy noodles, rich chilled broth, and toppings of kimchi. It is based on the Korean dish naengmyeon.
• 🍚Nagano–Niigata sasazushi📍 NiigataSasa-zushi is sushi made by placing bite-sized portions of sushi rice on top of sasa bamboo leaves, topped with ingredients and seasonings. It is a local cuisine of Niigata Prefecture and the Hokushin region of Nagano Prefecture, and it has been selected as one of the 100 Best Local Cuisines of Agricultural, Mountain, and Fishing Villages.
• 🍱Nishin no Sanshozuke📍 FukushimaNishin no Sanshozuke (herring pickled with Japanese pepper) is a local dish from the Aizu region of Fukushima Prefecture.
• 🍲Noppe📍 NiigataNoppe is a traditional stew served throughout Japan. It has many different names depending on the region, but its most famous version is from Niigata, known as either Noppe, Noppei, or Noppe-jiru.
• Okinawa soba📍 OkinawaOkinawa soba (沖縄そば) is a type of noodle produced in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. Okinawa soba is a regional collective trademark of The Okinawa Noodle Manufacturing Co-op. On Okinawa, it is sometimes simply called soba, although this Japanese term typically refers to buckwheat noodles in mainland Japan. The noodles of Okinawa soba are made from wheat flour, and do not contain any buckwheat.
• Oyaki📍 NaganoOyaki (おやき) is a Japanese dumpling made from a buckwheat dough wrapped around a stuffing of Japanese vegetables, fruit, or anko bean paste and then roasted on an iron pan. The resulting bun is then either steamed or broiled and eaten hot. Oyaki are popular and widely available in Nagano Prefecture which is famous for the dish.
• Sanuki udon📍 KagawaSanuki udon (讃岐うどん) is an udon noodle dish most popular in the Kagawa prefecture in Japan, but is now easily found throughout the neighboring Kansai region and much of Japan. It is characterized by its square shape and flat edges with rather chewy texture, and in an authentic sense, ingredients should be from among those local specialties as wheat flour, Niboshi dried young sardines to cook broth for soup and dipping sauce. Many udon shops now specialize solely in sanuki-style chewy udon, and are usually identified by the text "sanuki" in hiragana (さぬき) appearing in the name of the shop or on the sign.
• Satsuma-age📍 KagoshimaSatsuma-age (薩摩揚げ) is a fried fishcake originating from Kagoshima, Japan. Surimi and flour are mixed to make a compact paste that is solidified through frying. It is a specialty of the Satsuma region. It is known by a variety of regional names throughout Japan.
• Sawachiryōri📍 KōchiSawachi Ryori is a local cuisine of Kochi Prefecture. In recent years, the term is also used to refer to banquet dishes featuring sashimi and other items arranged on large platters.
• Shinshū soba📍 NaganoShinshu Soba is a general term for buckwheat noodles made in Nagano Prefecture. In 1983, Nagano Prefecture designated these noodles as a 'Taste Cultural Asset' under the 'Handmade Soba' category for the Prefecture Selected Intangible Folk Cultural Property list.
• Shippoku📍 NagasakiShippoku (卓袱) is a Japanese culinary style that is heavily influenced by Chinese cuisine. It has been described as a fusion cuisine and as a "hybrid cuisine" that combines elements of European, Chinese and Japanese cuisines. Meats used in shippoku cuisine include fowl, fish, and game meats. Sake typically accompanies shippoku dishes. The shippoku style of service typically includes several small dishes that comprise a full meal.
• Shiromiso Zoni📍 OsakaShiromiso Zoni (White Miso Zoni) is a traditional Japanese dish. It is a soup with rice cakes prepared with white miso, commonly eaten in Kyoto Prefecture, Osaka Prefecture, Wakayama Prefecture, and Kagawa Prefecture.
• Wanko soba📍 IwateWanko soba (わんこそば) is a style of Japanese soba noodles originating from Iwate Prefecture in Japan, particularly Morioka and Hanamaki. It consists of a small serving of soba noodles in small bowls. In this soba experience, customers quickly eat their soba noodles and get their bowl immediately refilled in repetition.
• Yoshina no udon📍 YamanashiYoshida Udon is a local udon noodle dish eaten mainly in Fujiyoshida City and the surrounding Gunai region of Yamanashi Prefecture. It is characterized by its firm, very chewy noodles and suridane spice mix. It is one of the 100 Best Local Dishes selected by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and is also designated as a Yamanashi Prefecture local food to be passed on to the next generation.
• akashiyaki📍 HyōgoAkashiyaki (明石焼き) is a small round dumpling from the city of Akashi in Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. The dumpling is made of an egg-rich batter and octopus dipped into dashi before eating. Modern style akashiyaki was first sold in the Taishō period by a yatai owner Seitarō Mukai.
• anagomeshi📍 HiroshimaAnago-meshi (conger eel rice) is a local cuisine originating from Miyajimaguchi, Hiroshima Prefecture. It is a signature local gourmet of Itsukushima (Miyajima), sometimes introduced as one of the 'two major gourmet foods of Miyajima' alongside oysters.
• anmochi zōni📍 KagawaAnmochi Zoni is a type of Zoni (mochi soup) that is a regional dish found in Kagawa Prefecture (especially in the eastern plains) and the coastal areas of Kumamoto Prefecture. It is characterized by the use of Anmochi (mochi filled with sweet red bean paste).
• basashi📍 KumamotoBasashi is a Japanese dish consisting of horse meat sliced thinly and eaten raw as sashimi.
• buri daikon📍 ToyamaBuri Daikon is a traditional Japanese dish made by simmering yellowtail scraps with daikon radish in soy sauce. It is a winter dish, a season when yellowtail is fatty. In 2007, it was selected as one of the 100 Best Local Cuisines of rural Japan, representing Toyama Prefecture. Today, it is a well-known dish eaten all over Japan.
• 🍜chitake soba📍 TochigiChitake Soba is a local dish from the plains of Tochigi Prefecture. There is also Chitake Udon, which uses udon noodles instead of soba.
• dango-jiru📍 ŌitaDango-jiru (dumpling soup) is a local dish from Oita Prefecture, eaten throughout the prefecture. While similar dishes called Dago-jiru exist in Fukuoka, Saga, Nagasaki, Kumamoto, and Miyazaki Prefectures, this entry focuses primarily on the Dango-jiru of Oita Prefecture.
• dongara-jiru📍 YamagataDongara-jiru is a local cuisine from the Shonai region of Yamagata Prefecture that uses cod.
• funazushi📍 ShigaFunazushi is a type of nare-zushi, an ancient Japanese type of sushi. It is a local dish of Shiga Prefecture, where it has been made since ancient times using Lake Biwa's nigorobuna and other fish as the main ingredients.
• futomaki📍 Chiba
• gu-zōni📍 NagasakiGu-zoni is a traditional local dish from the Shimabara region of Nagasaki Prefecture. It is also known as Shimabara Gu-zoni.
• gōyā chanpurū📍 OkinawaChanpurū is an Okinawan stir fry dish. It is considered the representative dish of Okinawan cuisine. It generally consists of tofu combined with some kind of vegetable, meat, or fish. Luncheon meat, egg, moyashi and gōyā are some other common ingredients. Spam is not typically used in mainland Japan, but it is more common in Okinawa due primarily to the historical influence of its introduction by the US Navy. Chanpurū is Okinawan for "something mixed" and the word is sometimes used to refer to the culture of Okinawa, as it can be seen as a mixture of traditional Okinawan, Chinese, mainland Japanese, Southeast Asian and North American culture. The term originates from the Malay word campur, meaning "mix".
• harako meshi📍 MiyagiHarako-meshi is a type of seasoned rice dish where rice is cooked in a broth made by simmering salmon with soy sauce and mirin. Before serving, salmon meat and ikura (salmon roe, or harako) are placed on top. While these are the basic components for bento boxes, it is common in restaurants to serve it with salmon miso soup as well.
• hitsumabushi📍 AichiHitsumabushi (ひつまぶし) is a local dish of Japan, consisting of sliced unagi (eel) grilled in kabayaki style on rice. Hitsumabushi became common in the 1950s, when farm-raised eel became widely available. It is considered one of the representative dishes of Nagoya cuisine.
• hiyajiru udon📍 SaitamaHiyashiru Udon (Cold Soup Udon) is a style of udon eaten primarily as a home-cooked meal in the summer around the Omiya, Kawagoe, and Kazo areas of Saitama Prefecture. It is eaten with a dipping sauce made by grinding sesame, light-colored rice or barley miso (sometimes other types of miso), shiso leaves, and sugar in a mortar, then diluting it with cold water or dashi stock. It is sometimes garnished with myoga ginger or ginger, and thinly sliced cucumber may also be served on the side.
• hiyashiru📍 MiyazakiHiyajiru (cold soup) is a cold soup dish seasoned with dashi and miso, primarily eaten in summer. It is a regional dish found in various parts of Japan, including Miyazaki Prefecture (where it is basically called 'hiyashiru'). Dishes with the same name containing different ingredients, as well as similar dishes with different names, also exist.
• hōba miso📍 GifuHoba Miso is the name of a local cuisine from the Hida Takayama region (present-day northern Gifu Prefecture).
• hōtō📍 YamanashiHōtō (ほうとう) is a noodle soup and popular regional dish originating from Yamanashi, Japan made by stewing flat udon noodles and vegetables in miso soup. Though hōtō is commonly recognized as a variant of udon, locals do not consider it to be an udon dish because the dough is prepared in the style of dumplings rather than noodles.
• 🐟ichigoni📍 AomoriIchigo-ni is a traditional dish from Hachinohe City, Aomori Prefecture, and the surrounding Sanriku Coast, consisting of a clear soup made with sea urchin and abalone.
• iga manjū📍 SaitamaIga Manju is a Japanese confection passed down in the northern part of Saitama Prefecture. It is characterized by being coated in sekihan (red bean rice) and was selected as one of the 100 Best Local Dishes by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.
• ikinaridango📍 KumamotoIkinari Dango is a traditional local dish and confectionery from Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan.
• 🍚iwakunizushi📍 YamaguchiIwakuni Zushi is a type of pressed sushi made in the area around Iwakuni City, Yamaguchi Prefecture.
• jibu-ni📍 IshikawaJibu-ni is a Japanese dish that is part of the regional cuisine of Kanazawa and the surrounding Ishikawa region. It is a stew made from duck or chicken meat coated in flour, wheat gluten, vegetables, and mushrooms all simmered together in dashi stock. It is often served as part of kaiseki.
• kabayaki📍 ShizuokaKabayaki (蒲焼) is a preparation of fish, especially unagi eel, where the fish is split down the back, gutted and boned, butterflied, cut into square fillets, skewered, and dipped in a sweet soy sauce-based marinade before being cooked on a grill or griddle.
• kaki no dotenabe📍 HiroshimaKaki no Dote-nabe is a type of hot pot dish from Hiroshima Prefecture. Miso is spread around the rim of the pot, and ingredients such as oysters, tofu, and vegetables are simmered in it.
• kaki no ha zushi📍 NaraKakinoha-zushi (persimmon leaf sushi) is a local dish from Nara Prefecture, Wakayama Prefecture, as well as the Kaga region of Ishikawa Prefecture and the Chizu region of Tottori Prefecture.
• 🍲kamonabe📍 ShigaDuck hot pot (Kamo-nabe) is a hot pot dish made by simmering duck meat with vegetables such as green onions and tofu.
• 🍲kani-jiru📍 TottoriKani-jiru is a soup dish made with crab (including king crab, which is classified under the hermit crab family). The name and seasoning vary depending on the region and the type of crab used.
• 🍚keihan rice📍 KagoshimaKeihan is a local dish of the Amami Islands, Kagoshima Prefecture in the south of Japan. It is generally cooked with chicken, and although the exact recipe can vary, it often includes ingredients such as egg, pickles, dried shiitake, orange peel, nori, soup stock and sake. It is a popular meal in Kagoshima Prefecture, and a standard school lunch menu.
• kiritanpo📍 AkitaKiritanpo (きりたんぽ) is a Japanese dish particularly in Akita Prefecture. Freshly cooked rice is pounded until somewhat mashed, then formed into cylinders around Japanese cedar skewers, and toasted over an open hearth. It can then be served with sweet miso or cooked as dumplings with meat and vegetables in soups.
• kugini📍 HyōgoKugini is a regional dish that has been made since ancient times along the Seto Inland Sea coast of Japan (Harima, Settsu, and Awaji regions). It is a type of tsukudani (simmered food) made by cooking sand eels, their young (konago), or shinko in soy sauce, sugar, and ginger until sweet and savory.
• kuri kinton📍 GifuKuri Kinton is a Japanese confection made using chestnuts. In Kyoto, a similar type of sweet is also called Kuri Chakin.
• kusaya📍 TokyoKusaya (くさや) is a salted, dried and fermented fish that is produced in the Izu Islands, Japan. It has a pungent smell and is similar to the fermented Swedish herring surströmming.
• mamakari zushi📍 OkayamaMamakari Sushi is a traditional local dish from the Seto Inland Sea coastal region of Okayama Prefecture.
• masuzushi📍 ToyamaMasuzushi is a kind of Japanese ekiben boxed meal sold on trains and train stations in Japan. It is a type of oshizushi and a well-known souvenir of Toyama.
• mehari-zushi📍 WakayamaMehari-zushi is a local cuisine eaten in the Kumano region spanning Wakayama and Mie Prefectures, the Yoshino region centered in Yoshino District, Nara Prefecture, and Shintotsukawa Town in Hokkaido. It is a bento-style rice ball wrapped in lightly pickled takana (mustard green) leaves. Some regions call it Senbari-zushi, Oba-zushi, Takana-zushi, or Bashoba-zushi. The bento is considered a specialty of Kumano, and the version from Shingu City is particularly famous, designated as a recommended excellent souvenir of Wakayama Prefecture. Originally made by wrapping barley rice, it is now primarily made with white rice, sometimes using vinegared rice. In Shimokitayama Village in southeastern Nara Prefecture, it is eaten wrapped in pickled Shimokita-harumana leaves, which lacks the pungency of takana, offering a different taste. Generally eaten with soy sauce or vinegar-soy sauce, it is sometimes eaten with mayonnaise and soy sauce.
• 🍲mizutaki📍 FukuokaMizutaki is a Japanese hot pot dish. It has origins in the Kansai region and Nagasaki, with different histories and preparation methods for each.
• okkirikomi📍 GunmaOkkirikomi is a type of simmered noodle dish that can be found in Gunma Prefecture, some parts of northern Saitama Prefecture, and the Chichibu area. It is usually written in hiragana and sometimes seen as おきりこみ (okirikomi) but may sometimes be found in kanji as well (おっ切り込み).
• senbei-jiru📍 AomoriSenbei-jiru is a traditional local dish that originated in the area around Hachinohe City, Aomori Prefecture, during the Edo period. It is a soup or hot pot dish made by simmering special Nanbu senbei (crackers) in a soy sauce-based broth. It has been popularized under the name Hachinohe Senbei-jiru and promoted outside the region.
• shimotsukare📍 TochigiShimotsukare (しもつかれ) is a local Japanese dish served in the Northern Kantō region of Japan, primarily in Tochigi Prefecture but also in Gunma Prefecture and Ibaraki Prefecture. The dish is generally served on hatsu-u-no hi together with sekihan as an offering to appease the legendary deity, inari. Shimotsukare is usually made by simmering salmon head, vegetables, soybeans, abura-age and sake kasu. Common additional ingredients include grated raw radish and carrots. The dish is also known as shimitsukari, shimitsukare or sumitsukare in some areas.
• tekone-zushi📍 MieTekone-zushi is a type of chirashi-zushi found in various regions across Japan. It is sometimes also referred to as 'tegonesushi'.
• zundamochi📍 MiyagiZunda-mochi (ずんだ餅) is a type of Japanese confectionery popular in northeastern Japan. It is sometimes translated as "green soybean rice cake." It generally consists of a round cake of short-grained glutinous rice with sweetened mashed soybean paste on top. In some varieties, the green soybean paste entirely covers the white rice cake. In all cases, immature soybeans known as edamame are used. A closely related product is "kurumi-mochi", which uses walnuts instead of soybeans.