散策 Sansaku

Food of Hyōgo

35 dishes

Akashiyaki/Tamagoyaki (Akashi style omelet)📍 HyōgoAkashiyaki is a local dish of Akashi City. It is made by mixing flour, wheat starch, egg, and dashi broth, baking octopus in the batter, and dipping it in dipping sauce. Akashiyaki is similar to takoyaki in appearance, but the main difference is that takoyaki is eaten with sauce, while Akashiyaki is dipped in bonito or kelp broth. It has long been known locally as "Tamagoyaki," but around 1988, a city official decided to name it "Akashiyaki" in order to promote the town of Akashi, and the name spread to many other places. From the end of the Edo period to the Taisho period, Akashi was actively engaged in the production of "Akashi-dama (artificial sango)," a decorative item, as a local industry. Akashi dama" were made from egg whites, and it is said that the yolks of the eggs left over from this production process were mixed with octopus caught in the sea before one's eyes, which is believed to be the origin of Akashiyaki. It is the soul food of Akashi, which can be eaten as a substitute for snacks by both children and adults.
Banshu Hand-pulled Somen (thin wheat noodles)📍 HyōgoIbo No Ito, a Banshu soumen characterized by its firm, crisp texture and resistance to boil-through, is a specialty of the Harima region. The history of soumen in Japan dates back to the Nara period when Japanese envoys to the Tang Dynasty brought back from China a sweet called sakubei, from which soumen was derived. The connection with soumen in the Banshu area of Hyogo Prefecture can be seen in an ancient document from Ikaruga Temple (Taishi Town, Ibo-gun), which mentions soumen in a clause dated 1418 (Oei 25). It was during the Edo period that soumen production came into full swing, and was encouraged as a permitted industry by the Tatsuno clan during the Anei era (1771-1780). During the Bunka era (1804-1818), the Tatsuno clan began to protect and foster the product. Ibo No Ito flourished as a traditional industry in the Banshu region, thanks to the availability of wheat (wheat harvested in the Banshu Plain), water (the clear waters of the Ibo River), and salt (salt from Ako), which were important conditions for making soumen, and also as it became a side business during the winter farm-closing season. Ibo No Ito is classified into seven grades according to the season when it is made, the type of flour used, and the fineness of the noodles, and is widely used for everything from everyday household items to luxury gifts.
Boiled Snow Crab📍 HyōgoSnow crab is called “Matsuba Crab” in the San'in region and “Echizen Crab” in the Hokuriku region. Matsuba Crab is a specialty of the Tajima region facing the Sea of Japan and is characterized by its freshly boiled meat that is flaky but still has the slight sweetness of crab even when cold. Some people believe that the crab is called Matsuba Crab because pine needles were used as fuel when boiling the crab, or because the crab meat spreads out like pine needles when dipped in water. The crab fishing season is from November to March, and the crab is landed at five fishing ports, including Hamasaka Fishing Port at the northwestern tip of the prefecture, which boasts one of the highest catches in Japan. However, the catch of snow crab was at its peak around 1965 and then declined sharply in the late 1960s due to overfishing as fishing boats became larger and fishing methods developed. In recent years, in order to protect the resource, the fishery has been adjusted so that the catch can continue until the end of the fishing season while strengthening voluntary regulations such as shortening the fishing season and limiting the catch.
Botan nabe📍 HyōgoBotan-nabe" is a local dish of Tamba Sasayama City. It is a one-pot dish of wild boar meat and seasonal vegetables simmered in a broth based on a combination of white and red miso. It is said to have originated around 1908, when the 70th Infantry Regiment of the Army was stationed in Sasayama Town, Taki County, and the meat of wild boar captured during training was put into a miso soup and eaten, or brought to ryokan (Japanese inns) and made into a miso-based nabe. In 1931, the predecessor organization of the Sasayama City Chamber of Commerce and Industry solicited lyrics for a folk song, "Sasayama kouta," and the lyrics that were selected used the term "botan-nabe" instead of "ino-nabe. The folk song "Dekansho-bushi" from Tanba-Sasayama also includes the words "Botan-nabe, where a boar (shishi) jumps into the inn in Tanba as snow flutters in and out of the inn. It is said that local ryokan eventually got the idea from the phrase "botan-nabe," and began to arrange wild boar meat like peony petals on a plate and serve it to their customers.
Botan nabe📍 HyōgoBotan Nabe (Boar Hot Pot) is a Japanese hot pot dish using boar meat. It is sometimes also called Shishi Nabe.
Chobo jiru📍 HyōgoChobo-jiru is a traditional local dish of Awaji Island that has been served since the Edo period (1603-1868). It consists of dumplings, common beans, and zuki beans in a thick broth. It looks similar to oshiruko (sweet bean soup), but it is not sweet. The dumplings made of sugar beans and glutinous rice flour are highly nutritious, and the zuiki is said to purge old blood and cleanse the blood. It was customary for mothers to make this dish for their daughters to restore their strength after childbirth, saying, "I feed it to my wife to improve her milk supply after childbirth. They would make a lot of it in a pot and serve it to relatives and neighbors who gathered to celebrate the birth. It is also customary to make chobojiru at the time of a child's shrine visit and distribute it to relatives and acquaintances. The name "chobo soup" comes from the wish that the child will have a cute chobo mouth. The dumplings in the soup are either hollowed out in the middle or rounded if the baby is a girl, or pointed if the baby is a boy. If it is a boy, the dumplings should be pointed. This is to wish for the healthy growth of the child.
Hamo Suki📍 Hyōgo‘Hamo Suki' is a famous hotpot in Awaji Island and simmered sea ell and onion locally grown in Awaji Island with Dashi (=broth). ‘Hamo' grown in Awaji Island has thin and soft skin because of muddy and soft seabed, and its meat quality is good with rich flavor due to the effect from Naruto Strait. It is one of the features of summer because it becomes fatty from early summer to prepare for bearing eggs in autumn. Onion in Awaji Island is the harvest season as well when Hamo is in season. Hamo's simple flavor from juicy white meat and sweetness from local onion match great with dashi (=broth), and the combination of ingredients makes ‘Hamo Suki' tasty. Fish caught in Awaji Island became available in the market in Osaka, Sakai, or Amagasaki although when there wasn't effective method to keep fish cool, after Hideyoshi Toyotomi, Japanese samurai governor, opened the fish market in Osaka called ‘Zakoba'. People could deliver Hamo while it's alive as it has strong vitality. As Osaka and Kyoto had been getting prosperous as a merchant city, many restaurants started to serve it. Hamo has been vital fish at ‘Gion Festival' in Kyoto and ‘Tenjin Festival' in Osaka until now.
Hatahata-no-karaage (Fried Hatahata fish)📍 HyōgoHatahata (a small-sized Japanese sandfish), with the head and entrails removed, is deep-fried whole in oil. Hatahata (a small-sized Japanese sandfish) is an easy-to-cook fish because it has no scales and its flesh peels off easily, and it is easy to eat because it is light tasting. It is therefore a familiar fish in households in the Tajima region. In addition to fried fish, it can be enjoyed in a variety of ways, such as raw, boiled, dried, or grilled. Currently, the Tajima region of Hyogo Prefecture boasts one of the largest catches of Hatahata (a small-sized Japanese sandfish) in Japan. Hatahata (a small-sized Japanese sandfish) are migratory fish that return to their birthplace to lay eggs, so Hatahata (a small-sized Japanese sandfish) caught off the coast of the Sea of Japan are carrying eggs. When the eggs are incubating, the eggs are nourished and the fish's flesh is not nourished. However, the Hatahata (a small-sized Japanese sandfish) caught in the Tajima area are not in an egg-bearing state so they are fat and tasty.
Himeji oden📍 HyōgoOden is generally served with mustard, but “Himeji Oden” is served with or without ginger soy sauce. This is the characteristic of Himeji oden, a local dish of Himeji. In Himeji, there are two types of oden: one with a thick, sweet flavor called Kanto nimono, and the other with a lighter flavor, but both are called “Himeji oden” when ginger soy sauce is used. Ginger soy sauce is made by adding grated ginger to soy sauce, and Himeji was originally a producer of ginger and soy sauce. The area around Himeji is also a major producer of soy sauce, which may have contributed to the custom of using ginger soy sauce in oden. The name “Himeji Oden” was coined in 2006 by a group of volunteers involved in the “Himeji Food for Town Revitalization” campaign, who named the dish “Himeji Oden”. It is now widely known as a local delicacy, and many tourists visit Himeji for its oden.
Ibitsu Mochi (Red bean paste mochi)📍 HyōgoIt is nationally known as "kashiwa mochi," a rice cake filled with sweet bean paste and wrapped in sarutori-ibara leaf (saltoleaf). Mochi is an essential part of celebratory meals on special occasions, particularly during the Children's Day season. In Hyogo Prefecture, as there were not many naturally occurring kashiwa (oak) leaves, saltoleaf was used as a substitute. The name "ibitsumochi" is said to originate from the irregular shape of the sarutori-ibara. While it is called "ibitsumochi" in Awaji, in Kobe and Tanba, it is known as "kashiwamochi", in Kitaharima as "hyottode", and in Nishiharima as "batako", with different names depending on the region.
Ikanago no kugini📍 HyōgoIkanago no kugi-ni" is a local dish made by boiling raw ikanago fry in soy sauce, sugar, ginger, and other seasonings to a sweet and spicy consistency. It is called "kugi-ni" (meaning "nail stew") because the finished product looks like a rusty nail that has been bent. It is said to have originated in Kobe, where it was originally prepared in the homes of fishermen, but it became widely known to the general public in the 1980s. One of the reasons for the popularity of the dish was that women of a fishermen's cooperative in Akashi created a recipe for nugi-ni, which had a strong seasoning for fishermen, and improved it for ordinary households, and held cooking classes. Every year, from the end of February to April, the shinko fishing season is held to catch ikanago fry (shinko), and customers line up at fresh fish stores to buy shinko. The smell of soy sauce and sugar used to cook ikanago wafts through the streets, and locals say that "the smell of ikanago brings spring". The "ikanago no kugi-ni" is a springtime tradition in the Seto Inland Sea, and is still an established part of the local culinary culture today.
Izushi Sara Soba📍 HyōgoIzushi Sara Soba is a local dish of Izushi Town, Toyooka City, where several pieces of soba are served on small white porcelain plates with sauce and condiments in a small sake cup. 5 pieces of soba are one serving. Locals say that a serving of soba is equal to the height of a pair of chopsticks held up by an adult male. It began in 1706, when Masaaki Sengoku, a feudal lord from Ueda in Shinshu (Nagano Prefecture), brought a soba craftsman with him. New techniques were added to the soba-making techniques that had existed before that time, and for more than 300 years since then, soba has developed through the training of craftspeople while making improvements. Izushi soba is made using the traditional method of freshly ground, freshly beaten, and freshly boiled soba. The small dish on which the soba is served is approximately 13 cm in diameter and is said to have originated around the end of the Edo period when soba was served in a small, shallow, handmade salt dish for easy portability when served at food stalls. Later, white porcelain from Izushi ware came to be used.
Jabu📍 HyōgoIt is a dish simmered chicken and konjac noodle, Japanese leek, tofu, onion, gobou(=Burdock root) or other vegetables, and is cooked at home. The name "Jabu" came from liquid out a lot (in Japanese ‘jabu jabu' to express liquid is flowing) from tofu and vegetables while simmering them although water is not added unlike other simmered dishes. It was a feast used precious chicken during the time when it was hard to get meat. It is a hospitality home dish cooked in big pots when many people gather like "hare no hi" (=special occasions, e.g. festivals, "Obon", wedding and memorial services, etc.) and served to them. It is still served at sightseeing events.
Kajiya Nabe📍 HyōgoMiki City, known as the birthplace of metalworking in Japan, has its origins dating back approximately 1,500 years. The town has produced skilled craftsmen alongside the development of blacksmithing. "Kajiya-nabe" (blacksmith's hot pot) is said to have been favored by blacksmiths to boost their energy during the summer. During the Meiji and Taisho eras, it originated when itinerant merchants came to the village, selling octopus caught off the coast of Akashi and eggplants in season, which were then simmered in dashi and soy sauce. It was appreciated for cooling the overheated bodies of the artisans who worked with fire. While it fell out of favor for a time, around 1990, it was reevaluated as a regional specialty and became available for consumption in the city, although it is not currently offered in restaurants.
Kasu-jiru (Soup with a sake lees base)📍 Hyōgo“Kasu-jiru” is a local dish which consists of daikon radish, carrots, burdock root, konjac, and other ingredients simmered in sake lees, a byproduct of sake brewing process. Fish, such as salmon, yellowtail, and mackerel are also sometimes added to this dish. Sake lees are often consumed in mountainous areas during the cold winter months. People who work in sake brewing areas bring sake lees back home as a souvenir. Hyogo Prefecture is the largest producer of sake in Japan, with the Nada-Gogo area accounting for around 30% of the country's sake production and more than 60% of the nation's cultivation of Yamada-Nishiki, the king of sake rice. The history of sake in Japan is long, with the Harimakuni Fudoki, written 1,300 years ago, mentioning sake made with rice koji. Sake lees have also been used since the Heian period as a way to preserve fish and vegetables. Sake lees are rich in yeast, protein, vitamins, and minerals, making them a nourishing food. The custom of eating kasu-jiru on January 20, the last day of the New Year celebration, involves making broth from the heads and bones of salmon and amberjack, which were eaten during the New Year, and simmering them with sake lees and vegetables to celebrate the end of the season.
Katsumeshi📍 HyōgoKatsu-meshi" is a Western-style dish consisting of a flat beef cutlet on top of rice served on a Western-style plate, topped with demi-glace sauce and served with boiled cabbage on the side. It is a local dish of Kakogawa. It was first invented at a diner in town shortly after the war, when beef cutlets were still a rarity, as a Western-style dish that could be easily eaten with chopsticks without a knife and fork. Later, other diners began to offer katsumeshi with a sweet and spicy sauce and other innovations, and the dish spread throughout Kakogawa City. Today, new types of katsumeshi are being introduced, such as using pork, chicken, and shrimp cutlets as well as beef, and offering sauces other than demi-glace sauce. At stores in and around Kakogawa City, one can enjoy a variety of variations, different from store to store.
Kobe Beef Steak📍 Hyōgo‘Kobe Beef Steak', grilled beef on an iron plate flavored with salt and pepper and served with steak sauce or mustard, is famous overseas, too. Actually, however, there is no breed called ‘Kobe beef'. Kobe beef is actually ‘Tajima Ushi', grown in Tajima Area in Hyogo Prefecture. We designate ‘Tajima Ushi' beef as ‘Kobe Beef' when ‘Tajima Ushi' grown in Hyogo Prefecture was slaughtered at slaughtering centers in the prefecture and meets the strict standards. ‘Tajima Ushi' was originally used for agricultural purposes in Tajima area, facing the Japan Sea. It became well-known as ‘Kobe Beef' because Yokohama Port opened in 1859. Beef was originally imported for foreign visitors to Japan, but 30~40 of ‘Tajima Ushi' was sold per one foreign ship at Kobe Port and sent to Yokohama Port as it wasn't enough. ‘Tajima Ushi' got favorable reputation among foreigners, then it became widespread as ‘Kobe Beef'. After Kobe Port was open, habit of eating beef started prevailing. In addition, there were many farms build in Yabu-gun Ueno-mura and Shitsumi-gun Ohzasa-mura to increase breeding the beef, and Toyooka City and Hyogo Prefecture supported it.
Kobe beef📍 HyōgoKobe beef is Wagyu beef from the Tajima strain of Japanese Black cattle, raised in Japan's Hyōgo Prefecture around Kobe city, according to rules set out by the Kobe Beef Marketing and Distribution Promotion Association. The meat is a delicacy, valued for its flavour, tenderness and fatty, well-marbled texture. Kobe beef can be prepared as steak, sukiyaki, shabu-shabu, sashimi, and teppanyaki. Within Japan, Kobe is one of the three Sandai Wagyū, the "three big beefs", along with Matsusaka beef and Ōmi beef or Yonezawa beef.
Kokera Zushi (Fish Flake Sushi)📍 Hyōgo"Kokera-zushi" is a regional dish eaten in the Nishiura Coast area of Awaji Island, featuring dried and shredded sea bream, beltfish, gurnard, and other ingredients placed on vinegar-seasoned rice and pressed into sushi. The name is thought to originate from the resemblance of the arrangement of shredded fish to the thin pieces of wood used in traditional roofing, known as "kokera." Another theory suggests that it comes from the verb "koru," meaning to finely chop, as the dried fish is painstakingly minced into small pieces, evolving into the term "kokera." In recent times, some variations use fresh fish, cooked and shredded, to create the "soboro,"(fish flakes) which is then used in Kokera-zushi.
Koya-tofuko-to-Yasai-no-nimono (Simmered Freeze-dried tofu Powder and Vegetables)📍 HyōgoKoya tofu powder, also known as "tofu powder," is the powder produced during the process of making Koya tofu. In Taka Town, a dish made by stir-frying and simmering tofu powder with chopped vegetables is commonly enjoyed as a home-cooked meal. The production of Koya tofu in Taka Town began in 1852 when Teijiro Kadowaki, from the Kadota Village, learned the manufacturing method at Koyasan and started production upon returning home. Subsequently, during the Meiji era, the demand surged due to the Sino-Japanese War and Russo-Japanese War, reaching around 90 manufacturing establishments. Around the first year of the Showa era, it became one of the largest production areas in the Kansai region. However, after defeat in World War II, it faced a decline due to factors such as a shortage of raw materials and inflation.
Kuromame-ni (Simmered Black Beans)📍 HyōgoBlack bean from Tamba-Sasayama is considered the highest quality among any black beans because individual beans are bigger than other beans and its sugar content is higher due to clayey and fertile land in the area and big temperature difference between daytime and night. Its characteristics are slightly sweet big bean and hard-to-tear skin. There are some stories about the origin of black bean in Tamba-Sasayama. One of these is that black beans brought from outside into ‘rakuichi rakuza’ (free markets and open guilds) held in Miyata area in Sengoku Era (late 15 ~ late 16th century) took root because the climate there fitted the beans, then they were prevailed around the villages. There is a story that the domain head of Sasayama offered black beans to ‘Shogun’ (= the head of samurai government), he was praised a lot. ‘Kuromame-ni’, simmered sweetened black beans, has been popular as one of the New Year’s dishes, but it is now consumed all the year because black beans contain polyphenols, which is gaining more attention due to recent health fad.
Miso Dare Gyoza/ Miso Dumplings📍 HyōgoIn Kobe, it is common to eat "miso-dare gyoza," which are pan-fried dumplings served with a miso-based sauce consisting of vinegar, soy sauce, and chili oil. Before World War II, among Japanese residents who lived in Manchuria, pan-fried gyoza was preferred over boiled ones which are similar to Chinese water dumplings. Many families in Kobe used to eat pan-fried gyoza with miso sauce due to nostalgia for their hometown. After the war, a man who had returned from Manchuria opened a restaurant in Shin-Kaihoku, Kobe, serving pan-fried gyoza with miso sauce. This became popular among returnees, spreading to other eateries. The original gyoza at the restaurant called "Gyoza En," considered the origin of miso-dare gyoza, uses a filling made from Kobe pork with a hint of Kobe beef. It is served with the restaurant's original miso sauce. In 2014, it was selected as a "Five-Star Hyogo" product, recognized by the prefecture for embodying both the regional characteristics and innovation of the Hyogo Five Countries.
Nada Sake (Nada-Gogō)📍 HyōgoJapan's largest sake-producing region, spanning the five Nada-Gogō districts across Kobe and Nishinomiya in Hyōgo. Its mineral-rich 'miyamizu' spring water and Yamada-Nishiki rice yield a dry, robust style long known as 'otoko-zake' (men's sake).
Nikuten (Beef Tendon Japanese Pancake)📍 HyōgoIn Takasago City, there is a dish called "nikuten," which is a type of okonomiyaki (Japanese pancake) made by folding thinly stretched dough over seasoned potatoes, beef tendon, konjac(=yam cake), cabbage, etc., and then grilling it. It is commonly enjoyed as a home-cooked meal. While the exact origin is unclear, it became popular after World War II when wheat flour started to be imported from the United States. It is said that people started making nikuten using leftover oden ingredients the day after enjoying oden at home. The name "nikuten" is thought to come from the inclusion of "suji-niku" (beef tendon) and "tenkasu" (tempura bits).
Saba no Jau📍 HyōgoThis is a "sukiyaki"-like hotpot simmered mackerel, seasonal vegetables like Japanese leek and napa cabbage, and grilled tofu, and prepared by fishers in towns with fishing harbors in Tajima region. Mackerel was used in Takeno area in Toyooka City because they caught lots of small mackerels. On the other hand, "Jau" was cooked with fish they could not sell in markets, "hatahata" (=Japanese sandfish) or "Yama-garei" (a type of flatfish) in other area like Kami Town.
Saba-zushi (Mackerel sushi)📍 HyōgoSaba-zushi is a traditional Japanese dish made from salted mackerel that has been pickled in vinegar. It can be served in various forms, such as sugata-zushi, bo-zushi and nigiri-zushi. Sugata-zushi is shaped like a mackerel, with its head and tail left intact. Bo-zushi, on the other hand, is prepared by removing the head and tail of the half-salted mackerel, then vinegaring it and placing it on vinegared rice before wrapping it in a bamboo skin. Before refrigeration technology was developed, fish caught in Wakasa Bay were transported inland to Kyoto, following what were commonly known as “saba kaido,” or mackerel routes. For instance, the mackerel highway to the west led to Tamba Sasayama, where the salted mackerel would reach its optimal saltiness level by the time it arrived. This mackerel was then used to make saba-zushi, a type of sushi. During autumn festivals, the tradition of bo-zushi is passed down from generation to generation. Bo-zushi is made with rice cooked with fresh rice, topped with vinegared salted mackerel, and wrapped in a bamboo skin to celebrate the harvest.
Sansho no Tsukudani (Japanese Pepper simmered with soy sauce)📍 HyōgoSansho (=Japanese Pepper) is a kind of spices and used in various Japanese cuisines as seasoning. It is said that Sansho was delivered from China in Heian Era (AD794-AD1192) and it was written in many historical records like ‘Gishi Wajinden' or ‘Kojiki'. Currently Asakura Sansho is dominant in the market, and Arima Sansho can rarely be seen. Sansho is typically cooked as ‘Tsukudani', simmered with soy sauce, sake and ‘Mirin' (=sweet rice wine). Asakura Sansho is grown in Yabu City Youka-cho Asakura area. The tree doesn't have thorns and bears bigger fruits with great fragrance. Its name came from the area grown and the name of powerful regional families in the area. People offered ‘sansho' to the ‘Bakufu' (samurai government) in Edo Period. (AD1603-AD1868) Many locals cooked ‘Sansho no Tsukudani' with Asakura Sansho at home until around 1965, but many manufacturers have started selling one as the demand of spices has increased since around 1975. The dish won the best award at ‘Local specialty recommended by the municipality government' section of the ‘Local Specialty of the Year', competition supported by the Cabinet Office and the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan, in 2017. Arima Sansho is grown in Arima area. Unlike Asakura Sansho, its brunches have sharp thorns. Its fruits have great fragrance and strong spicy flavor. There are many Japanese dishes named with ‘Arima' using Arima Sansho, but actually Asakura Sansho is used in most of dishes. Local homes in Arima area kept food culture eating Arima Sansho until around 1965, but now it's in danger of extinction. It can be because the locals who knew where Arima Sansho trees were didn't tell anyone where to find ones, so no one could promote about the Sansho to outside of the area. In 2009, however, the project to revive the tradition of Arima Sansho was launched to walk in the Arima area to find wild Sansho trees. Local farmers started to grow Sansho in 2013, and the movement to prevail Arima Sansho is getting active.
Tako Meshi (Octopus rice)📍 HyōgoHyogo Prefecture boasts the second largest catch of octopus in Japan and the largest catch of common octopus in Japan. The Harimanada octopus, which is landed on Awaji Island and between Kobe and Ako, is at its peak from June to August. During this period, the octopus is tossed by the tidal currents of the Akashi Strait, and its flesh becomes more elastic as it stores nutrients in preparation for spawning, resulting in its characteristic texture and sweet taste. Records indicate that the common octopus fishery in the Seto Inland Sea was already well known in the Edo period (1603-1867), and "Tako-meshi" (octopus rice) was made after fishing as a rice dish that did not require much preparation time. Today, it has become a popular home-style dish, and there are octopus dishes made with raw octopus, boiled octopus, and dried octopus. It is also sold as ekiben (lunch box), a specialty of the prefecture.
Tamba black soybean rice📍 HyōgoBlack soybeans from Tamba Sasayama are said to be of the highest quality among black soybeans, with large grains and high sugar content due to the clayey, fertile soil of the region and the intense temperature difference between day and night. They are characterized by their large size, slightly sweet taste, and the skin is difficult to tear. Farmers cultivated black soybeans for shipping and for their own consumption using the paths in the rice paddies. The black soybeans are grown along these paths and those that could not be shipped were used to make snacks for children and a feast at rice planting time. The black soybean rice was offered to the god of rice paddies during the “sabiraki” (early opening of rice seedlings) ceremony (an event to pray for the growth of seedlings) held in June. Freshly cooked black soybean rice is rolled up like a rice ball, wrapped in a magnolia leaf, and offered to the altar. The fragrance of the magnolia leaves and chestnut trees repels insects, so the ritual is said to be a wish that the rice would grow without insects.
Tofumeshi (Tofu and Rice)📍 HyōgoThe dish is called "tofumeshi (tofu and rice)," in which ingredients such as boiled tofu, carrots, burdock root, and mackerel boiled in water are fried and mixed with freshly cooked rice. It is a regional dish handed down from about 120 years ago in the Oyama district of Tamba-Sasayama. During gatherings in the region, preparing food for a crowd of people was no laughing matter, so it was suggested that seniors should prepare something by mixing side dishes with rice. It is said that the dish was born out of that suggestion. Regardless of being a village in a mountain valley, the village had mackerel. The reason the village had mackerel was that it obtained mackerel pickled in salt. It obtained mackerel pickled in salt because one of the "mackerel highways," which were routes to transport fish such as mackerel from Wakasa Bay to Kyoto, led to this region. During the slack season for farmers in the Tamba district beginning in the middle of the Edo period, many seasonal brewers would go to the sake breweries in Nada to work away from home. It is said that when those brewers would depart, tofumeshi (tofu and rice) would be packed in the box lunches that hung from their waists.
Tororo Gohan📍 HyōgoIt is said that "Tororo-jiru" grated Japanese yam mixed with "dashi-jiru" (Japanese soup stock liquid) made from "iriko" (small dried sardines) or bonito flakes, helps digestion, and it was served on January 2nd in Tamba-Sasayama City to help digestion after eating heavy New Year Dishes. This custom can be found in the areas eating "tororo" (grated Japanese yam). "Yamaimo" (Japanese yam) is not a specific species, but a general name for yams in "Dioscoreaceae" like "nagaimo" (Chinese yam), "yamato-imo", "ichou-imo" or "jinenjo" (all are kinds of yam). "Yamato-imo" grown in Tamba-Sasayama region is called "Yama no Imo", and it's dense and very sticky because of its unique climate in the area and long-time selective breeding.
Yaki Anago (Grilled Freshwater eel)📍 HyōgoGrilled conger eel, known as "yaki anago," is a dish where open-cut (freshwater eel) conger eel is skewered and grilled. Harima-nada, which boasts one of the highest catches of conger eel in the country, is a suitable fishing ground for conger eel due to the abundant nutrients flowing in from many rivers and the rich feeding environment influenced by the topography and tidal currents. The conger eel consumed in this region is Maanago, known for its tender flesh and rich flavor, making it highly popular. Grilled conger eel is said to have originated in 1905 (Meiji 38) when the first-generation owner of a long-established store in Takasago City, who returned from the Russo-Japanese War, started preparing it. While conger eel is more beloved by people in Hyogo Prefecture than eel, in recent years, due to environmental changes, land reclamation, overfishing, etc., the catch has declined. As a result, there is often a reliance on imports from Korea and China, and locally sourced grilled conger eel is less commonly found in stores. Nevertheless, it remains a local specialty indispensable for various events among the local community. Besides eating it directly from the skewer, it is often used as an ingredient in home cooking, such as rolled sushi and chirashi sushi.
Yatara zuke (Vegetable Pickeles)📍 HyōgoThe name "Yatara-zuke" comes from the idea of using a variety of vegetables, such as eggplant, cucumber, perilla seeds, and myoga, and creating something "delicious with an abundance of vegetables". This pickling method takes about six months and is a traditional winter preserved food that incorporates multiple types of vegetables. Unlike typical pickling, where all vegetables are pickled simultaneously, "Yatara-zuke" involves salting each vegetable separately based on its harvest season. Around November, the salted vegetables are roughly chopped, marinated with chili peppers and seasoning liquid for several days, and the dish is then considered complete. While Yatara-zuke was once widely commercially available, it has become challenging to purchase nowadays. The decline is attributed to a reduction in the number of people making it. However, in the Chikusa-cho area of Shiso City, there are still households continuing the tradition of making "Yatara-zuke".
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.
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.