Wakayama Kumano Koya

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Wakayama Prefecture




Wakayama Prefecture (和歌山県, Wakayama-ken) is a prefecture of Japan located on the Kii Peninsula in the Kansai region on Honshū island. The capital is the city of Wakayama.
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In october, daidai mikan だいだい 和歌山 are shipped to all of Japan.
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Koya San in Wakayama 高野山


The ancient Kumano Pilgrims Road
Kumano Kodoo, Kumano Kodō (熊野古道)

Waterfall of Nachi, Nachi no Taki

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Regional dishes from Wakayama 和歌山の郷土料理
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In olden times, many refugees from the capital found a new home in the valleys of Wakayama and brought some of the food culture from the capital (Nara, later Kyoto) with them.


ayuzushi, ayu sushi 鮎ずし sushi with sweetfish
best from the clear waters of the river Kozagawa 古座川
in this river there are also tenagaebi 手長えび、unagi うなぎ、zugani ずがに.
and other ayu dishes
ayu no nikuzushi 鮎の肉ずし、ayu no segohsi 鮎のせごし、ayu no shirago 鮎の白子 roe of the female、ayu no misoni 鮎の味噌煮、ayu no kanroni 鮎の甘露煮、aburiayu あぶり鮎、ayu no zoosui 鮎の雑炊



chagayu 大和の茶がゆ　rice gruel cooked with tea
Especially in the mountainous area of Kumano, where each farmhouse has its own small tea plantation for private use. They can not grow much rice and to give the daily portions more volume, the rice was cooked with hoojicha tea until it was soft. It is now eaten for breakfast or dinner together with some side dishes.
The color is a brown-green mix.



gomadoofu, gomadofu, goma tofu ごま豆腐 tofu with sesame paste
Mount Koya is especially famous for this dish. It is very healthy and has a pleasant fragance.
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hijiki no tsukudani ひじきの佃煮 sweetly simmered hijiki seaweed
From Higashi Murogun 東牟婁. The seaweed is collected in early spring. funori and tengusa are also collected.


hoorakuyaki, hooraku yaki ほうらく焼き simmered in an earthen pot
Fish with white meat of the season is simmered in an earthen pot. Sauce from pickled plums is added.
hooroku 焙烙 / 炮烙 / ホーロク / ほうろく is a special earthen pot
hooraku is a local dialect version.



igami no nitsuke いがみの煮付け boiled igami fish
a typical fish of Soutern Wakayama, igami budai「いがみ（ブダイ)
Leptoscarus japonicus.
Served for the new year, boiled with its head and some potatoes to go with it.
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Papageifisch



inoko mochi 猪子餅, 亥の子餅 ricecakes like little wild boars
Made for the autumn festival of Wild Boars (inoko matsuri いのこ祭り for the deity of Wild Boars 亥の神様, to see him off to the mountains for his winter rest.
The mochi war white and red anko is pasted around them. There are 12 in a common year and 13 in a leap year (uruudoshi 閏年), placed in a wooden masu as offering to the deity.
Marishiten and the wild boar mochi connection



imomochi, imo mochi いももち sweet potato mochi
mat along the coast of Kumano, where there was not enough space to grow rice. In former times, a little wheat and sweet potatoes was the daily food of the poor farmers, especially along the coast of Higashi Muro 東牟婁海岸. Their other food was
ukecha
ukecha うけ茶, when the dried sweet potaotes were placed in a bowl of green tea.


itadori nimono イタドリ煮物 boiled itadori fern
gathered from the end of march. For keeping it is pickled in salt, shiozuke 塩漬け.
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jakozushi, jako sushi じゃこ寿司 sushi from small river fish
jako (zako) じゃこ【雑魚】
kawauo 川魚(じゃこ jako in the local dialect) river fish, they were quite common in the waters around Wakayama. They were boiled with sweet soy sauce and then put on sushi rice, eaten in summer and as oshizushi for the autumn festival. Often wrapped in a persimmon leaf, like the
Benkei no jakosushi 弁慶のじゃこすし
from fish of the river Ki no Kawa 紀ノ川 near Koya-san 高野山.


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kaki 柿 persimmon
an important product of Wakayama

kushigaki 串柿 ( くしがき) dried persimmons on a stick
town of Shigo, Katsuragi

kakijamu, kaki jam 柿ジャム persimmon jam
It contains a lot of vitamin C, carotin and calium. Like this it could be eaten the whole year.


kaki no hazushi, kaki no ha sushi 柿の葉ずし sushi wrapped in a persimmon leaf
more famous in Nara 柿の葉 葉寿司


kaki no nukazuke 柿の粕漬け persimmons pickled in rice bran
from the Ito area 伊都地方, were Fuyuugaki 富有柿 were grown. It was a special gift of this area.


kakizuke daikon 柿漬け大根 pickled radish with persimmons
The peel of bitter persimmons was pickled with takuan radish in rice bran. The liquor from the fruit would give it a special fruity flavor.


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kakimaze かきまぜ（o-maze おまぜ） mixed sushi
. . . kashiwa ha no sushi 柏葉のすし sushi in an oak tree leaf
with carrots, goboo, shiitake, fuki no to and bamboo shoots or other seasonal vegetables.
Prepared for memorial services in red color. For happy occasions and festivals yellow omelett stripes and pickled pink ginger were added.
Katsuura and Nachi area 那智勝浦町太田地域


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kamakurazuke kamakura tsuke かまくら漬 / 鎌倉漬 fish sushi
from the Arita area 有田
Especially prepared for visitors, a kind of narezushi, mostly with saba, pickled together with radish, carrots and renkon lotus root, with a lot of salt, sugar and rice vinegar.



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Kishuu no umeboshi　紀州の梅干　
dried plums from Kishu
Umeboshi 梅干 dried pickled salty plums
from 紀州産 南高 梅


Kishuu ume flavor 紀州梅を使用した梅味の柿の種 snack, kaki no tane
also with peanuts 紀州梅味 柿の種 ピーナッツ入り　
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Kishuu ume konbucha 紀州梅昆布茶 Kombu-Tea with ume flavor
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Kishuu ume koshu (furuzake) 紀州梅古酒 "old liquor"
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Kishuu ume monaka 紀州梅と梅最中 / 紀州梅もなか Waffers with ume
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Kishuu ume negijio raamen 紀州梅ネギ塩ラーメン soup with leek and pickled plums
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Kishuu ume sofuto 紀州梅ソフト　soft icecream
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Kishuu ume suupu ほんのり紀州梅 スープ春雨 instant soup
with edamame beans and nori
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Kishuu ume tan / sumi 紀州梅炭 coal from Kishuu plum trees
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Kishuu ume zerii 紀州梅ゼリー jelly with plums from Kishu
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ume udon 梅うどん red udon noodles with ume in the dough
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also as instant soup from Nisshin Ume Donbei どん兵衛


usujio Kishuu ume うす塩紀州梅 pickled with less salt


tomato ume とまと梅 tomato plum sauce
tomato―ume（とまとうめ）だれ
from Minabe Village, Yutosei 優糖星


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kokerazushi, kokera sushi こけらずし layered festival sushi
From Matsue area 松江
For the autumn festival. Made with shrimp and seasoned fish powder (soboro).
kokerazushi 柿鮓 "wood shingled sushi", layered sushi



komugi mochi 小麦餅 wheat flour mochi
11 days after hangeshoo （はんげしょう）半夏生, the summer solstice.
haggeshoomochi 小麦餅（はげっしょう餅 ）from Nara



kuenabe, kue nabe クエ鍋 kelp grouper hodgepodge
kue 九絵 Epinephelus moara
This fish loves the warmer sea south of the Kanto area. It grows until about 1 meter long. It lays its eggs in the cliffs around Hidaka coast. In winter, it is eaten in hodgepodge, as sashimi or soaked in ricewine.
from Hidaka 日高町
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kujira 鯨 whale
Mostly caught in Taiji (太地町, Taiji-chō), located in Higashimuro District.
Taiji Whale Museum opened in 1969.
太地の鯨料理 紀州 Kishu Dishes with whale meat

Wada Kakuemon, later known as Taiji Kakuemon, invented the whaling net technique called Amitori hoo (網取法) to increase the safety and efficiency of whaling. This method lasted more than 200 years.

kujira no goma-ae 鯨のごま和え whale meat with sesame dressing
first prepared by 太地角右衛門 Taji Kakuemon in the Edo period. Also prepared with misoae.

kujira no tazuta age 鯨の竜田揚げ deep-fried whale meat
This was most common in the good old days.

kujira suteeki 鯨ステーキ whale meat steak


sarashikujira no sumiso-ae さらし鯨の酢味噌和え
whale meat with vinegar-miso paste dressing
sarashi kujira さらしくじら【晒し鯨】 The fins and skin are thinly cut, blanched in boiling water to get rid of the skin and then "cooled down" (sarashi) in ice water. This tasts good with a vinegary flavor dressing. It is also eaten in miso soup.
whale meat dishes as KIGO for summer


saezuri 鯨さえずり the tongue of the whale, often as sashimi or bacon
saezuri is a word for the twittering of birds
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WKD : Whale, kigo for all winter


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kurumimochi, kurumi mochi くるみ餅 mochi with walnuts
Mochi are prepared with the new rice for the autumn festival and offered to the tutelary clan deities (ujigami 氏神様) . Their light green color is pleasant.
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mamegohan, mame gohan 豆ごはん rice with reeen peas
from Inancho town 印南町, a growing region for endomame えんどう【豌豆】 podded peas.
There are many varieties of these peas like oranda オランダ、usui ウスイ、saya endoo サヤエンドウ. For cooking with rice, the usui-endo are used.
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menosushi, me no sushi めのすし sushi wrapped in seaweed
Every spring, a specially wide seaweed of the kombu family is harvested near East Muro town 東牟婁 (and in parts of neighbouring Mie prefecture).
antokume あんとくめ, hirome ひろめ are names for this seaweed. It is dried in the sun and can be used all year long for wrapping sushi.




Naraae, Nara ae, Nara-ae 奈良あえ Nara salad
with radish, carrots, abura-age tofu, dried shiitake mushrooms, goboo, and a sauce with sake, sugar, vinegar and salt.
The area of Hirai, Kozagawa 古座川町平井地区
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This area is famous for the fugitives from the capital Nara, who kept their food culture like in the old days. Their regional specialities have quite a revival these days. For example yuzu products and
ayuzushi and uzumidoofu in our list here.




ni namasu, ninamasu 煮なます boiled "namasu"
finely chopped raw fish and vegetables soaked in vinegar, then boiled



osasuri おさすり (ebitsu えびつ）festival confect
Offering on May 5, for the Boy's festival, together with chimaki dumplings.
They used to be made from wheat flour in green color or with past of soramame beans.
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saba no hayazushi to amazake 鯖の早寿しと甘酒
mackerel sushi and sweet ricewine
From Hidaka 日高地方
Prepared for the autumn festival in October, a kind of narezushi (fermented sushi), but nowadays vineger is used.
narezushi is prepared for festivals since more than 800 years. The Arita area 有田 also has a long tradition. They wrap the sushi into a leaf similar to the susuki reed grass, called ase no ha sushi あせの葉寿司.



saba no takikomi gohan 鯖の炊きこみご飯 mackerel cooked with rice
Along the coastline of Wakayama, takikomi rice cooked with ingredients is often prepared. Also sanma pacific saury, oysters or mussles are used. In the mountains, mushrooms and sansai mountain vegetables are cooked with the rice.



saera no teppoo さえらのてっぽう Pacific saury sushi
Along the southern coastline, when autumn turns in winter, sanma Pacific saury comed down from the North and has less fat, just right to prepare sushi.
This is a special dish for festivities., prepared with vinegared sushi rice and hand-kneaded sushi.
saerazushi さえらずし（sanmazushi さんまずし）


sanmazushi, sanma sushi さんまずし 秋刀魚 Pacific saury sushi
sanma comes down from Hokkaido and reaches Wakayama in winter. It has less fat and is right for maruboshi 丸干し, drying in the sun and wind of the beach. The fish is salted over night and then dried for two or three days. Grilled is a delicacy.
For sugatazushi, with head and tail, some juice of daidai mikan is added to the sushi rice.
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Makrelenhecht. Cololabis saira.




satoimo kukizuke 里芋くき漬け pickles from taro stems
from Higashi Murogun 東牟婁.
The stems are also eaten as boiled vegetables or with dressing.
(see zuiki below)


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tachiuo, tachi-uo たちうお【太刀魚】
hairtail; cutlass fish; scabbard fish
Trichiurus lepturus auriga
Degenfisch


tachi-uo to chiizu no pai tsutsumi 太刀魚とチーズのパイ包み
scabbard fish wrapped in cheese and baked as a pie


tachi-uo sushi, tachiuo sushi タチウオすし sushi from scabbard fish
The best in Japan, as they say.
From Arita town. 有田市 which has the highest catch of this fish.
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takanazushi, takana sushi 高菜ずし sushi from takana leaves
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Brassica juncea var. integrifolia.
nubarizushi, nubari sushi めばり寿司 from Mie prefecture
. . . meharizushi, mehari sushi めはりずし large sushi
wrapped inthe pickled leaves of Takana, which are pickled in winter and early spring. They were used to wrap the lunch rice for forest workers.
The names comes from a wordplay, with "opeinig your eyes wide when seeing this huge lunch paket" "me o miharu hodo okii".
Nara no mehari sushi

. Takana 高菜 mustard greens .



toofuyaki 豆腐焼き grilled tofu
For the New Year preparations. A kind of dengaku with miso paste.
In Wakayama spielt der Tofu bei den Neujahrsvorbereitungen eine wichtige Rolle. Nach dem großen Neujahrs-Hausputz am 31. Dezember treffen sich die Mitglieder der „Tofu-Gruppe“ (toofukoo豆腐講) abwechselnd in einem Haus und genießen gegrillten Tofu mit Miso-Paste (toofudengaku), während sie die Ereignisse des abgelaufenen Jahres besprechen und sich an glückverheißenden symbolischen Wortspielen mit MISO　（失敗、弱みそ, 泣きみそ） und TOFU erfreuen.


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umebishio, ume hishio 梅びしお paste from pickled plums
umeboshi were made into a fine paste and cooked with sugar. Their sweet-sour taste was a condiment for all food, for salads and fish dishes.
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ume gohan, umemeshi 梅ごはん pickled umeboshi plums with rice
Best in summer, when people were tired and the sourness of the plums together with the perilla brought back their appetite. It was good cold as a luchbox.
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utsubo ryoori うつぼ料理 moray (eel) dishes
in Kushimoto, Southern Kishu 南紀串本
it was eaten as a stamina food for the farmers and fishermen. Dried in the cold wind, then prepared as tsukudani. It was given to pregnant women and after birth to make the milk flow for the baby.
It best season is in summer, like hamo eel.
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. utsubo 靱 moray eel, Kidako eel .
Gymnothorax kidako

. utsubogusa 靱草 (うつぼぐさ) "Kidako eel plant" .




uzumidoofu, uzumi tofu, uzumi dofu うずみ豆腐 "tofu burried in rice"
uzumaru 埋まる lit. means to be burried under something.
It can be freshly cooked white rice or rice gruel (kayu) or mochigome sticky rice.
From the mountainous area around Kozagawa 古座川町, where followers of the Heike lived in secrecy and kept the tradition of the capital Nara.



yorori no zushi ヨロリのずし sushi from black tuna
yorori ヨロリis another name for kuroshibi kamasu クロシビカマス
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black tuna, Promethichthys prometheus
He looks rather black,has a lot of fat and tasts superb. You can also fry the meat, cook it or use it for other fish dishes.



. WASHOKU
yubamaki ゆば巻 "suhsi rolled in soymilk skin" 　



zuiki no nimono ずいきの煮物 boiled taro stems
mostly from yatsuhashi 八つ頭 and ebi-imo えび芋 varieties.
zuiki is good for women after giving birth.
芋茎（ずいき） Zuiki Taro and the 随喜 Zuiki Vegetable Festival


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External LINK

Food, Dining, Festivals in Wakayama


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Worldwide use


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Things found on the way


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HAIKU



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Related words

***** WASHOKU : Regional Japanese Dishes

***** . Folk Toys from Wakayama .

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Toyama Prefecture

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Toyama



Toyama Prefecture (富山県 Toyama-ken)
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region on Honshū island. The capital is the city of Toyama.
Toyama is the leading industrial prefecture on the Japan Sea coast, and has the industrial advantage of cheap electricity due to abundant water resources. The Itai-itai disease occurred in Toyama around 1950.

Toyama is a major producer of high quality rice making use of abundant water sources originating from Mt.Tateyama.
Toyama is famous for its historical pharmaceutical industry.

The Historic Villages of Shirakawa-gō 白河郷 and Gokayama are one of Japan's UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

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Kurobe Dam 黒部ダム
Tateyama Mountain Range 館山連峰 / 立山連峰
. Tateyama Shinkō　立山信仰 Tateyama belief .

Tateyama Mandala 立山曼荼羅
- quote
Hell-bent for Heaven in Tateyama Mandara
Painting and Religious Practice at a Japanese Mountain

Caroline Hirasawa (Sophia University, Tokyo)


CLICK for detailed photos.

Hell-bent for Heaven in Tateyama mandara treats the history, religious practice, and visual culture that developed around the mountain Tateyama in Toyama prefecture. Caroline Hirasawa traces the formation of institutions to worship kami and Buddhist divinities in the area, examines how two towns in the foothills fiercely fought over religious rights, and demonstrates how this contributed to the creation of paintings called Tateyama mandara.
The images depict pilgrims, monks, animals, and supernatural beings occupying the mountain’s landscape, thought to contain both hell and paradise. Sermons employing these paintings taught that people were doomed to hell in the alpine landscape without cult intervention—and promoted rites of salvation. Women were particular targets of cult campaigns. Hirasawa concludes with an analysis of spatial practices at the mountain and in the images that reveals what the cult provided to female and male constituents.
Drawing on methodologies from historical, art historical, and religious studies, this book untangles the complex premises and mechanisms operating in these pictorializations of the mountain’s mysteries and furthers our understanding of the rich complexity of pre-modern Japanese religion.
- source : www.brill.com


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Shogawa river valley stretching across the border of Gifu and Toyama Prefectures in northern Japan. Hagimachi 萩町
Shirakawa 　白河郷 / 白川郷 Gifu


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Toyama specialities 富山 郷土料理


aimaze あいまぜ mixed radish leaves and root
radish leaves are cut finely and pickled in salt and the radish itself is cut in small stripes, boiled for a moment to remove the salt. This mix is simmered with sakekasu, miso paste and kombu dashi.
from 舟橋村


akakabu ryoori 赤かぶ料理 food with red turnips
pickles, in soups or simmered


akamama, aka-mama 赤まま red rice
made from mochigome, a kind of okowa porridge. With red beans for color. Some families also mix black beans or white soy beans. Served for weddings and festivities because of the auspicious red and white color.



ayu no kanro-ni あゆの甘露煮 sweet simmered ayu sweetfish
fish is slightly grilled and then simmered in green tea with a bit of rice wine, soy sauce, sugar and ginger.

ayu no narezushi あゆのなれ寿し
sushi with fermented sweetfish
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burakku raamen 富山ブラックラーメン Toyama Black Ramen
black noodle soup from Toyama
with roast pork, a rather salty mix from thick soy sauce.
First introduced at a shop called Daiki 大喜 in 1947.
black type ramen soup from Toyama 黒系ラーメン is now sold in four shops
大喜、めん八、万里、いろは.
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buridaikon ブリと大根のあら煮 yellowtail boiled with radish
The yellowtail from Toyama bay is all natural and not aquafarmed. It is the "King of the Fish in Toyama Bay" 富山湾の王者, when it arrives in winter together with the snow bird (raichoo). Yellowtail changes its name according to its size and is therefore a fish that "makes a good career" (shussezakana 出世魚). Names are 「tsubain ツバイソ（コズクラ）」「bukuragi フクラギ」「hamachi ハマチ（ガンド）」「buri ブリ」. Thus it is auspicious and eaten for celebrations.
The leftovers after cutting out the filets are called ZAN 残（ざん） (usually for other fish they are called ARA アラ) are boiled with seasonal radish (daikon) to make a delicious dish.
BURI is the most representative fish of Western Japan.
Gelbschwanz mit Rettich, Seriola mit Rettich

..... buri no arani, buri no ara-ni ぶりのあらに / 鰤のあら煮
boiled leftover of yellowtail
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dago だご dumplings from rice flour
dagojiru だご汁
sasadago 笹だご

daikon radish dishes
..... daikon namasu 大根なます salad
..... daikon no gotcha-ni 大根のごっちゃ煮 simmered with its leaves, miso taste
..... 大根まま rice with radish, with radish leaves too


genge no sumashijiru げんげのすまし汁 fish soup
genge is a fish from the deep sea off the coast with white meat. Kombu is also put into the soup. It is good for women who breastfeed babies.

gohei mochi, goheimochi 五平もち, 御幣餅／五平餅
made from glutinous rice and egoma, with a taste of miso.

gojiru 呉汁 warm soup in winter
Soy beans are cooked and seasoned with miso paste. With more tofu and leek.
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gondamochi ごんだもち
glutinous rice flour is used. They are then elongated to mochi and dried. Put into porridge or grilled for eating.


. Hotaruika 蛍烏賊 firefly squid .
different kind of ika is fished throughout the year in Toyama bay.
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hotaru-ika no karashi sunomono ほたるいかの辛子酢物
from 滑川市
..... ika no mochigome tsume-ni いかのもち米つめ煮 stuffed with glutinous rice and boiled
..... ika no sumitsukuri いかの黒作り dried squid, boiled in its ink
..... ika no teppoo yaki いかの鉄砲焼き grilled yari-ika, made in March only.
teppooyaki is a way of preparing meat of fish or chicken with hot red peppers miso paste, toogarashi-miso とうがらし味噌.
. . . CLICK here for teppoo-yaki Photos !
Leuchttintenfisch



ichijiku いちじくの甘煮・しょうゆ煮 figs simmered with soy sauce
Figs skin is removed and then simmered with sugar and salt in soy sauce.


imo ohagi いもおはぎ dumplings made from potatoes
imo no ohagi イモのおはぎ
in autumn. made from satoimo potatoes and sweet red bean paste.

itokoni いとこ煮 cooked beans with radish, carrots, yam, goboo, fried tofu pouches, konnyaku and other vegetables.
special food for the New Joodo sect of Buddhism.


iwashi no nuta 鰯のぬた nuta of sardines
nuta is a preparation with vinegared miso. The head, innards and bones are taken off and the fish is pickled in vinegar for a while. Then mixed with onions, grated radish, miso paste, vinegar and sugar and some yuzu juice..


jinda じんだ / 糂だ simmered vegetables
nukamiso ぬかみそ, jindamiso じんだみそ, gotomiso, goto miso 五斗味噌(ごとみそ)
Warabi fern, carrots, goboo, shiitake are cut finely and simmered sweet and hot. Later soy beans are added.
Served for religious ceremonies 報恩講の膳
. . . CLICK here for Photos !
jindadora じんだどら sweet jinda



kabura goki かぶらごき turnip goki
turnips and the leaves are boiled separately and cut, ground radish is added and soy sauce poored over it.

kaburazushi 蕪（かぶら）寿し turnip sushi
prepared for the new year. Fermented fish meat with turnips.
Also prepared in Ishikawa prefecture.

kabura no yachara かぶらのやちゃら turnips salad
turnips, carrots, long yam, kanten, kikurage, mikan are covered with vinegar, sugar and salt. The ingredients of yachara are different in every home. Some use kombu.


kabusu jiru かぶす汁 soup with gazami crabs
watarigani are put in hot water and other seafood is added. Finally miso paste and cut leek is added.


kachiri,katchiri かっちり small potatoes
boiled with sugar and salt and soy sauce. When the potatoes are done, ground sesame, peanuts powder and egoma are added.


kaki no ha sushi 柿の葉寿し
sushi wrapped in persimmon leaves
the leaves are pickled in vinegar over night.

kamaboko かまぼこ fish paste
in special forms of fish in red and white and other colors for auspicious situations.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !

kamouri, kamo-uri no ankake かもうり（冬瓜）のあんかけ
toogan 氈瓜 kind of gourd.
The flesh is simmered with sugar in soy sauce. It is poored over boiled chicken meat or other food.

kanmochi 寒もち"Mochi for the cold season"
koorimochi 氷餅（こおりもち), konmochi こん餅（もち）, kakimochi かきもち
they come in various colors.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !

kazumino onigiri かずみ野おにぎり
oya taro potatoes, kabu radish, dried zuiki taro stems and chicken meat are mixed with rice and formed to onigiri rice balls.
芋茎（ずいき） Zuiki Taro and the 随喜 Zuiki Vegetable Festival


kibi okowa きびおこわ gruel from millet
mochigome rice and millet are mixed, beans are cooked with sugar and soy sauce and added.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !


masuzushi 鱒寿司 sushi from Masu salmon
In 1717 a samurai from Toyama, Yoshimura Shinpachi 吉村新八 begun preparing this round sushi with ayu from the river Jinzugawa 神通川 and rice from Etchuu 越中米. The third daimyo of Toyama, Maeda Toshioki 前田利興 (1678-1733) liked it very much and gave it as a special offering to the 8th Shogun, Yoshimune, who was quite a gourmet. Since then it is a speciality of Etchu. Leaves of sasa grass (Sasa japonica) are placed into a round vessel and salted masu salmon on sushi rice is placed on it. It is now sold in many places according to secret family recipies.
sometimes ayu is translated as Plecoglossus altivelis.
Masu-Lachs, Oncorhynchus masou



misojiru ni kyuuri きゅうりのお味噌汁 miso soup with raw cucumbers
Cucumbers are not used in other prefectures as an ingredient in miso soup.
CLICK here for PHOTOS !



myoogazushi みょうが寿司
. . . CLICK here for Photos !


nishin no konbumaki ニシンの昆布巻き
. . . CLICK here for Photos !


sansai okowa 山菜おこわ rice with mountain vegetables


satoimo ryoori
..... satoimo no oyaki 里芋のおやき
..... satoimo no nimono 里芋・大根・いかの煮物
..... satoimo no goma-ae 里芋のごま和え
..... satoimo no dengaku 里芋の田楽


shiroebi no kakiage シロエビのかき揚げ shrimps deep fried

soba tsumanko そばつまんこ buckwheat dumplings
with vegetables like zenmai fern, carrots, sweet ebi, simmered in soy sauce and sugar. Buckwheat is formed by hand to small dumplings and simmered in the broth.



takenoko ryoori たけのこ料理 dishes with bamboo sprouts

tenkoro てんころ料理
ちぼいも chibo-imo potatoes prepared as nikorogashi (じゃがいもの煮ころがし). first boiled in the skin, then fried. Then simmered in soy sauce and sugar and mirin.

toofu no buramanju 豆乳のブラマンジェ
(柚子のマーマレードかけ) with yuzu marmelade

tsuboni, tsubo-ni つぼ煮
from the mountains of Tateyama. Perpared for the mountain ascetics.
Dried kugomi are watered and cooked with carrots. Then cooked with dashi and yam, abura-abe, sugar and soy sauce.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !


wappani つぼ煮


yubeshi ゆべし with yuzu
made for festivals, served in a dish with a high stand. Kanten jelly is dissolved and soy sauce, sugar and mirin added. An egg and juice from squeezed ginger is added and all let to harden in a square pot.


zenmai no shira-ae ぜんまいの白和え fern in dressing
with tofu and carrots

77
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Things found on the way


Shirakawa Daruma 白川だるま

Medicine sellers from Toyama 富山の薬売り


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HAIKU



銀行員ら朝より蛍光す烏賊のごとく
ginkooin ra asa yori keikoo su ika no-gotoku

these bank clarks
already in the morning under flurescent light
like firefly squid

die Bankangestellten
schon früh am morgen im Fluoreszenzlicht
wie die Leuchttintenfische

Kaneko Tohta 金子兜太
Kaneko Tohta (Kaneko Toota) 1919-

. thehaikufoundation.org . more translations of this haiku .


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Related words

***** WASHOKU : Regional Japanese Dishes

***** . Folk Toys from Toyama .

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Saga prefecture

[ . BACK to WORLDKIGO TOP . ]
. Saga district, Tokyo .
- see below - Sagacho 佐賀町
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Saga Prefecture



Saga Prefecture (佐賀県, Saga-ken)
is located in the northwest part of the island of Kyūshū, Japan. It touches both the Sea of Japan and the Tsushima current 対馬海流 and the Ariakekai Sea　有明海. The western part of the prefecture is a region famous for producing ceramics and porcelain, particularly the towns of
Karatsu　唐津, Imari　伊万里, and Arita　有田.
The capital is the city of Saga.
Kyūshū's smallest prefecture, Saga, is located on the northwest corner of the island, bordered by the Genkai Sea and the Tsushima Strait to the north and the Ariake Sea to the south.

In ancient times the area composed by Nagasaki Prefecture and Saga Prefecture was called Hizen Province. The current name dates from the Meiji Restoration. Rice farming culture has prospered here since ancient times, and vestiges can be seen at the ruins of Nabatake in Karatsu and the Yoshinogari site in Yoshinogari.

From the Kamakura period to the Muromachi period it is thought that over 100 feudal clans existed. Also exerting great influence during this time was a samurai clan operating along the Genkai Sea called the Matsuratō. Upon entering the Sengoku period, the Ryūzōji clan expanded their control to include all of Hizen and Chikugo Provinces, and part of Higo and Chikuzen Provinces. After the death of daimyo Takanobu Ryūzōji, Naoshige Nabeshima 　鍋島　 took control of the political situation, and by 1607 all of the Ryūzōji clan's domain was under the control of the Nabeshima clan.

Around the middle of the 19th century, Naomasa Nabeshima strove to set right the domain's financial affairs, reduce the number of government officials, and encourage local industry such as Arita porcelain, green tea, and coal.

Agriculture, forestry, and coastal fisheries form a large portion of the prefectural economy. Regional agricultural specialties include Saga beef, onions, and strawberries.
The prefecture is the largest producer of mochigome (sticky rice) and
greenhouse mandarin oranges in Japan.
©　More in the WIKIPEDIA !


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The Ariake Sea (有明海, Ariake-kai)
is a body of salt water surrounded by Fukuoka, Saga, Nagasaki, and Kumamoto Prefectures, all of which lie on the island of Kyūshū in Japan. It is the largest bay in Kyūshū. Its deepest point is only about 50 m deep, and extreme tides exceed 6 m. It is used for aquaculture, with nori being a major product. Various species of fauna including mudskipper (mutsugoro), Pen shell (Atrina pectinata), and fiddler crab live in the Ariake Sea. In autumn, there will be red-grass along the sea shore. Recent years have brought increasing pollution, with resultant red tide. Isahaya Bay is a branch of the Ariake Sea.
Across the Amakusa Islands lies the Yatsushiro Sea.

Many harbors are located on the coast. Among them are Misumi (in the city of Uki, Kumamoto Prefecture), Shimabara (Shimabara, Nagasaki), Taira (Unzen, Nagasaki), Nagasu (Kumamoto), Kumamoto (Kumamoto) , Miike (Omuta, Fukuoka), Kuchinotsu (Minamishimabara, Nagasaki), and Oniike (Amakusa, Kumamoto).
©　More in the WIKIPEDIA !



Ariake ryoori 有明料理
Cuisine of products from the Ariake-kai sea
The Ariake sea and flatlands are rich in nutritients and rivers carry more nutritients from the mountains to the sea. The mix of fresh water and sea water is good for many kinds of seafood. The tide changes the sea level about 6 meters.
This food is served often in the town of Saga.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !


. nama kurage 生クラゲ raw jelly fish
eaten with grated ginger and soy sauce
akakurage, aka kurage 赤水母（あかくらげ）red jellyfish
Chrysaora melanaster


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Regional Dishes from Saga 佐賀の郷土料理
. . . CLICK here for Photos !


agoyaki あご焼（トビウオ) / yaki ago 焼あご fried flying fish


aisu puranto アイスプラント "ice plant" , sea fig, chrystal leaf
Mesembryanthemum crystallinum
Carpobrotus chilensis
. . . CLICK here for Photos !
It was originally planted to keep the sand on the beaches of Saga prefecture and other parts of Japan. It has white spots like salt on its leaves.
It is now promoted for eating, called
barafu バラフ Barafu.
salty vegetable 塩味野菜
Saga University's Department of Agriculture, Prof. Ogawa Takahiro is promoting it as edible since 2006. Fa. Nokendo (Nookendoo 農研堂（のうけんどう）.
Made into Barafu ice cream and other sweets like roll cake or short cake.
http://www.barafu.jp/sweets.html . . . with photos
Or fried with other ingredients or used in salads.


burakku monburan ブラックモンブラン "black Montblanc"
ice cream with chocolate cover
when you finish eating, you might win something, written on the stick. Invented by 竹下小太郎, when he saw the Monblanc in Swizzerland and thought it might be more delicious with a chocolate cover.



dabu だぶ food for communal festivities
kyoodoshoku 郷土食. Also prepared when entertaining important visitors.
Regionally called 「ざぶ zabu 」「さぶ sabu」「らぶ rabu」
With boiled root vegetables, shiitake mushrooms, konnyaku (mostly frozen konnyaku), fu wheat gluten crutons etc. and always the lotos roots from Ariakekai. Kombu and chicken for the broth and kamaboko for more filling. Thickened with a bit of katakuri starch. Juice from squeezed fresh ginger adds some flavor and keeps the body warm in winter.
When eating the broth, it makes the sound SABU SABU when old people eat it, hence the naming.
Prepared for all the villagers.
On happy occasions, the food is cut into small squares and flavored without sugar. An even number of ingredients is used. Salt and soy sacue are usef for flavoring.
On sad occasions like funerals and memorial services (うれいの時), it is cut in triangular form and sugar is used to enliven the palate. Instead of chicken atsuage tofu is used.
It is served in a large bowl and each person can take as much as he likes into his own personal "dabu bowl" だぶ椀.
Famous isKaratsu, Hamasaki village. 唐津市浜崎地区
When prepared only for the family, it is inaka dabu 田舎だぶ, when prepared for guests, it is okyakusama dabu お客様だぶ.
This is also prepared in villages of Fukuoka in Northern Kyushu.


dagojiru だご汁 miso soup with dumplings
Famous at the hot spring Takeo onsen 武雄温泉, in the sprit of samurai simplicity and fortitude (shitsujitsu gooken しつじつごうけん【質実剛健】)
Dumplings from wheat flour are made from hand, called tsunkiridango つんきりだご, others elongated like udon are nobedango のべだご.


ganzuke がん漬け / 蟹漬 kani crab pickles
made from local fiddler crab シオマネキ shiomaneki
a kind of shiokara salt pickles
From Ariakekai
. . . CLICK here for Photos !


gyorokke 魚ロッケ/ ぎょろっけ fried mashed fish and vegetables
from 唐津市
mashed fish (surimi) eggs, carrots are mixed, covered with breadcrumbs and fried. It is formed like a fish in shape, but basically a croquette コロッケ.
Since the early Showa years at the Fujikawa Kamaboko 藤川蒲鉾本店 shop. It had also been called haikara ten ハイカラ天 highclass tempura, karee ten カレー天 curry tempura or panko ten 「パン粉天 bread crumbs tempura. Now there are two flavors, with curry or just salt.



Hizen chagayu 肥前茶粥 rice porridge from Hizen
Prepared in an earthen pot. Green tea is put in a bag and boiled with the rice.


Kanzaki soomen 神埼そうめん(神崎素麺) somen noodles from Kanzaki
They are prepared with the fresh water from rivers from the mountain area of Sefuri 脊振. They are quite chewy, but smooth. You can enjoy them cold in summer and hot in winter.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !



kuri okowa 栗おこわ mochigome rice with sweet chestnuts
A necessary meal for chrysanthemum festivities on the ninth of september, the double 9 day, in the local dialect called Okunchi おくんち【御九日】 . In Arita, this is celebrated on the 9th of October


marubooro 佐賀まるぼうろ sweet round cookies
The most important sweet of the area, introduced by the "Western barbarians" from Holland to Nagasaki, more than 300 years ago. Now these cakes are made with honey and eggs and baking powser to make them softer.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !



Matsuura zuke, Matsuurazuke 松浦漬け
whale pickles from Matsuura
The cartilage of the lower jaw of a whale (kaburabone かぶら骨) is watered for a long time, until all the fat is gone and then pickled in sweetened rice bran. This delicacy is counted as one of the five best in Japan 日本珍味五種.

It is sold in cans or containers from Arita porcellain that look like water goblins (kappa 河童)
. . . CLICK here for Photos !


mutsugoroo むつごろう 　/ むつ五郎 haze-type mudskipper of the wetlands
This animal is prepared as food in various ways.
mutsugoro no kabayaki むつごろう蒲焼 grilled on charcoal
Eaten from May to September.
Also as sashimi or simmered in sweetened soy sauce.


niimoji にいもじ sweet potatoes in vinegar dressing
mizuimo, mizu imo みずいも【水芋】, a kind of satsumaimo.
Best in summer to induce an appetite. Sometimes called "zuiki", when it is dried.
(See also KUMAMOTO for zuiki.)


nori 佐賀のり / 佐賀海苔 Saga Nori Laver. seaweed
from the Ariakekai Sea, which is rich in nutritients and rivers carry more nutritients from the mountains to the sea. The mix of fresh water and sea water is good for growing these nori. Since the tide changes the sea level about 6 meters, they also absorb a lot of sunight to give them extra sweetness.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !
..... yakinori aisu 焼きのりアイス icecream with roasted nori flavor
. . . CLICK here for Photos !




Ogi koi 小城　鯉 carp from Ogi town
Near the Falls of Kiyomizu are many restaurants to serve them as sashimi or in miso soup, since the meat does not have a raw taste to it.
The fish grow in the clear rivers of the Tenzan mountains nearby.
. . . CLICK here for Photos of the waterfall and fish dishes!


Ogi yookan 小城羊羹 (おぎようかん）bean jelly from Ogi
also called sakura yookan. Some green powdered tea is added to the mix of sweet bean paste and kanten jelly.
Even the warlord and later regend of Japan, Toyotomi Hideyoshi is said to have liked this.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !



Sagagyuu 佐賀牛 beef from Saga
One of the best in Japan. Cattle grazes in the mild climate of the area, with plenty of fresh water and clean air. It has a sweet taste.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !


sazae さざえ【栄螺】 turban shells
Best grilled, near Cape Hado. They taste slightly salty and of the soy sauce grilled with them. 波戸岬サザエ
from Chinzei town, Karatsu
. . . CLICK here for Photos !


shishirian raisu シシリアンライス Sicilian rice
served on a plate, decorated with mayonnaise, eaten with chopsticks
. . . CLICK here for Photos !


shooro manjuu 松露饅頭 (しょうろうまんじゅう) round Manju cakes
"like shoro mushrooms (truffles) that grow on the trees of Niji na Matsubara 虹の松原 in spring and autumn". The cakes are filled with sweet bean paste, outside is castella cake. They are about 3 to 4 cm in diameter.
Speciality of Karatsu 唐津市.
shooroo ショウロ Rhizopogon rubescens
. . . CLICK here for Photos !



Suko sushi 須古寿司 from Suko town
Suko Town, Kishima island 杵島（きしま）郡白石（しろいし）
The area is famous for its rice planting, since more than 500 years Sushi is made. Especially mutsugoro and other seafood from Ariakekai are used. Also shiitake mushrooms, eggs, goboo, Narazuke pickles, red pickled ginger and mountain vegetables are used to bring sea and mountain on one box sushi (oshi sushi). It is thus very colorful and often also made for festivities. The villagers make it in memory of a former daimyo, who helped them inprove the rice plants of the area.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !


Takesaki kani, Takezakigani 竹崎蟹 crab from Takesaki town
aogani アオガニ "blue crab" Callinectes sapidus
They are as large as 30 cm. Females are better in winter, the males in summer.
They are boiled in seawater 茹で竹崎蟹 to enjoy their natural taste.
koorazake, koora sake 甲羅酒 hot ricewine in the crab shell
. . . CLICK here for Photos !

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toofu 豆腐 bean curd
Saga is famous for its various bean curds.

. . . . . godoofu ごどうふ tofu made with kuzu vines
It is like a pudding with a shining surface and taste of rice.
from Arita 有田名物, often served in a beautiful pot of Arita pottery.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !


. . . . . ishiwaridoofu - ishiwari toofu 石割豆腐 ishiwaridofu, ishiwari-dofu "tofu that can split a stone"
"stone breaking tofu"
from Kashiwajima island 神集島, near Karatsu
It is very hard and quite salty. The amount of eight normal portions of tofu are used for one serving.
Toyotomi Hideyoshi brought this preparation back from his war excursion to the Korean peninsula in the 16th century and is alive to our day.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !




. . . . . zarudoofu ザル豆腐 / ざる豆腐 tofu in a bamboo basket
This tofu is made without soaking the beans in water, so it has the natural flavor of the soy beans.
from Karatsu 唐津

see also below, Ureshino Onsen Tofu

. Saga Tofu from Kyoto　嵯峨豆腐


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Ureshino cha うれしのお茶 / 嬉野茶 tea from Ureshino
Green tea and black tea are produced, since it was introduced by the Ming-Chinese in 1504. The original tea is roasted in a metal container or kettle.
Some say this was the origin of tea production in Japan.
Also used to flavor soft ice and other regional sweets.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !


Ureshino Onsen Tofu　嬉野温泉豆腐 tofu with hot spring water
Onsen water is used to make this delightful local dish. The alkaline in the water makes the bean curd in the tofu soft and mellow when it is heated in ceramic pots. Onsen tofu is traditionally served with condiments such as green onion, ginger, and sesame paste to taste.
©　More in the WIKIPEDIA !


warasubo 藁素坊 (ワラスボ) green eel goby
Taenioides rubicundus
ワラスボ（藁苞）
Odontamblyopus lacepedii
from Ariakekai. sometimes also called subo スボ、jinkichi ジンキチ or even mutsugoroo ムツゴロウ.
His strange outlook with sharp teeth made him a model for ALIEN.
His flesh is rather tasty. Raw as sashimi, or boiled or grilled with miso. Also dried. A good friend for the sake drinker.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !


Yobuko ika よぶこイカ / 呼子（よぶこ）squid from Yobuko town
near Karatsu town. The squid is almost transparent when served fresh as sashimi. Other parts are eaten as tempura.
The port of Yobuko is famous for its rich fish grounds nearby and fresh fish.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !

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Yoshinogari 吉野ケ里
In Memory of Queen Himiko


Yagura manjuu やぐらまんじゅう Yagura manju
Himiko manjuu 卑弥呼まんじゅうや / 卑弥呼饅頭 Himiko manju
Himiko senbei 卑弥呼せんべい / 卑弥呼煎餅 Himiko sembei


akamai aisu 赤米アイス red rice icecream
Yoshino gaarikku 吉野ガーリック giant garlic from Yoshino
Yoshinogari kodaimen 吉野ヶ里古代麺 noodles the old style
Yoshinogari saburee 吉野ヶ里 サブレー Sablee from Yoshinogari

. WASHOKU : 吉野ケ里名物
Specialities near Yoshinogari, Saga 　

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yudedago, yude dago ゆでだご simple wheat cakes
dough from wheat is formed into small round plates by hand and cooked in water. Then brown sugar is coated around it. Sometimes yomogi mugword or red beans are mixed into the dough.
Eaten as a snack by the farmers.


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Worldwide use


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Things found on the way

Delicacies from Saga
- source : www.asobo-saga.jp/lang/english

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HAIKU and SENRYU

aki no tabi Ariakekai no umi no sachi

travelling in autumn -
the good seafood from
Ariakekai sea

Nakayama Hanako, October 2004


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むつ五郎むつ十郎の泥試合
mutsugoroo mutsujuuroo no doro shiai

mudskipper five
and mudskipper ten
fight in the mud

Mutsugoro
und Mutsujuro
machen eine Schlammschlacht

Awano Seiho 阿波野青畝 (1899 - 1992

This is a play of words with the name of Mutsugoro. Five and ten, a small one and a big one are fighting for a female.

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仏滅の晴天を呼ぶむつ五郎
butsumetsu no seiten o yobu mutsugoroo

bringing fine weather
for Buddha's death day -
Mutsugoro

Nagajima Tenseki 永島転石

(butsumetsu is also an unlucky day in the traditional yearly almanacs.)


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Related words

Mutsugoro むつ五郎 a type of haze, mudskipper, kigo for late spring

***** WASHOKU : Regional Japanese Dishes


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. Tokyo Kōtō 江東区 Koto ward, "East River" .
Sagacho 佐賀町 . 佐賀一丁目,佐賀二丁目 Saga district, first and second district



In 1692, it was named after the village headmen, 藤左衛門町 Tozaemoncho and 次兵衛町 Jiheicho.
In 1695, it was named after the Saga prefecture, because the harbour of 肥前国佐賀湊 Saga looked similar to the area in Edo.
Near the 深川地域 Fukagawa area, former 深川佐賀町 Fukagawa Sagacho.
In 1878, it became part of 深川区 Fukagawa ward.
In 1947, Fukagawa became part of Koto ward.

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Nara prefecture

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Nara Prefecture

Nara Prefecture (奈良県, Nara-ken) is a prefecture in the Kansai region on Honshū Island, Japan. The capital is the city of Nara.

It is certain that a political force established at the foot of Mount Miwa in the east of Nara Basin, seeking unification of most parts in Japan from the third century until the fourth century, though the process was not well documented. At the dawn of history, Yamato was clearly the political center of Japan.

Ancient capitals of Japan were built on the land of Nara, namely Asuka-kyō, Fujiwara-kyō (694–710) and Heijō-kyō (most of 710–784). The capital cities of Fujiwara and Heijō are believed to have been modeled after Chinese capitals at the time, incorporating grid layout patterns. The royal court also established relations with Sui and then Tang Dynasty China and sent students to the Middle Kingdom to learn high civilization. By 7th century, Nara accepted the many immigrants including refugees of Baekje who had escaped from war disturbances of the southern part of the Korean peninsula. The first high civilization with royal patronage of Buddhism flourished in today's Nara city (710–784 AD).

Nara Prefecture is landlocked.
The climate of Nara Prefecture is overall warm, while there are important differences between the north-western basin area and the rest of the prefecture, that is, in the mountains.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !


Nara is famed for its Kaki persimmon. Strawberry and tea are some other popular products of the prefecture, while rice and vegetables, including spinach, tomato, eggplants and others are the dominant in terms of amount of production.
©　More in the WIKIPEDIA !


Eight temples, shrines and ruins in Nara, specifically Tōdai-ji, Saidai-ji, Kōfuku-ji, Kasuga Shrine, Gangō-ji, Yakushi-ji, Tōshōdai-ji and Heijō Palace Remains, together with Kasugayama Primeval Forest, collectively form "Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara", a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Tame deer roam through the town, especially in Nara Park. These deer might not be considered "tame" should the visitor not have any "shika sembei - Deer Biscuits" when they see them.
©　More in the WIKIPEDIA ! about Nara City



Mount Miwa (三輪山, Miwa-yama, Miwayama)
Mount Mimoro (三諸山, Mimoro-yama)
. Mount Miwa
Shrine Omiwa Jinja 大三輪神社


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Dishes from Nara 奈良の郷土料理


CLICK for enlargement

Asukanabe 飛鳥鍋 hodgepodge from Asuka
Since the year 1400, when Buddhist monks brought the knowledge from China.
Monks considered the milk used here as a kind of medicine to keep healthy in the winter months.
Broth of soy milk or milk with chicken and vegetables. The chicken and vegetables are dipped into beaten eggs before you eat them, like Sukiyaki.


chagayu 大和の茶がゆ　rice gruel cooked with tea.
Started in the year 1200 at the hall Nigatsudo at temple Todai-ji, as a simple food for the monks during the O-Mizutori Ceremony.
Now they say
大和の朝は茶がゆで明ける - chagayu
The morning in Yamato starts with a bowl of rice gruel boiled with green tea.
chagayu is used in a variety of cooking, such as Chagayu Kaiseki and Chagayu Bento. It is a simple dish, made of rice, water and tea such as Hojicha or roast tea. As simple as it is, Chagayu is quite popular in Nara due to its refreshing flavor and the way it slips easily down the throat.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !
..... kakimochi iri chagayu かき餅入り茶粥 with kakimochi rice cakes
In summer, this is eaten cold.
Hizen chagayu 肥前茶粥 rice porridge from Hizen Saga prefecture
Iwakuni chagayu 岩国茶がゆ rice gruel from Iwakuni Yamaguchi prefecture
Chagayu from Wakayama, Kumano mountains
Tee-Reisbrei


侘びて澄め月侘斎が奈良茶歌
wabite sume tsuki wabisai ga Naracha uta
. Matsuo Basho, 奈良茶 Naracha rice gruel and Haikai .


chahan, chameshi 茶飯 / 大和茶飯 rice boiled with tea and soy beans
Nara chahan 奈良茶飯
Started in the temples Todai-Ji and Kofuku-Ji, when they added Nibancha (the second brew) with salt to boil rice and beans. Also for the O-Mizutori ceremony.
It is also served now at haiku meetings in Nara. Sometimes black beans are used to boil.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !





dekomawashi
dengaku 田楽 grilled vegetables with miso paste
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The round ones with radish are also called dekomawashi でこまわし, remembering the round head of bunraku puppets, in the area of Yoshino 吉野地域. Eaten at New Year.
WASHOKU
Dengaku dishes and history



haggeshoomochi 小麦餅（はげっしょう餅） mochi from wheat flour
They are eaten on the day 10 days after the summer equinox, a day called hangeshoo （はんげしょう）半夏生. In the Nara plain, this was a time just after the rice planting, and there was rest to celebrate. Some areas also make it fore the summer festival in July.



. inoko mochi 猪子餅, 亥の子餅
ricecakes in the shape of little wild boars


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KAKI 柿 persimmons

kaki no hazushi かきの葉ずし/柿の葉 葉寿司 sushi wrapped in persimmon leaves
Kakinoha zushi (kakinoha sushi) is one of Nara's delicacies, made of rice seasoned with vinegar and slices of salmon or salted mackerel on top, formed in the shape of a cube, and wrapped with a "kakinoha" or persimmon leaf. Persimmon leaves contain tannin which acts as a natural antibacterial agent. They also contain vitamin C and can help to control high blood pressure. The mackerel used in this food is prepared according to a special method which is kept secret by the people who make it. This is why kakinoha zushi is only available in Nara.
Sushi-Reis umwickelt mit Persimonen-Blättern

kaki namasu 柿なます salad with persimmons
With radish, carrots for an auspicious color effect, and dried persimmons. Especially prepared for the New Year ceremonies in Nara.
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..... Yamato no tsurushigaki 大和のつるし柿
hanging persimmons from Yamato, they are hung up to dry as winter provisions.

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An old poem says



色は黒いが味みておくれ、味は大和のつるし柿
iro wa kuroi ga ajimite okure
aji wa Yamato no tsurushigaki

the color is black but just try them -
they taste like dried persimmons from Yamato !



. WASHOKU
kushigaki 串柿 ( くしがき) dried persimmons on a stick 　
and more about persimmons. Persimonen.


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kashiwa no sukiyaki かしわのすき焼き sukiyaki with chicken
In Memory of Sugaware Michizane on his death day in the end of october, at the shrine in his honor. He is known as the protector of cattle, so instead of using beef for the dish chicken (kashiwa) is used and eaten with all parishioners.
Also eaten on other festive days.
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konnyaku, kushi konnyaku 串こんにゃく Konjak on skewers
The mountain regions of Yamato Koogen 大和高原 and in the east and south of it, konnyaku roots Konjak are grown.
Devil's-tongue (konnyaku 蒟蒻)


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Yoshino Kuzu from Kurokawa Honke


kuzu ryoori 葛料理 dishes made from arrowroot starch
The root of "kuzu", a plant from the legume family, Pueraria thunbergiana, can be crushed and refined to make starch. This starch is then used to make Kuzu Ryori. Kuzukiri is a semitransparent noodle made from Kuzu; it has a smooth texture and is delicious. Kuzu can also be used as an ingredient in various dishes; for example adding it to tofu or rice cake, makes them chewy and enhances the flavor.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !
Pfeilwurzel.


. . gomadoofu, goma toofu ごま豆腐 tofu made with sesame paste
... kuzu-iri goma doofu 葛入胡麻豆腐 with arrowroot starch
In Yoshino, kuzuku 葛粉 starch of arrowroot is often used.
kuzu くず【国栖／国巣／国樔】 is also the name of a group of people living in Yoshino woods, singing special songs.
kuzu from Yoshino forests "Yoshino kuzu" 吉野葛 is very famous.


Dishes made from Yoshino Kuzu
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manyoogayu 万葉粥 rice gruel a la Manyo-shu
Served at the great shrine Kasuga Taisha
With different vegetables every month, according to the poems of the Manyo-Shu　万葉集 poetry collection of the Heian period.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !
Kasuga Taisha 春日大社 was built at the same time as the capital of Nara. It is dedicated to the deity responsible for the protection of the city. Kasuga Taisha was also the tutelary shrine of the Fujiwara clan, Japan's most powerful family during most of the Nara and Heian Period.
. Kasuga Shrine 春日大社 Kasuga-taisha .

Hints of love fill the air at Nara's Manyo festival
Japan's oldest market in Sakurai, Nara Prefecture, will host the Manyo Matsuri on Sept. 8, a festival to commemorate the market and the region's (central Nara Prefecture) ancient culture.

One side of the Hatsuse River used to be the location of an old road that led to the village of Asuka, which was also the capital city of the region during the Asuka Period (593-710). The road intersected with a road to Nanba, today's Osaka. That crossing was a meeting spot for many people and was where the market, known as Tsubaichi, took place.

The ancient Tsubaichi market had an event called the utagaki, which translates as "poem party." During such parties, young men and women gathered and sought out partners by exchanging love poems. Several such poems were included in "Manyoshu," Japan's oldest existing poetry collection, which was compiled some time after the year 759 during the Nara Period (710-794).

Imitating the romantic tradition, festival organizers will sell paper lanterns on which participants can write romantic messages to their loved ones. The lanterns will then be set afloat on Hatsuse River.
source : Japan Times, September 2012

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meharizushi, mehari sushi めはり寿司 rice wrapped in leaves
... toobazushi, tooba sushi とう菜寿司
From the Back Yoshino area 奥吉野, made from wild takana, 高菜, (mana マナ, harumana 春真菜) wrapped around hot cooked rice. It is the first harbinger of spring in Yoshino. Woodworkers and forest workers used it as a bento lunch paket.
The names comes from a wordplay, with "opeinig your eyes wide when seeing this huge lunch paket" "me o miharu hodo okii".
Also eaten in Mie and Wakayama prefecture.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !

..... haru mana no nibitashi 春まなの煮びたし
"cooked spring leaves"
They are first fried in oil and abura-age tofu is added.
Harumana 春真菜 is getting more and more difficult to find in the forests in the Back of Yoshino.

..... haru mana tsukemono 春まな漬 pickled harumana leaves

. . . CLICK here for Photos !


. Takana 高菜 mustard greens .


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Miwa soomen 三輪そうめん / 素麺 thin Somen noodles from Miwa town
Somen are fine dried noodles, only one or two millimeters in diameter. Somen produced in Miwa are known for their high-quality due to the clear air and pure water. Somen have a history of more than 1000 years, showing the Chinese influence on the old capital. They are cooked in boiling water then washed in cold water until they have cooled down. Cooked somen are served with a special soup called somen tsuyu. Adding spice and condiments enhances the taste of the somen. (See nyuumen below.)


momiuri もみうり cucumbers in vinegar
Cucumbers (kyuuri) are rubbed (momi) in salt until they are soft and then pickled in vinegar. The pronounciation then boiled down to momi kyuuri, momi-uri.
Especially eaten in summer. Also prepared at the celebrations after rice planting,to entertain the God of the Rice Fields 田の神.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !



nanairo o-ae 七色お和え dressing in seven colors
Made for the o-Bon celebrations of the ancestors, on August 7, when the preparations begin in the Nara area. Seven vegetables of the season (myooga ginger, taro roots, ingen beans, carrots, eggplants, zuiki, pumpkin and special beans (sando mame 三度豆) are used, different in each family tradition. The dressing is made from sweet miso and sesame. To present it to the ancestors, abura-age tofu is added and cooked rice and steamng hot tea is also pot on the shelf for the ancestors.


Naranoppe, Nara-noppe 奈良のっぺ Noppe vegetable broth from Nara
On the 17th of December at the shrine Kasuga Daisha Wakamiya 春日大社若宮 three is a special festival, On Matsuri おん祭り, where decorations from the passing year are burned as offerings. In Nara, peoople eat NOPPE on this day.
Made of satoimo taro root, radish, carrots and goboo, with aburak-age tofu, a very thick broth to keep you warm.


Narazuke, Nara-zuke 奈良漬け pickled vegetables
Narazuke pickles date back to the 8th Century when Nara was the capital of Japan. They are pickles made from vegetables such as shirouri, a type of cucurbitaceous fruit, using "sakekasu", or sake lees. Nara's "sakekasu" is particularly tasty, and gives the pickles their unique flavor. Narazuke pickles are easily Nara's most famous regional specialty.


nyuumen にゅうめん - 入麺 - 煮麺 - 乳麪 wheat noodles
(a kind of soomen from Miwa)
Their production has been taught by the gods from Mount Miwa to the people living close by. They are thin as a thread, white as snow. They are produced during the cold winter months. In summer eaten cold, in winter in warm broth with seasonal vegetables.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !



sanmazushi, sanma sushi 秋刀魚寿司 sushi from Pacific saury
Around december, this fish comes down from Hokkaido toward the Kii peninsula and is caught near the high sea off Kumano 熊野灘. They have not so much fat and just right for sushi. Often made for family festivities or the new year celebrations.



senbei, shika senbei
Senbei, sembei 煎餅 (せんべい) rice crackers, sweet and salty
shika senbei tobashi, throwing deer senbei, kigo



shikaniku no Yamato-ni 鹿肉の大和煮 boiled deer meat
Meat from wild animals has been eaten since olden times in the villages near the forests around Yamato. Deer has more fat in the summer and autumn months from July to October and is poetically named as Momiji Meat モミジ肉, red maple leaves meat.




shikishiki しきしき snack from wheat flour
Eaten in the Katsuragi Taima area 葛城當麻
Wheat flour is grown on the paddies after the rice harvest. Flour with sugar and eggs is kneaded and made to thin crepes, folded and fried in the pan. It was a treat in times when eggs where an expensive item.



shishinabe しし鍋（しし汁） wild boar soup with miso paste
A lot of winter vegertables are used too, also mountain pepper to appease the strong smell of wild boar meat. The fatty meat warms the body to the bone on a cold winter day in the mountains.


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so そ 蘇（そ）酥 / 蘇 milk products of old
from Nara
milk product from boiled down milk of cows or sheep. almost condensed milk.
Made in the the area since the Asuka period (538 to 710 (or 592-645)).
The preparation of milk has been taught to the Japanese from China via the silk road. Since the advent of Buddhism, Emperor Tenmu in 675 made a degree forbidding the use of meat as food. Only wild beasts could be eaten by hunters in the forest. Some monks brought fried bean curd (toogashi とうがし【唐菓子】 ) and milk products like raku らく【酪】 (milk refined for drinking) and so 蘇 (condensed milk), even
daigo だいご【醍醐】 (a kind of butter or cheese), which could be enjoyed instead of meat products.


Asuka no So 飛鳥の蘇

daigo 醍醐 is the fifth of our five tasts (gomi 五味). It symbolizes something very much at the top, in Buddhism even satori or enlightenment.


Sweets like a cheese cake made from this old-type milk are sold for example near the shrine Kashihara Jinguu 橿原神宮 in Yoshino.
It almost tasts like caramel candy.


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tachibana 橘 (たちばな) Tachibana citrus fruit




umeboshi 梅干し dried plums, salted plums, pickled ume, plum pickles
After Wakayama and Gunma, Nara is the third largest producer of this daiyl delicacy.
For example from Anou 賀名生 and Tsukigase 月ヶ瀬, where the tradition is very old. The whole family of a plum farmer will be out working in June.
. WASHOKU
Umeboshi 梅干 dried pickled salty plums



. Warabimochi 蕨餅 / 笑来美餅 mochi with bracken powder
Nara is famous for its delicious warabi bracken. These mochi have been prepared since the Ashikaga period.




yakiayu, yaki-ayu 焼鮎 / 焼き鮎 grilled ayu sweetfish
They grow in the clear rivers of Yoshinogawa and Asukagawa 吉野川や飛鳥川 and are already mentioned in the old poetry almanach of the Manyo-Shu 万葉集 .



yakuzen ryoori 薬膳料理 "medicine food", food as medicine
This refers to a healthy cuisine that originated in China. Fresh vegetables produced in Nara, including some that were first brought here from ancient China, are cooked with Japanese herbs and seasonings to create delicious food. Not only is it tasty, yakuzen ryori is also good for enhancing the immune system to keep you in good health. You can try both traditional as well as fusion style dishes.


Yamato mana no nibitashi 大和まなの煮浸し abura-age tofu with vegetables
Yamato mana are the green vegetables of the area. They have quite a sweet taste when boiled. Since Showa 50 some of the wild vegetables are also grown in the mountainous areas of eastern Nara prefecture.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !



yogomi no antsuke-mochi よごみの餡つけ餅 ricecakes with sweet bean paste with mugwort
In the Yamato area, meeting and dining with friends and family in a kind of renzo れんぞ(連座) is on the 3rd day of April.
The most famous RENZO is probably Shinmu Renzo ｢神武さんれんぞ｣
celebrated at the Shrine Kashiwara Jinguu. Many other temples in Yamato also celebrate on this day.
Farmers do not work on this day and prepare some kinds of food like makizushi and boiled food (nimono) for their relatives as "gosso ごっつぉ" (gochisoo ごちそう/ 御馳走), a feast.
One special dish for this day is yogomi, local dialect for yomogi mugwort. It is picked from the riverbanks, only the young fresh leaves are used. After that day, farmers get busy with the spring field work.




zooni 奈良の雑煮（きな粉雑煮）
New Year Soup with kinako soybean flour
Mochi dumped in sweetened kinako are put in the soup, almost like Abekawa Mochi. Special vegetables, like "yatsugashira" 頭芋（ヤツガシラ）taro roots symbolize the head of a person, tofu stands for the white walls of a storehouse, konnyaku symbolizes a square storehouse with thick brown mortar walls, round mochi help people to live "round" with no problems. The yellow color of the kinako flour brings luck with money matters, the rice grains stand for many children and many generations to follow.
This is quite an auspicious soup !


. . . CLICK here for Photos !



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More specialities

Black Rice Curry

Kaki (persimmon) cake
Masaoka Shiki, a Japanese famous haiku poet wrote a well known haiku "Taking a bite of Kaki, suddenly the bell of Horyuji ringing". This is a Japanese pound cake that uses dried Kaki from Nara.

Nara no Tori Cha (chicken with tea)
Negi ... Home grown Negi and Yamato Nikudori Sukiyaki
Yamato Nabe
Yamato Nikudori Teriyaki Don (Yamato Chicken Teriyaki Bowl)

Sources
http://www.pref.nara.jp/nara_e/dd_aspx_itemid-1388.htm


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Worldwide use


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Things found on the way


a snack with no frills
飾らないおやつ



Daruma cookies from Nara
ぜいたく豆本舗

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Kukkii だるまクッキーDaruma cookies
Daruma sweets だるまやスイーツ



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HAIKU and SENRYU


くず水や 花の下ゆく吉野川
kuzumizu ya hana no shita yuku Yoshinogawa

arrowroot water -
under the blossoms flows
the Yoshino river

Kigin 季吟

Kuzu KIGO for summer


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焼鮎の膳より吹かれ箸袋
yaki-ayu no zen yori fukare hashi-bukuro

blown from the tray
with grilled sweetfish -
paperbag for chopsticks

Katsura Nobuko 桂信子

WKD : Ayu 鮎 trout, sweetfish as KIGO


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Matsuo Basho　松尾芭蕉
staying in Otsu 大津, at the home of Zeze Kyokusui 膳所曲水亭 / 菅沼曲水亭 on September 28.
The theme of the kukai meeting was "yosamu", the evening getting cold.
Basho's host Kyokusui was cooking a night meal of wheat noodles, miso, and vegetables.





乳麪の下たきたつる夜寒哉
煮麺の下焚きたつる夜寒哉　
nyuumen no shita takitatsuru yosamu kana

beneath the noodles
building up the fire:
the night's cold
Tr. Barnhill


noodles
building a fire underneath
a night's cold
Tr. Reichhold


Written in autumn of 1691, 元禄4年晩秋
This hokku has the cut marker KANA at the end of line 3.

tending to a fire
beneath the hot wheat noodle soup
on this cold night . . .
Tr. Gabi Greve


. Matsuo Basho 松尾芭蕉 - Archives of the WKD .


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Related words

***** WASHOKU : Regional Japanese Dishes
- #nara #chagayu -
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