5/09/2008

Ishikawa Prefecture

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Ishikawa (Kaga)


Including Wajima, Noto Peninsula, some islands, including Notojima, Mitsukejima, Hegurajima. Wajima is famous for its laquer ware.
Lackarbeiten aus Wajima.

Ishikawa Prefecture (石川県, Ishikawa-ken) is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region on Honshū island. The capital is Kanazawa 金沢.

(Noh) was introduced to the area during the rule of the fifth Maeda lord Tsunanori and was refined into the Kaga hosho style.
The tea ceremony arrived in 1666 when Maeda Toshitsune invited Senbiki Soshitsu of urasenke to Kanazawa.
Kutani porcelain (Kutani yaki), bright colored glazes not unlike Chinese porcelain.
Ohi teaware (Ōhi yaki), a pottery style unique to Kanazawa.
Kaga silk (Kaga yūzen), a complicated silk print technique with an intentional rough look (wabi-sabi).
Kanazawa lacquerware (Kanazawa shikki), high quality lacquerware traditionally decorated with gold dust.
Kanazawa gold leaf (Kanazawa haku), a technique of beating gold into wafer-thin sheets.
Kaga mizuhiki, ribbon-like decorations made from glued Japanese paper (washi).
Kaga inlay crafts (Kaga zōgan), a combination of thin flat and thread metal inlays.

© More in the WIKIPEDIA !

oomichoo ichiba 近江町市場 Omi-cho Market

the old Kaga domain 加賀

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Special dishes from Ishikawa

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Since ancient times, the human race has benefited from microorganisms by creating various fermented foods. Japan has internationally well known fermented foods such as soy sauce and miso, sake, dried bonito and natto, but it seems that with its hot, humid summers and cold winters, Ishikawa Prefecture has a climate that is particularly suited to fermentation. And indeed, there are many fermented foods in Ishikawa as well.
see below
Narezushi
Ishiri/Ishiru
Kabura-zushi/Daikon-zushi
Konka-zuke (fish pickled in rice-bran paste)

source : shofu.pref.ishikawa.jp



akashia hachimitsu アカシアはちみつ acacia honey


amaebi 甘えび sweet shrimp
. . . . . gasuebi, gasu-ebi , Echizen amaebi, ama-ebi 越前甘えび / がすえび/ がす海老
Grilled with salt as shioyaki.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !
but
Echizen (越前国, Echizen no kuni) was an old province of Japan, which is today the northern part of Fukui prefecture.


azami no uchimame jiru あざみの打ち豆汁 soup with thistles

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WASHOKU
FU 麩 Wheat glutene preparations
 
breadlike pieces of dried wheat gluten  
necessary for the Kaga cuisine. sudarebu
Fu-Croutons, aus Weizenmehl.
Enthalten Weizengluten

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fugu no ranso no nukazuke ふぐの卵巣の糠漬け roe of fugu fish ovaries with eggs pickled in ricebran
The ovaries are poisonous. They are first pickled in salt for one year, then in komenuka ricebran from the area for another year, while some iwashi-dashi is poored into the barrels to give it better taste. This dissolves the poison and makes it a delicous topping for rice. Some families keep the proud tradition as a kind of "World Heritage".
. . . CLICK here for Photos !



gori no tsukudani ごりの佃煮 tsukudani of gori fish
Cottus pollux. (kajika). Japanese sculpin
. . . CLICK here for Photos !
Kaulkopf.



hachiku no nimono はちく(淡竹)の煮物
special boiled bamoo dish


hamairi, hamayude, hama-iri 浜いり / 浜ゆで "fish boiled at the beach"
Boiled simply in salt water, but this brings the taste of the fish to ist best.

hawasabi no sennazuke 葉わさびのせんな漬け
pickles with leaf wasabi Japanese horseradish


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ishiri ryoori いしり料理 dishes with a special fish sauce
Ishiri is made from fermented squid liver and salt. This preparation has antioxidant properties and is very healthy.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !

quote
“Ishiri”, or “ishiru”いしる料理, which has been made on the Noto Peninsula since ancient times, is one of Japan’s most well known fish sauces. It is made from squid entrails or sardines. Alternating layers of fish and salt are placed in a barrel, and left to ferment for one to two years. The liquid produced this way is used to flavor soups and boiled dishes. Despite the fact that a lot of salt is used, the flavor is sweeter than it is salty. This is because a lot of amino acid is produced during the fermentation process. The sauce contains balanced amounts of glutamic acid, which produces good flavor, asparaginic acid, which produces acidity, and alanine, which produce sweetness, as well as lysine and arginine, which produce bitterness. All of these elements combine to give the sauce a sophisticated taste. Because it also contains the antioxidant taurine and lowers blood pressure, it is attracting attention as a health food.
source : shofu.pref.ishikawa.jp


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iwashi no tamago no hana sushi いわしの卯の花寿司


jibuni じぶ煮(冶部煮)boiled duck meat
. . . CLICK here for Photos !
The name comes from the sound "jibu jibu", when a different tasty broth is cooked for each ingredient. Preparing with different broths (shitagoshirae) is important.
A special kind of FU is also used, sudarebu すだれ麩. FU is a kind of gluten croutons, which here in Kaga is of a long rectangular form.
. . . CLICK here for Photos of "sudarebu" !
The final toromi with a bit of wheat flour for the broth is important.
Jibuni is served in a special jibuni wan, laquer bowl, which is rather flat to show the different ingredients.
Another source says there was a samurai Okabe Jibuemon 岡部治右衛門(じぶえもん) who invented this dish.
http://www.ajinomoto.co.jp/recipe/condition/menu/704421.asp
haiku see below
kigo for all winter


kagami mochi 鏡餅 "mirror mochi" for the new year
in red and white, koohaku, for extra good luck
CLICK here for PHOTOS !



Kaga ryoori, Kaga ryori 加賀料理 dishes from Kaga
. . . CLICK here for Photos !
Kaga renkon ryoori 加賀れんこんの料理 with lotus root
Kaga yasai ryoori 加賀野菜料理 vegetable dishes from Kaga
Kaga ryori is also famous for the Kutani plates and pots used. Motenashi no kokoro.
See below for MORE.



kaki no hazushi, sushi 柿の葉ずし sushi with persimmon leaves

kamameshi 釜飯 rice cooked in a kama bowl

kamo no jibusuki 鴨のじぶすき hodgepodge with duck meat

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konka-zuke こんか漬け /こんかづけ fish pickled in rice-bran paste
. . . CLICK here for Photos !
quote
Pickling in rice-bran paste is one of the ways of preserving fish that developed in Japan, an island country with plentiful fish. This dish is made in almost every area on the Japan Sea coast, and it has many different names. In Ishikawa Prefecture it is usually called “konka-zuke”. The fish used include sardines, herring, mackerel and blowfish. The head and entrails of large fish are removed, and the fish are cut into three fillets. Small fish are salted and then pickled in rice-bran paste as they are. Blowfish are soaked in salted water, dried, and then pickled in rice-bran paste. In Ishikawa Prefecture rice malt is often added for flavor.
source : shofu.pref.ishikawa.jp


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korogaki ころ柿 dried persimmons


matsutake マツタケ / まつたけ/ 松茸 matsutake mushrooms
Tricholoma matsutake
one of the most expensive mushrooms of Japan.
prepared as dobinmushi and other delicacies
. . . CLICK here for Photos !
Kiefernpilz


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narezushi なれ寿司(鮨)
hinezushi
. . . CLICK here for Photos !
quote
“Narezushi” is made by salting fish, pickling it with rice, and then pressing it while it undergoes lactic acid fermentation. It is a food that represents the deep connection between Southeast Asian and Japanese food culture. In the Noto region of Ishikawa it is called “narezushi”. The fish used range from river fish such as dace and sweetfish, to saltwater fish such as horse mackerel, mackerel, hachime, salmon and small sea bream. People in each region use the fish that is most familiar to them. The head and entrails are removed from small fish, and large fish are cut into fillets. After 40–50 days of pickling, the flavor is absorbed, and the bones are soft. In some households vegetables are pickled together with the fish.
source : shofu.pref.ishikawa.jp

http://www.jetro.org/trends/food_recipe.php


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Noto no kaki ryoori 能登のかき料理 oysters from the Noto peninsula


Rusk / 金沢金箔ラスク Kanazawa Kinpaku Rasuku (rusk) bread with cold foil


sazae ryoori さざえ料理 dishes with sazae conches



Suzu Salt 能登すず塩
This mineral-rich sea salt comes from the Japan Sea at the edge of Ishikawa´s Noto peninsula where the people of Suzu have been preparing it by hand for over 500 years. This handcrafted salt has a soft, luxurious flavor, and with its slightly sweet flavor, it is the perfect complement for sashimi, tempura or fried and grilled dishes. Suzu salt is also an excellent addition to soups, dressings and sauces in both western and Japanese preparations.The Japanese government officially recognizes traditionally prepared Suzu salt is as an 'intangible cultural product' of Japan. source :  www.jetro.org


tai no karamushi 鯛の唐蒸し steamed sea bream
Speciality of Kaga ryoori
. . . CLICK here for Photos !


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Kaga Ryori : (加賀料理)
Kaga cuisine, Küche aus Kaga

The mountains, hills, plains, rivers, lagoons, dunes, Sea of Japan and other sources of abundant nature in its purest form bring their rich ingredients to Kanazawa and her people. They have also, over the centuries, led to the refined sophistication that is the modern day cuisine of Kanazawa.
Kabura-zushi (salted yellowtail sandwiched between turnips), jibu-ni (stewed duck with vegetables) and tai-no-karamushi (steamed sea bream with vegetables) are worthy of special mention but to round off the satisfaction of the palate, the satisfaction of the eyes is oftentimes enhanced as such local dishes are usually served on locally produced Kutani porcelain and lacquerware.
www.att-japan.net

The most famous place is Otomo-Ro, Ootomo roo 大友楼
founded 180 years ago, The Otomo family has been the appointed cook for the Maeda daimyo.
The present owner is Otomo Satoshi 大友佐俊 (おおとも さとし)a direct descendant in the 7th generation.
Satoshi was once been invited to Vienna (Wien) to cook for the descendant of the Habsburg Queen Maria Theresia, Gräfin Camilla Habsburg, on November 2, 2007. He took two of his best cooks and the three produced Kaga Cuisine with the ingredients they could get in Vienna. He took with him a very precious laquer box which the Maeda Daimyo had used on outings. The other dishes were served on the famous AUGARTEN porcelain from the Habsburg Musuem, which lend them for this occasion. They served 11 different dishes, including a desert to go with coffee.
They used the kitchen of the private castle Schloss Seisenegg of friends of the Habsburg family and had to carry all the dishes through the corridors of the castle to the guests in the dining room. Satoshi waited on the guests and explained the Kaga food, which the 3 Europeans (Herr und Frau Seisenegg und Camilla) had to eat with chopsticks.
Kaiserkoch Satoshi Otomo, as he is called in a local German newspaper clip.
加賀百万石の「殿様の料理番」がウィーンの古城でハプスブルク家の子孫に豪華絢爛な料理絵巻で挑む料理
On Japanese TV in a 2 hour special probram.



Jibuni


One of Kanazawa’s signature dishes, Jibuni has been a traditional meal in Ishikawa for generations. In Japan, Jibuni is often prepared at the table while guests drink beer or sake and talk before serving themselves from the communal pot. This is somewhat similar to other hot-pot (nabe) style dishes, but the cooking method is somewhat unconventional even within Japan. Jibuni begins with a starch-battered duck that is chopped, bound, and steamed. This is then added to the seasoned bonito broth along with several regional vegetables and brought to a boil. As with most of Kaga cuisine’s specialty dishes, Jibuni is known for more than its savory and layered flavors and is meant to appeal to the nose and the eyes as well as to the taste buds.


ISHIRI いしり 
. . . CLICK here for Photos !
(see also above)
is a kind of soy sauce made with fish parts 魚醤油 at the Oku Noto peninsula 能登半島 and used for traditional dishes of this area. The liver of surume ika スルメイカ, iwashi sardines caught in the Tsushima Kairyuu 対馬海流 sea current are used. This sauce is also called 「いしる ishiru」、「よしり yoshiri」、「よしる yoshiru」、「塩しり shioshiri」、「塩しる shioshiru」.
And old pronounciatio of the word for fish was YO ヨ or IO いお.
shiri derived from shiru 汁, liquid.
Fish was also called I, as in the place name for the river Itoigawa 糸魚川(イトイガワ).
In Oku Noto 奥能登地方, vegetable soup is called najiri 菜汁(ナジリ).
In the Noto peninsula, a lot of salt is also produced since olden times.

There is also Ishiri Ponzu.

WASHOKU : Soy Sauce , Sojasoße, Sojasauce 醤油



Kaga vegetables 加賀野菜 Kaga yasai
Vegetables from Ishikawa prefecture
CLICK for more photos
15 types of vegetables have been grown in the area since 1945 and before. They grow in the Kaga plain and have the good water of Mount Hakusan.

aka kabocha 赤かぼちゃ. 赤皮甘栗南瓜 red-skinned pumpkin
Utsugi akagaw amakuri kabocha
打木赤皮甘栗かぼちゃ(うつぎ・あかがわあまぐり‐)
. . . CLICK here for Photos !
roter Hokkaidokürbis aus Kaga

akazuiki 赤ずいき red taro stems
. . . CLICK here for Photos !

Gensuke daikon 源助大根(げんすけだいこん) Big Radish
A special variety grown first by Inoue Gensuke 井上源助.

Gorojima kintoki 五郎島金時 sweet potatos from Gorojima Town
. . . CLICK here for Photos !
It has less fiber than other varieties of Japan and is sweeter. Used to make monburan モンブラン sweet cakes from August to November.

Futazuka karashina 二塚からしな(ふたつか‐)
karashina "mustard leaf" from Futatsuka
Brassica juncea, Senfkraut.

heta murasaki nasu ヘタ紫なす violet eggplants
eggplants, "green to the stem". also called
marunasu 丸なす "round eggplants"


Kaga futo kyuuri 加賀太ぎゅうり(かが・ふと‐)
thick cucumbers from Kaga

Kaga tsurumame 加賀つるまめ green beans
Stangenbohne, Phaseolus vulgaris

Kanazawa ippon futonegi 金沢一本太ねぎ
thick leek from Kanazawa
dickre Lauch aus Kanazawa

Kanazawa shungiku 金沢春菊
Mutterkraut aus Kanazawa. From October to April.
Chrysanthemum coronarium


kinjiso, kinjisoo 金時草(きんじそう)
Gynura bicolor . Kinjisoo-Blattgemuese
It has zigzagshaped leaves and the color of the front is green, where as the backside is a sparkling "kintoki 金時" bright red-violett color. Hence the name, which resembles the kintoki sasage 金時ささげ mame, red-violett beans.
Kinjiso is rich in vitamins a, B1, B2, calium, iron, calcium and others.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !

kuwai くわい arrowhead
Sagittaria trifolia. Pfeilkraut

maruimo, maru-imo, 丸いも round yam root
Dioscorea japonica
„Runde Jamswurzel“

renkon, Kaga renkon 加賀レンコン/ 加賀れんこん
Lotos roots from Kaga
Lotus aus Kaga

satsumaimo , satsuma imo さつまいも sweet potatos

seri セリ, せり, 芹
Brunnenkresse. Japanische Petersilie. Oenanthe javanica

takenoko たけのこ bamboo shoots
From April to May.


Other traditional vegetables

aoshima uri, kata uri 青シマ瓜(かた瓜)
... mino uri みの瓜
... nashi uri, ama uri なし瓜(あま瓜)
gourds

Dentooji satoimo 伝灯寺里芋 sato imo from temple Dentoji

Kaga hakusai 加賀白菜 chinese cabbage from Kaga
Kaga fushinari kyuuri 加賀節成きゅうり(かが・ふしなり‐)
cucumbers from Kaga

Mitani akigyuuri 三谷秋胡瓜(みたに・あきぎゅうり)
autumn cucumbers from Mitani

Tsurugisaki 剣崎辛長なんば

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seafood from Kaga
crabs are eaten from November onward.
zuwaigani, male snow crabs. female crabs, which are half the size, are called "kobakogani" こばこ蟹.
kani no koorayaki 蟹甲羅焼き

buri 鰤 yellowtail
buri daikon ぶり大根 yellowtail with radish
. . . CLICK here for Photos of BURI DAIKON !
buri no tataki 鰤たたき
buri no shioyaki 鰤塩焼き

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kaburazushi, kabura-zushi カブラ寿司, 蕪ずし]
salted yellowtail sandwiched between turnips
The most representative food in winter in Kanazawa. The name is SUSHI, but it is a sort of pickled food and special taste for every home. Thick slices of salted turnips are cut open and a slice of salted yellowtail is sandwiched inbetween. The whole is marinated in rice and rice malt. It is prepared to be eaten about 2 weeks after the preparation, so it can ferment to the proper taste. Essential for the New Year food.
Fermentierte Rüben und Gelbschwanz
. . . CLICK here for Photos !

quote
“Kabura-zushi” and “daikon-zushi” are representative winter foods of the Kaga region of Ishikawa Prefecture, derived from “narezushi” . “Kabura-zushi” is made by cutting turnip into round slices, which are pickled in salt. Salted yellowtail fillets are sandwiched between the pickled turnip slices, and pickled with a mixture of rice and rice malt. “Daikon-zushi” is made from daikon radish and re-hydrated dried herring. The fermentation process is affected by the temperature, and by the amount of pickling salt used, so it is difficult to judge the length of time for pickling. The acidity produced by lactic acid fermentation and the mild sweetness of the rice malt, combined with the flavor of the fish, make this dish popular as an accompaniment to sake.
source : shofu.pref.ishikawa.jp


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CLICK for many more photos

Kanazawa no Wagashi 金沢に和菓子
Tea sweets from Kanazawa, Japanese confections


The tea ceremony has old roots in Kanazawa. The expressions of the four seasons are rooted deep with the people. Not only the taste, but the seasonal look of the sweets is attractive. The tradition has been supported by "sweets craftsmen" for a long time. It is part of the culture of Kanazawa.
The tea ceremony and with it the wagashi sweets, has flourished in Kyoto, Matsue (Shimane) and Kanazawa.
The first daimyo, Maeda Toshiie 前田利家 (1538―99), was a close friend of Hideyoshi and had experienced the tea ceremony with him. His eldest son, Maeda Toshinaga 前田利長 (1562―1614) had studied TEA with the great tea master Sen no Rikyu 千利休. The third daimyo of the Maeda clan, Toshitsune 利常, studied TEA with master Kobori Enshu 小堀遠州 and Sensoosen Sooshitsu 仙叟千宗室(せんそうせんのそうしつ). The fifth daimyo was also involved in TEA,especially the collection of tea untenils (cha doogu 道茶具).
Therefore even the normal people of the town of Kanazawa learned about tea and its importance in Japanese culture.
Japanese sweets are made with images of seasonal natural features from raw materials, such as rice, red beans and wasanbon sugar from Shikoku.

The first tea sweets were made when Toshiie came to Kanazawa in 1590. Then he appointed a sweet maker for his castle, 堂後屋三郎衛門. Another appointed sweet maker, 樫田吉蔵, was the first to came up with the idea of making sweets in five colors (goshiki namagashi)五色生菓子 in 1600, when princess Tamahime 珠姫 (second daughter of Tokugawa Hidetada) came as bride for his younger brother Toshitsune to Kanazawa.
White riceflower manjuu with sweet bean paste are colored red to represent the rising sun. Brown Sesame cover is the moon behind the clouds. Diamond-shaped manjuu represent the waves of the sea. Yellow grains are the full moon in its splendor. Red bean paste on the outside of a cake represent the land and country side with the farmers.

CLICK for original LINK
In 1630 Toshitsune had ordered to make some dry sweets (higashi) rakugan with the decorative inscripton of the name of Chooseiden (choseiden) 長生殿
wirtten by famous calligrafer Kobori Enshu.
They are now one of the three most famous sweets of Japan!
. . . CLICK here for Photos !


The people of Kanazawa were also very pious and there are many temples in town. The sweets of the daimyo were soon used for religious ceremonies too and thus among the common people. Especially rakugan dry sweets, Manjuu and Mochi were favorites.
There are sweets for all seasons and all seasonal religious festivals
CLICK for more tsujiuranai
tsuji uranai, Fortune Cookies
for the new year fuku-ume 福梅and tsuji uranai 辻占
. . . CLICK here for FUKU UME Photos !
Fuku-ume, the "Auspicious plum" comes as a wafer in red and white. Tee plum blossom is in the family crest of the Maeda clan. This is eaten for the New Year.


CLICK for more KINKATOO photos
for Dolls festival. kinkatoo 金花糖
(forms of fish like tai and koi made of sugar)
„Goldener Blumen-Zucker“


in summer 氷室饅頭 himuro "ice cellar manjuu"
Eaten on the first day of the 7th month (himuro no tsuitachi)
They are of white and red color and eaten with the wish for good health during the following year. Made from barley flower. In Kaga it was custom to open the ice cellars (himuro) on the first day of the 6th month (now June 30). The ice, which was collected in winter from pure wter ponds, was put on carts and transported hastily to the Shogun in Edo.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !

for Star festival. sasagemochi ささげ餅 with beans
. . . CLICK here for Photos !


sweets for all family celebrations
to pray for a save childbirth ころころ団子 korokoro dango
. . . CLICK here for korokoro dango Photos !
to pray for the birth of a boy 杵巻き and kinchaku mochi 巾着餅

for a marriage ceremony 五色生菓子 "raw sweets in five colors"
sweets in five varieties
. . . CLICK here for "Five Colored Sweets" Photos !


sweets for temples and shrines 寺社菓子
sweets for good luck 縁起菓子
. . . CLICK here for "good luck sweets" Photos !

sweets for celebrations 祝い菓子
. . . CLICK here for "celebration sweets" Photos !

sweets for the changing of seasons 四季折々の菓子


chitose 千歳(ちとせ)"Ten thousand years"
This sweet-bean dumpling is wrapped in a dough with rice flour and pink and white sugar, which is transparent, representing the glow of sunrise and snow on Mount Fuji.


Daruma Museum
Fukutoku Senbei 福徳せんべい Lucky Waffles


sugar used for the Kanazawa sweets
wasanbon 和三盆 Japanese sugar from Shikoku
Japanischer Zucker


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Otome no Kanazawa
Book about cafes, sweets and more
(and a Daruma on the cover ! )


source : 乙女の金沢



Online References

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Worldwide use


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Things found on the way



Shichirin 七輪 portable cooking stove
kiridashi shichirin 切り出し七輪 from the Noto peninsula 能登
are cut out of one piece of earth. They come in round or oblong forms for sanma fish.
. . . CLICK here for Photos of Noto Shichirin !


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kigo for early summer

Hyakumangoku Matsuri 金沢百万石まつり
Hyakumangoku Festival

Oyama matsuri 尾山祭(おやままつり)Oyama Shrine Festival
hyakumangoku gyooretsu 百万石行列(ひゃくまんごくぎょうれつ)
hookoku matsuri 封国祭(ほうこくまつり)"land presenting festival"
(Lord Maeda gave land to his retainers to govern.)

June 13 to 15
Main Festival at the shrine Oyama Jinja 尾山神社 .
. . . CLICK here for Photos of the Shrine !



Held on the first Sunday in June in memory of the entry of the daimyo Maeda Toshiie to Kanazawa Castle in 1583.
The main event is the splendid Hakumangoku Gyoretsu, a long procession of people dressed in samurai costumes. The parade walks around the area between Kanazawa Station and Kanazawa Castle Park.
http://www.100mangoku.net/

- quote -
Oyama Shrine (尾山神社, Oyama Jinja) is dedicated to Maeda Toshiie, the first lord of the powerful, local Maeda Clan. The shrine was constructed in 1599 by Toshiie's successor, Maeda Toshinaga on Mount Utatsu. It was later moved to its present location.

Oyama Shrine is known for its unusual gate, which was designed by a Dutch architect, using elements of European and Asian religious themes. While the first story displays a mixture of Japanese and Chinese influence, the upper stories once served as a lighthouse and feature a Dutch style, stained glass window.



The gate originally guarded the entrance to the palace of Kanazawa Castle, and was only later moved to Oyama Shrine. On the shrine grounds stands a statue of Lord Toshiie. There is also a nice strolling garden with ponds and bridges, designed to resemble harps and lutes.
- source : japan-guide.com -

- Homepage of the shrine
金沢市尾山町11-1
- source : oyama-jinja.or.jp -


. Kanazawa no kachi kabuto 金沢のかち兜 / 勝兜 winning helmet .
in memory of the entry of the daimyo Maeda Toshiie to Kanazawa Castle in 1583.

. WKD : Saijiki for Festivals and Ceremonies

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HAIKU


反古凧や隣は前田加賀守
hogo-dako ya tonari wa Maeda Kaga no Kami

kite from waste paper -
and right next to it the kite
of Lord Maeda from Kaga


Kobayashi Issa 小林一茶



Haiga by source : Nakamura Sakuo

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夕立と加賀もぱっぱと飛にけり
yuudachi to kaga mo pappa to tobi ni keri

the cloudburst
and the Kaga messengers
flew right by

Tr. Chris Drake

This hokku was written in the 6th month (July) of 1815, when Issa was in his hometown or traveling around to nearby towns to see students. Since his hometown and many other nearby towns were located on the main post road connecting Edo in the east with northern provinces on the Japan Sea coast, much traffic and mail between Edo and the west coast of Honshu passed through them.

In the present hokku a cloudburst soaks the post road and the area around it, but it is a small storm apparently consisting of a single cloud, and it quickly moves on. Around the same time, a group of official fast couriers (hikyaku 飛脚, lit. "flying legs") from the big Kaga domain (Kaga no Chiyo's home) on the Japan Sea pass through on their way to Edo. Since it is the hot 6th month (July), they are probably the famous Kaga express couriers carrying a large, thick container full of carefully wrapped and preserved ice from the Kaga mountains that will be delivered to the Edo mansion of the daimyo lord of Kaga, where some of it will be eaten as a kind of sherbet. The best pieces of ice will of course be presented to the shogun and his advisors. The jogging couriers work in teams that change at various stations, and they carry the container day and night, delivering the ice to Edo before it melts. If they went through the town where Issa is at the same time as the downpour, they no doubt kept walking quickly or jogging right through the rain, with one man warning the villagers not to stand in the way, and if they arrived after the rain, when more people were walking on the road, one of the group no doubt roughly ordered everyone on the road to step back so the messengers could pass through at top speed.

The time of the hokku seems to be shortly after both the cloudburst and the express couriers have quickly passed through. By pointing to a parallel between the fast-moving storm cloud and the flying feet of the fast couriers, Issa may well be suggesting that the way the arrogant couriers storm through the town as if it were nothing but a hindrance to them expresses the basic attitude of the corrupt, luxury-loving samurai ruling class toward lowly commoners, an attitude that in some ways is similar to the damage that can be done by hard rainstorms. Luckily, on this day, both storms seem to have been short and passed through quickly.

I follow the suggestion of Maruyama Kazuhiko (Seventh Diary 2.147) that Kaga in the second line may refer to Kaga domain express messengers. The rough, blunt use of only Kaga (something like "that Kaga bunch") makes it a bit difficult to see a reference here to the daimyo lord of Kaga, since Issa normally refers to him as a lord, using "Kaga-dono," "Kaga no kami," or "Maeda Kaga no kami." Moreover, the Kaga domain was one of the richest in Japan, and Kaga lords sought to glorify themselves by making large, spectacular processions whenever they had to travel to Edo. Their long processions usually included 3,000-4,000 men, and their movements were grave, deliberate, formal and unlikely to impress onlookers as "flying." In such processions, the daimyo lord himself rode unseen in a large weatherproof palanquin and wouldn't have been affected by mere rainstorms unless he had to get out of the palanquin. On the other hand, the "flying feet" of the fast ice couriers and their condescending attitude make a clear parallel with the short downpour.

Maruyama reads the calligraphy for the verb in the third line as tobi- (飛), to fly, not as sugi- (過), to pass by, so he finds no calligraphy mistake by Issa here that needs to be corrected. In informal calligraphy both characters can look very similar.


source : chasukechan/nk
加賀藩の将軍家献上のお氷さまの駕籠行列

The picture shows a group of fast-walking Kaga express couriers carrying a double-walled container of specially wrapped Kaga ice to Edo in the middle of the night in summer. The man in the lead carries a torch.

Chris Drake

. Kobayashi Issa 小林一茶 in Edo .


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じぶ煮椀鴨と豆腐が寄り添へる     
jibuni wan kamo to toofu ga yori-soreu

a bowl of jibuni ...
duck and tofu
side by side

Satake San 佐竹絋栄


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朱の椀の両手に温きじぶ煮かな   
shu no wan no ryoote ni atataki jibuni kana

a red laquer bowl
keeps both my hands warm ...
aaa, this jibuni

Sakura Toshiko 桜敏子

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Related words

***** WASHOKU : Regional Japanese Dishes
lotus
***** . Folk Toys from Ishikawa Ishikawa Folk Art - 石川県 .

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Izushi Sara Soba

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Buckwheat noodles on white plates
(Izushi Sara Soba, Izushi Soba)

***** Location: Japan
***** Season: Topic
***** Category: Humanity


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Explanation

A speciality of Izuchi Town in Hyogo prefecture, often called the Little Kyoto of Tajima. This town is about 2 hours drive from Kobe city toward the Sea of Japan in the north of the Tajima area. The town is an old castle town and even now has a clock tower, in action since 130 years ShinkoRo Tower.
When the lord of Tajima returned in 1706 from his stay in Edo via Shinshu, a famous buckwheat area, he brought some masters of buckwheat noodles with him and introduced this dish in his domain.

The noodle makers keep the "thee TATE" hiki-tate 挽きたて、uchi-tate 打ちたて、yaki-tate ゆがきたて: freshly ground flour, freshly kneeded dough, freshly boiled in hot water.


The ruins of the castle are famous as a popular cherry blossom viewing spot, part of it has been rebuilt recently.
A Soba Speed Eating Contest is held in April during the cherry blossom festival.
Some stores give you a present of a wooden plaque if you finish more than 20 plates within 2 minutes.
CLICK for more photos



Izushi Sarasoba 出石皿そば / 出石そば


source :  www.izushi.jp/sarasoba

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Specialist of eating Izuchi buckwheat noodles



Japanese LINK with more information
source :  www.setokeiichiro.com

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The buckwheat noodles are served on small white plates of the local pottery, Izuchiyaki 出石焼.
The base is a whitish stone from the Kakitani valley, kakitani tooseki 柿谷陶石.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !


CLICK for more photos

Sometimes patterns of chrysanthemum or other items are carved into the pottery, covered with bee wax and then the pottery is fired. When this pottery is used afterwards, the carved parts start to get a gentle brown color.
This pottery started in the 18th century. It is completely white, one of the very seldom forms of ceramics in Japan.
Vases, animals, Kannon statues and other items of this pure white pottery are produced in the town.

CLICK for original LINK
Teapot with carved decoration

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Related words

***** WASHOKU : Regional Japanese Dishes
izuchi
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Ibaraki Ibaragi

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Ibaraki (Ibaragi) 茨城





Ibaraki Prefecture (茨城県, Ibaraki-ken) is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region on Honshū island. The capital is Mito 水戸.
ibaragi
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Hitachi beef



nattoo 納豆 Natto fermented beans  


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. ankoo 鮟鱇 (あんこう) anglerfish, goosefish, mankfish

kigo for winter and good food


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nanairo toogarashi 七色唐辛子
chili pepper with seven colors

One of them is orange from the peels of Fukure Mikan ふくれみかん / 福来(ふくれ)みかん
. . . CLICK here for Photos !
speciality of the Mount Tsukuba area 筑波山.
WASHOKU
Togarashi, toogarashi 唐辛子 red hot pepper





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Chestnuts
Grapes
Green Peppers
Koshihikari Rice
Lettuce
Lotus Root
Melon
Nashi Asian Pears
Strawberry
Sweet Potato / Dried Sweet Potatoes

Shirasu (Baby Anchovies)

Most of the shirasu caught along Ibaraki's coastline are processed by drying or boiling, but as a result of the dedication of fisherman and techniques developed in Ibaraki to preserve freshness, the gourmet 'Umi no Kagayaki' raw shirasu brand was born.
- source : ibaraki -shokusai.ne -

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***** WASHOKU : Regional Japanese Dishes

***** . IBARAKI / IBARAGI - Folk Toys .

- #ibaraki #ibaragi -
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Itokoni

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Itokoni ... "Boiled Nephews"

***** Location: Japan
***** Season: Mid-spring
***** Category: Humanity


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Explanation

itokoni いとこ煮、従弟煮

mushitsujiru むしつ汁(むしつじる)mushitsu soup
. koto hajime 事始 beginning of work  

Itokoni was eaten on the first day of work in the New Year.



itoko means "nephew" and ni means boil or cook.
Soy-Simmered Kabocha Squash with Read Beans.

The naming is quite strange, is it not! Here is why:

This is a kind of hodgepodge with azuki-beans, pumpkin, goboo, big radish and tofu, falvored with soy sauce or miso.

It is a dish where the ingredients are thrown into the hot water one after another, since their time of cooking is different. This is called "oi oi ni" 追い追い煮. But OI is also the pronounciation of this character,  甥, meaning ... you guess it, nephew.
So this is a pun, a play with words.

Another try at the explanation:
The variuos vegetables used in the stew are so similar like newphews.

It was originally a dish prepared as an offering to the deities, for the New Year, O-Bon or at a family celebration.

The origin is Yamaguchi prefecture.


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itokojiru いとこ汁 vegetable miso soup "Nephew soup"
from Kyoto


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いとこ煮の南瓜甘き冬至かな
itokoni no boofura amaki tooji kana

the pumpkin of this
itokoni is so sweet ...
winter solsitce


Snow Rabbit

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***** WASHOKU : Regional Japanese Dishes


. WASHOKU
kabocha 南瓜 (かぼちゃ) pumpkin, squash
 

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Iwate Prefecture

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Iwate prefecture 岩手

The Nanbu clan (南部氏, Nanbu-shi, Nambu clan)
was a Japanese samurai clan originating in northern Japan, specifically Mutsu Province (the northeast coast of Honshū). The Nanbu claimed descent from the Minamoto clan, and its members first enter the historical record as residents of Kai Province during the Kamakura period. The clan later moved to Mutsu.
In the Sengoku period, the clan frequently clashed with its neighbors, including the Tsugaru clan, one of its branches which declared independence. The Nanbu clan was on the winning side of the Battle of Sekigahara, and entered the Edo period as the lordly (daimyo) family of the Morioka Domain. Over the course of the Edo period, several branch families were established, each of which received its own fief.
© More in the WIKIPEDIA !


Tono (Toono) 遠野 is an area where old legends abound.
. Tōno monogatari 遠野物語 Legends of Tono .


In the plain arount Tono most of the hopp of Japan is grown and harvested before September, when the taifun season starts. It has a good bitterness for making beer.
岩手県遠野産ホップ
CLICK here for PHOTOS !
Hopfen Anbau in Tono, Iwate. Bier.


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. Japan after the BIG earthquake -  
March 11, 2011




source : tohoku-umaimon
Grandaruma

うまいもん市場 Local Market


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Capital of Noodles, Morioka 盛岡

The taste and the type of noodles vary in each place or city but the residents who consume the most amount of noodles is Morioka City. Ramen noodle is very popular but Morioka has the famoust "Wanko Soba" made from buckwheat. "Morioka Remen" is based on the cold noodles that orinate in Korean Peninsula. Jajamen noodles has the roots in China. The Moriokans (how we call the local people in Morioka) are keen to find the best tasting noodles of any kind. All the type of noodles are scattered in the city and each restaurant takes pride with their own recipe and serve them in affordable pricings.
three major kinds (Morioka Remen, Wanko soba and Jajamen)
source :  www.kanko-otakara.jp


Nanbutestu 南部鉄 iron teapots and other items
. . . CLICK here for Photos !


hatto ばっと is a local word for noodles.


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azukibatto, azuki hatto 小豆ばっと (あずきばっと) udon noodles in shiruko sweet bean soup
The noodles can be made from buckwheat or wheat flour. Hatto are a kind of flat noodles.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !

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Beef from Iwate ( Maesawa Beef, etc. )

The most famous beef in Iwate is Maesawa Beef produced in the Maesawa area of Oshu City. It is said that the Matsusaka Beef in the West and the Maesawa Beef in the East are the best beef brands in Japan. The exquisitely marbled meat is so soft that it melts in your mouth. To ensure its quality, Maesawa Beef is only available at stores or restaurants which are designated as official distributors. The Maesawa Beef Festival, held on the first Sunday of June, is a great time to enjoy this high-end delicacy at a bargain price; over 30,000 visitors from in and out of Iwate flock to this event. To get beef at the festival, buy a beef-exchange ticket in advance.
Another great Iwate Beef is Iwate Short-Horn Beef, which is lean and healthy.
The cattle are raised on highland pastures, and in summer, many tourists enjoy the panorama of the relaxed cows, the lush green grass, and the blue sky. In Iwate, there area many restaurants where you can enjoy great Iwate Beef such as these, in various dishes such as steak, sukiyaki, and shabu-shabu.
- source : www.japan-iwate.info

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beer from Tono 遠野市 hopp
made by Kirin in October 2014

キリンビールは2014年10月28日、ホップの産地として有名な岩手県遠野市で夏に収穫したばかりのホップをぜいたくに使用した「一番搾り とれたてホップ生ビール」


source : www.kirin.co.jp/company

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ebimochi えびもち 海老餅  shrimp mochi rice cakes
Prepared for festivals and celebrations.
But also on normal evenings.
Shrimp (numa ebi) from the many sweetwater ponds are collected, often in autumn and roasted as they are, then falvored with rice wine and salt and soy sauce. Freshly pounded mochi are torn by hand and mixed with these shrimp. The red and white color combination is auspicious.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !


Mochi Dishes ( cooked sticky rice )
( Ichinoseki City, Hiraizumi Town, Shiwa Town, etc. )
Mochi, or “rice cake,” is made of steamed and pounded rice. It is a New Year delicacy, served in a traditional soup called zoni, or wrapped in nori seaweed with soy sauce. Popular sweet mochi are kinako mochi and azuki mochi, covered with sweetened soybean flour and red bean paste, respectively. Other variations contain ingredients such as crushed walnuts, sesame, and natto ( fermented soy bean ) .
Mochi is extremely sticky and stretchy, so be careful not to choke on it.



There is a unique “mochi culture” in southern Iwate, where mochi is eaten at various special events. There are even “mochi songs” which are sung while pounding mochi. There are over 300 variations, such as zunda mochi with green soybean paste, ebi mochi with shrimp, and fusube mochi with chili peppers. In the Ichinoseki area, there was a special full-course mochi menu called Mochi Honzen, served at weddings and funerals. Today, mochi shops and restaurants in Ichinoseki and Hiraizumi have joined to form “Ichinoseki-Hiraizumi Mochi Road” to promote the mochi culture, offering traditional menus as well as new recipes.
- source : www.japan-iwate.info

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enohana gohan えのはなごはん mushroom soup
enohana, bakuroo ばくろう/ 香茸 is a musroom of the area.
It gets a good smell after drying. After watering again the mushroom is slightly fired together with carrots and abura-age tofu, some soy sauce added before placint it on the rice.


ganzuki がんづき (雁月) "goose in the full moon" dumplings
ganzuki bread.
Sometimes made sweet with black sugar.
The name of this steamed bread, ganzuki, means "goose moon," and apparently was inspired by the sight of a flock of geese flying in the night sky. This is a very popular snack to serve with green tea in Iwate prefecture.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !

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“Harako” is Iwate's dialect for salmon roe.

harako soba はらこそば buckwheat noodles
The roe with eggs from the hanamagari salmon is disentangled and put on hot buckwheat soup. Eaten with leek and momiji oroshi radish with carrots.


harakomeshi はらこ飯
Harakomeshi, or salmon roe on white rice, is a simple yet delicious dish; when you take a bite, the soy-sauce flavored roe pops and its mild flavor spreads in your mouth. Before the days of refrigerators and freezers, salmon roe was soaked in soy sauce and sake for the purpose of preservation. But with today's refrigeration technology, restaurants can focus on the taste; if the roe is too salty, it does not go well with warm white rice, so each restaurant seeks a perfect balance of the roe and the rice, and serves what they find is best.

When salmon sashimi is added, it is called Sake Oyako-don ( Salmon Parent and Child Rice Bowl ) or Sake Ikura-don ( Salmon and Salmon Roe Rice Bowl ) . In Iwate, you can also find Harako Soba, in which salmon roe is placed on soba noodles instead of white rice.
- source : www.japan-iwate.info

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Hatto-nabe from Nambu
This is a relatively new noodle dish which uses many of Iwate's specialties.
“Hatto” refers to noodles made of flour. It is a udon noodle dish with plenty of other wholesome ingredients such as cod, soft roe of cod, scallops, shrimp, oysters, mushrooms, and vegetables of the season. The soup is seafood-based with a touch of soy sauce. The nabe used is a Nanbu Cast Iron pot.
Most restaurants serve Nanbu Hatto-nabe in fall and winter, for about 3,500 yen. In most cases you need a reservation, but some restaurants serve the dish throughout the year without a reservation.
- source : www.japan-iwate.info

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hittsumi ひっつみ vegetable soup with handcut noodles
with chicken meat, carrots, goboo, shiitake and leek. The dough is pleated by hand, and cropped to bitesize pieces, which gives the sound hittsu hittsu ... hence the name.
hittsumijiru ひっつみ汁 hittsumi shiru
Keeps the body warm on long winter nights.
From Hachinohe town 八戸.
Hachinohe Ekiben 八戸 駅長弁当 serves this too in a special container.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !

Hittsumi is one of the most representative local dishes of Iwate. It was designated in 2007 as one of the 100 Local Dishes of Japan. Dough made of flour and water is flattened and pulled off into small pieces, which are cooked in soy sauce broth with chicken, carrot, mushrooms, green onion, burdock root, etc. In most areas, the soup is chicken-based, though other ingredients such as dried sardines and canned mackerels are also used in some areas. It is usually served in winter. If you want to make hittsumi from scratch, a special hittsumi flour made by a local company is available; you can also buy fresh or dry pre-made hittsumi.
- source : www.japan-iwate.info

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ichigoni, ichigo-ni いちご煮 seafood soup with uni and abalone
Originally prepared by the fishermen of Northern Japan directly on the beaches. When uni is placed in boiling water, it takes on a round form like a wild strawberry, hence the name "strawberry stew".

Ichigoni is a traditional dish in the northern coastal area of Iwate.
It is a simple soup dish with sea urchin and sliced abalone, flavored with salt and soy sauce. The name “Ichigoni” means “Boiled Strawberries.” Of course there are no strawberries in the soup; it is named thus because the sea urchin floating in the soup is said to resemble wild strawberries in the morning dew. Today, Ichigoni is available in cans for easy cooking even if it is a bit expensive. You can simply warm it in a pan, or cook rice with it. Try adding a bit of mitsuba ( honeywort ) before eating to make it even more delicious.

- source : www.japan-iwate.info

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imonoko jiru いものこ汁 Taro soup
often prepared at outdoor camps in autumn, sometimes in large pots.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !

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Iso Ramen ( seafood noodles )
Iso Ramen is a popular noodle dish in the coastal areas of Iwate.
The soup is made of seafood broth and salt or soy sauce; there are many fresh toppings from the Sanriku Coast such as various seaweeds, crab, shrimp, scallops, mussels, squid, etc. Each restaurant serves different toppings, and prices vary as well.
Whether you choose a simple version or a more sumptuous one, you can enjoy the taste of the Sanriku Coast to its fullest with Iso Ramen.
- source : www.japan-iwate.info

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jajamen, jaja men じゃじゃ麺 (じゃじゃめん)
With toppings of sliced cucumbers, green onions or fried soybean paste, which are placed on the noodles, stirred and eaten. There is no soup for this noodle dish.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !

Morioka Jajamen Noodles
is one of one of the “Three Great Noodles of Morioka,” along with Wanko Soba and Reimen. Jajamen was developed from a Chinese noodle dish called “jia jiang mein.” The noodles are similar to udon, but are served with special meat-miso sauce, cucumber, and green onion. You can also add grated ginger, garlic, vinegar, and/or hot pepper oil. Mix all the ingredients well. After finishing the noodles, you can also try Chi-tan-tan, or soup with the meat-miso sauce, the hot water in which the noodles were boiled, and beaten egg. There are many Jajamen restaurants in Morioka; in particular, the oldest Jajamen restaurant in the city usually has a line of people waiting outside. Some restaurants will also ship their Jajamen noodles and miso upon request.
- source : www.japan-iwate.info/app

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Jingisukan ( Tono City, Hachimantai City, and Shizukuishi Town )
Jingisukan or Genghis Khan, named after the Mongolian ruler, is a popular barbecue dish, especially in Tono, Hachimantai, and Shizukuishi, made with mutton or lamb grilled on a dome-shaped griddle. Despite its name, it is a Japanese dish not a Mongolian dish; named so since Japanese people commonly associated sheep with Mongolia.
In Tono, a unique cooking gadget is used: a jingisukan bucket. It is an ordinary tin bucket with vent holes on its side; the fuel is placed inside, and the griddle is placed over it. In Tono, jingisukan buckets are sold at local hardware stores; they can also be rented at local meat shops.
Lamb and mutton are extremely nutritious. They are rich in iron and vitamin B. They contain little fat but 3 to 10 times as much carnitine as other types of meat, which helps burn fat. They are also said to lower cholesterol. There are many jingisukan restaurants in Iwate, especially in Tono, Hachimantai, and Shizukuishi; jingisukan is also served at the Iwate Snow Festival and at various cherry blossom viewing events.
- source : www.japan-iwate.info/app

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Kakko Dango ( Ichinoseki City )
Gembikei is famous for its dango, or sweet rice dumpling. The most famous dango shop is Kakkoya, established in 1878, renown for its Kakko Dango or “Flying Dango.” Place your money in the basket hanging on a cable over the river and knock on the board to signal the store on the other side of the river; the basket is pulled to the store and sent flying back with dango and tea inside. Three types of dango are available: an ( red bean ) , goma ( sesame ) , and mitarashi ( sweet soy sauce syrup ) . Tricolor dango of zunda ( sweet green bean paste ) , kurumi ( walnut ) , and mitarashi ( sweet soy sauce syrup ) are also available. A red flag by the store signals that all the dango are sold out for the day.

The name “Kakkoya,” which means “Cuckoo's Store,” came from its founder who was good at imitating the call of a cuckoo. The store is in a traditional Japanese building with a great view of Gembikei and a Japanese garden. The seats by the window are perfect for cooling down after a walk along the gorge, or to enjoy the beautiful fall colors.
- source : www.japan-iwate.info/app

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kamasu mochi, kamasumochi かますもち dumplings with kamasu fish
From the Northern area. Made from wheat flour. Little pouches are filled with the boiled fish and vegetables. Miso paste can be added.


kanenari かねなり dumplings "to get rich"
Made from uruchimai rice and fried in soy sauce. In the form of koban 小判, old gold money, hence the name. Speciality of the Tono area 遠野名物.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !



matsumo 松藻 kind of hornwort
. . . CLICK here for Photos !


Nambu hanamagari 南部鼻曲がり dried salmon "with a bent nose"
. . . CLICK here for Photos !


Nanbu senbei, Nambu senbei 南部せんべい rice crackers from Morioka

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Noda no Shio のだ塩 Salt from Noda village
made in traditional fashion, by boiling sea water in large ovens.


source : www.noda-kanko.com

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Pork Brands
There are 30 brand-pork breeds in Iwate, which has a perfect natural environment for pig farming. Each brand boasts unique features such as special feed or environment. Pork is a healthy meat rich in Vitamin B1. Many of the brands are served at restaurants throughout Iwate.

Oritsume Sangenton Sasuke
The pigs are raised on a farm on Mt. Oritsumedake in Ninohe. Vegetable carbides from a 3- million-year-old geological stratum are added to non-GM feed, which make the meat mild, tender, and succulent.

Platinum Pork
The pigs are raised on a farm surrounded by the Ou Mountains in Hanamaki. The pigs drink excellent spring water from the mountains which is further purified using minerals from Kamaishi; this makes the meat superbly tender and mild.

Tochucha Pork ( Eucommia Leaf Pork )
Eucommia, originally from China and used as tea leaves, are also grown in Hachimantai City, Iwate. The leaves are fed to the pigs to make the meat tender and the fat mild.
- source : www.japan-iwate.info/app

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ocha mochi お茶もち "tea mochi" rice dumplings
made from rice flour, round dumplings are flattened and put on skewers. They used to be called uchiwa mochi (handfan mochi), the pronounciation changed then to ujamochi うじゃもち ... ocha mochi.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !

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reimen れいめん cold noodles
Origianlly from Korea.
Noodles made of wheat flour and starch.
Toppings of slices of pork or boiled egg, also fresh vegetables like carrots, spring onion or water melons. On top of all, a spoonfull of kimchi.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !

Morioka Reimen is one of the “Three Great Noodles of Morioka,”
along with Wanko Soba and Jajamen. Reimen is originally a Korean dish; Morioka Reimen Noodles was first served in 1954 by a yakiniku restaurant owner from Korea. The most unique characteristic of Morioka Reimen Noodles is the rubbery texture of the noodles, which are served in a cold soup with beef, kimchi, cucumber, boiled egg, and a piece of fruit such as apple, pear, or watermelon.

The fruit helps soothe your mouth if the soup is too spicy. You can usually choose from three levels of spiciness; if you are not sure which level to get, you should go for “betsukara,” which means the kimchi which is added to the soup is served separately so that you can adjust the spiciness yourself.
You can try Morioka Reimen Noodles at basically any yakiniku restaurant in Morioka.
- source : www.japan-iwate.info/app

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sansai 山菜 ( Wild Edible Plants )
Wild edible plants can be gathered on mountains throughout Iwate in spring. They are available only for a limited time and are considered seasonal delicacies of the spring. Japanese restaurants serve a variety of sansai dishes such as sansai tempura and aemono ( dressed with various condiments such as miso, sesame, or vinegar ) .
Today, some sansai are grown on farms or imported, but natural sansai are the best and most nutritious. Some of the most popular wild edible plants are: fukinoto ( Japanese butterbur flower-bud ) , warabi ( bracken ) , and zenmai ( Japanese royal fern ) . Sansai tend to be a little bitter so they are not very popular with children, but are delicacies to most adults.
- source : www.japan-iwate.info

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uchiwamochi, uchiwa mochi うちわもち (うちわ餅) dumplings made of buckwheat flour, shaped like an uchiwa handfan, put on skewers, see ocha mochi
. . . CLICK here for Photos !


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Yama-budo Products ( mountain grapes )
Yama-budo juice is a traditional and healthy drink which has always been popular in Iwate. With 8 times as much polyphenol, 3 times as much iron, and 4 times as much vitamin C as grapes, yama-budo juice is considered a great pick-me-up. There are many Yama-budo Products such as wine, juice, and jam.
You can drink the juice in shots, or mixed with soda water. Other newer products include vinegar, jello, ice cream, and cheesecake. In fall, you can also buy fresh yama-budo at local farmers' markets.
- source : www.japan-iwate.info

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wankosoba わんこそば (わんこ蕎麦 / (椀こそば) Morioka, buckwheat noodles
Small servings of soba, served "all you can eat" and as fast as you can eat. How many can you gulp down in xx minutes?
. . . CLICK here for Photos !

These noodles are also served in Hanamaki town 花巻市 and competitions are held there.
Hanamaki Clay Dolls and Daruma
Hanamaki Tsuchi ningyoo 花巻人形



CLICK for more photos !

「そばっち」 Sobatchi Mascot of Wankosoba, Iwate

- quote
Wanko Soba (わんこそば) is a style of Japanese soba noodles originating from Iwate Prefecture in Japan, particularly Morioka and Hanamaki. It consists of a small serving of soba noodles in a small bowl.



The name Wanko comes from the regional dialect of the Iwate Prefecture from which it comes, meaning "bowl", but more specifically, a small, wooden Japanese soup bowl.] There are many theories about the origin of the dish itself however.

(1) One such origin is of a landowner who was having a festival on his land. There was a crowd of over 100 villagers and guests who customarily ate soba at festivals. However, there were so many people to feed but the pots in which the soba were to be made were very small. The soba noodles were spread around in reduced quantities so that there would be enough for everyone.

(2) Nanbu Toshinao, a territorial lord of the Nanbu area, came and stopped at a house in Hanamaki asking for a meal. His retainers served him a local variety of soba in a small soup bowl. Thinking they served Nanbu Toshinao something too rustic and without much flavor, they were afraid of his reaction. But Nanbu Toshinao thought it was delicious, and ordered more servings. This is said to have established the tradition of hosts continuing to serve small bowls until their guest was satisfied.

There are many stories of how the dish came to be, but these two are the most common. However, the term "Wanko" did not come about until after World War II, some repudiate the stories.

In December 1957 in Hanamaki, the Wanko Winter Sumo Place put on an exhibit in which participants from many countries contested to see who could eat the most bowls of wanko soba.
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Nanbu Toshinao 南部利直 (1576 - 1632)
was born at Tago Castle, in Sannohe, the eldest son of Nanbu Nobunao. In 1599 he succeeded his newly deceased father as head of the Nanbu clan. After Toyotomi Hideyoshi's death, he improved his ties with Tokugawa Ieyasu. He took part in the Sekigahara Campaign, and was recognized by Ieyasu as lord of Morioka. Toshinao also took part in the Siege of Osaka in 1614.
Toshinao was also responsible for improving mining operations within the Morioka domain.
© More in the WIKIPEDIA !



- quote
Wanko Soba Noodles
Buckwheat noodles (soba) are served up as a lively eating contest. This local favorite began almost four centuries ago as an efficient way to provide guests with “all-you-can-eat” noodles, and continues today as one of Iwate’s most famous food experiences. Count your bite-sized bowls as you down them, but beware! Slide the lid on your bowl quickly when you’re done, or one of the servers will slide in a new portion for you to eat.



Wanko Soba Noodles is served with various condiments, such as: tuna sashimi; nameko, mushrooms with a slightly gelatinous coating, simmered in soy sauce; daikon radish pickled in miso with crushed walnuts; harako, or salmon roe. Sometimes people forget about the contest and take their time to enjoy the delicious soba and the condiments. Some restaurants offer a set menu of condiments and several bowls of soba, for those who opt not to eat them contest-style. In Iwate, there are many soba restaurants, each with different soba, condiments, and dipping sauce. A reservation is often required for Wanko Soba Noodles, so check before going to a soba restaurant.
- source : www.japan-iwate.info

- - - - -

wanko kyoodai わんこきょうだい the Wanko Brothers



They are names of local dishes ending with -tchi

そばっち Sobatchi from Morioka
とふっち Tofutchi from 盛岡・八幡平・県央エリア Central Iwate
おもっち Omotchi from 平泉・花巻・遠野・県南エリア Southern Iwate
うにっち Unitchi (Wunitchi) from 宮古・釜石・大船渡・沿岸南部エリア The Coast Line
こくっち Kokutchi from 二戸・久慈・県北エリア Northern Iwate



They became quite popular and are now also available as a bento lunch :


CLICK for more images !


. Buckwheat plant and food (soba) .

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Abalone
Sea Urchins
Sushi and Seafood
- source : www.japan-iwate.info/app

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Spezialitäten aus Japans Nudelhauptstadt

Morioka gilt als Hauptstadt der Nudeln. Nirgendwo sonst in Japan nämlich werden mehr Nudeln verspeist.
Wankosoba, Reimen und Jajamen – das sind die Nudelsorten, für die Morioka berühmt ist. Wankosoba sind Buchweizennudeln, die klein portioniert in vielen Schalen schnell hintereinander serviert werden. Meistens artet diese rasche Servierfolge in hektisches Wettessen aus.

Die Nudelsorte Reimen wird indes kalt gegessen. Ursprünglich stammt sie aus Korea. Im Mai des Jahres 1954 eröffnete in Morioka der Koreaner Yang Yong Chul unter dem japanischen Namen Aoki das erste Reimen-Nudelrestaurant »Shokudoo-en«, das inzwischen von seinen Söhnen weitergeführt wird. Das Gericht fand schnell in der ganzen Stadt Verbreitung.
Die Nudeln aus Weizenmehl und Hundsveilchen-Stärke (oder Kartoffelstärke) haben eine besonders feste Konsistenz – »fast wie Gummi«, empfanden die ersten Kunden damals. Für die Suppe lässt man Rinderknochen lange köcheln. Das recht scharfe Gericht wird mit koreanischem Kimchi und einem halben, hart gekochten Ei serviert. Um die Schärfe zu mildern wird als Beilage eine Wassermelonenscheibe oder ein Apfelstück angeboten – manchmal auch beides.

Jajamen-Nudeln 
Jajamen-Nudeln haben ihren Ursprung ebenfalls in einem anderen asiatischen Land. Sie zählen mittlerweile jedoch ebenso wie die beiden anderen Nudelarten zur typisch japanischen Küche. Ein Herr Takashina begann die Herstellung dieser Nudeln nach dem Zweiten Weltkrieg. Dabei versuchte er, den Geschmack von einem Nudelgericht nachzuahmen, das er in der Mandschurei gegessen hatte. Der japanische Name für dieses Gericht lehnt sich an den chinesischen Ursprung an: jia jiang mein. Die flachen Weizennudeln werden ohne Suppe mit einer Hackfleisch-Miso-Sauce gegessen, für Frische und Würze sorgen Gurkenscheiben, Schalotten und Ingwer. Nachdem die Nudeln bis auf einen kleinen Rest verzehrt sind, schlagen Kenner ein rohes Ei in den Teller, geben noch etwas Hackfleisch-Miso-Sauce dazu und gießen alles mit heißem Nudelwasser auf. Das ergibt die aromatische Suppe Chi-Tan-Tan.
Jedes der inzwischen zahlreichen Restaurants kreiert mit einer eigenständigen Sauce und unterschiedlichen Beilagen seine einzigartige, typische Geschmacksvariante.

Die Buchweizennudeln Wankosoba aus Morioka sind am spektakulärsten. Sie werden in kleinen, mundgerechten Portionen serviert, von denen eine allein kaum satt machen würde. Aber für nicht enden wollenden Nachschub sorgt eine zumeist attraktive Serviererin, die hinter jedem Gast stehend mit dem Ruf »Hai, jan, jan!« flink eine neue Portion in die Essschale füllt. Die leeren Portionsschalen werden auf dem Tisch neben dem Tablett gestapelt und dokumentieren trophäengleich die Anzahl der konsumierten Portionen.

Ist der Gast satt und möchte nicht mehr weiteressen, sollte er rasch einen Deckel auf seine Schale legen. Sonst ist die Serviererin schneller und legt eine nächste Portion nach.
Beste Chancen auf einen Sieg beim Wettessen werden gewahrt, wenn folgende Grundregeln beherzigt werden: Beim Essen darf unbedingt geschlürft werden. Die Suppe sollte am besten gar nicht erst mitgetrunken werden. Möglichst sollte die einmal gewählte Geschmacksvariante beibehalten werden. Und auf gar keinen Fall kauen – einfach hinunterschlucken.

Jedes Jahr finden große Wankosoba-Wettbewerbe in Hanamaki und in Morioka statt. Der Rekord liegt beim Verzehr von respektablen 559 Portionsschalen in 15 Minuten. Wer bei diesen Wettessen die meisten Nudeln gegessen hat, bekommt ein Zertifikat und darf sich Yokozuna nennen – wie ein Sumo-Ringer von höchstem Rang.

Ursprung und Herkunft der Wankosoba-Nudeln sind vom Namen nicht abzuleiten. Denn wanko bedeutet im Dialekt von Iwate einfach nur »Essschale«. Allerdings existieren Legenden zur Entstehungsgeschichte.

Eine sagenhafte Geschichte beruft sich auf eine Begebenheit in der Edo-Zeit (1600–1868). Bei einer großen Versammlung musste ein Dorfvorstand mehr als 100 Gäste in kürzester Zeit beköstigen. Da kleine Portionen schneller gegart und serviert werden können als große, sollen zu dieser Gelegenheit erstmals Nudeln nach Wankosoba-Art gereicht worden sein.

Eine andere Legende besagt, der Regionalfürst, Nanbu Toshinao, habe bei seiner Durchreise nach Tokyo in der Stadt Hanamaki Station gemacht, um sich zu stärken. Der ehrfürchtige Wirt brachte eine Schale mit Buchweizennudeln, aber nur ein Probierhäppchen. Er wollte den Landesherrn nicht beleidigen, falls der Geschmack nicht genehm sei. Dem Fürsten aber schmeckte es so gut, dass er immer wieder weitere Portionen nachforderte, die selbstverständlich in schneller Folge serviert wurden.


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Worldwide use


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Things found on the way



The Koiwai Farm 小岩井
. . . CLICK here for Photos !

Die großen Weiden der Koiwai-Farm bieten mit dem Berg Iwatesan (2041m) als Hintergrund ein Bild ländlichen Friedens und natürlicher Landwirtschaft. Sie liegt nur 12 km nordwestlich der Stadt Morioka.
Im Jahre 1891 begann Inoue Masaru hier mit der Zucht von Holstein, Ayrshire und Brown Swiss Kühen, bald gefolgt von zwei weiteren Landwirten aus der Gegend. 1902 begann dann auch die Pferdezucht und 1962 die Hühnerzucht. 1938 wurde der Name KO IWA I erfunden, er besteht aus den Initialen der drei Gründer, Ono Gishi (KO), Iwasaki Yanosuke (IWA) und Inoue Masaru (I). 1969 wurden neun der alten Gebäude zu wichtigen nationalen Kulturdenkmalen ernannt (national tangible cultural properties).
Inzwischen werden Milch- und Eierprodukte der Farm in ganz Japan verkauft.
http://www.koiwai.co.jp/english/guide/rekishi.html




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HAIKU




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Related words

***** WASHOKU : Regional Japanese Dishes

March 11, 2011
. Japan - after the BIG earthquake -   

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5/08/2008

Hyogo Prefecture

[ . BACK to WORLDKIGO TOP . ]
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Hyogo Prefecture (Hyoogo) 兵庫


Hyōgo Prefecture (兵庫県, Hyōgo-ken) is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kansai region on Honshū island. The capital is Kobe.
The prefecture's name was previously alternately spelled as Hiogo.

Present-day Hyōgo Prefecture includes the former provinces of Harima, Tajima, Awaji, and parts of Tamba and Settsu.

In 1180, near the end of the Heian Period, Emperor Antoku, Taira no Kiyomori, and the Imperial court moved briefly to Fukuhara, in what is now the city of Kobe. There the capital remained for five months.

Himeji Castle, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is in the city of Himeji.

The Ako Han, home of the 47 Ronin, is in Hyōgo Prefecture.

Southern Hyōgo Prefecture was severely devastated by the magnitude 7.2 Great Hanshin earthquake of 1995, which destroyed major parts of Kobe and Awaji, as well as Takarazuka and neighboring Osaka prefecture, killing nearly 5500 people.

Hyōgo Prefecture has many heavy industries, metal and medical, and Kobe is one of the largest ports in Japan.
© More in the WIKIPEDIA !



Izumo Kaido 出雲街道 The Old Trade Road of Izumo
It starts in Himeji.


Daruma Dolls from Himeji and more about Himeji Castle.

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Regional dishes from Hyogo 兵庫の郷土料理
. . . CLICK here for Photos !



aamonod toosuto アアモンドトースト toast with almonds
the almonds are hacked to small pieces, some sugar and butter is added and all is toasted for a sweet breakfast snack.
This dish was brought to Himeji by a coffe maker, who ate it in America and told about this to his local coffee shop owner, in about 1950. Now it is part of the Himeji morning culture.




Akashi dai 明石ダイ Tai sea bream from Akashi
The sea around Akashi 明石海峡 is full of nutrition for seafood and fish.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !


CLICK for more photos
Akashiyaki 明石焼 / 明石焼き octopus dumplings from Akashi
Akashi no tamagoyaki 明石の卵焼き
In the local dialect, Akashiyaki is called "tamagoyaki 玉子焼", fried egg.
It is made from wheat, eggs and pieces of fresh Akashi octopus. It is fried in a special pan to make round balls. They are dipped in a dashi broth made from kombu.
Takoyaki たこ焼き is a festival fare all over Japan.


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. Arima onsen 有馬温泉 Arima Hot Spring .

Matsutake Konbu 松茸昆布 
Japanese mushroom and sea weeds

tansan senbei 炭酸センベイ carbonated crackers

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botan nabe ボタン鍋 hodgepodge with wild boar
"peony hodgepodge" for the pious Buddhists
with meat from the wild boars of the Tanba Sasayama 丹波篠山 area.
This area is also famous for the large sweet chestnuts 丹波栗.
There is a famous folk song about this hodgepodge.
雪がちらちら丹波の里で、猪が飛び込むぼたん鍋
yuki ga chirachira Tanbo no sato de
shishi ga tobikomu botan nabe




densuke でんすけ big eel dishes
densuke anago でんすけ穴子 / 伝助穴子
especially large sea eel from the Harima Nada Open Sea 播磨灘.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !



ikanago no kugini いかなごのくぎ煮 boiled sand eel
Ammodytes personatus
speciality of Akashi. The boiled small fish look like a nail, hence the name, meaning "boiled nails"
Once simmered, it can be kept for a long time and is rich in calcium.
Sand lance
japanischer Sandaal
. . . CLICK here for Photos !


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Kobe biifu 神戸ビーフ(ステーキ) Kobe Beef steak
Kobe beef (神戸ビーフ, Kōbe Bīfu)
refers to beef from the black Tajima-ushi breed of Wagyu cattle, raised according to strict tradition in Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. Kobe beef is renowned for its flavour, tenderness, and fatty well-marbled texture. Kobe beef can be prepared as steak, sukiyaki, shabu shabu, sashimi, teppanyaki and more.

Kobe beef in Japan is registered trademark by Kobe beef distribution promotion conference.[2] It must fulfill all the conditions as follows:[3]

Tajima cattle born in Hyōgo Prefecture
Fed by farm in Hyōgo Prefecture
Bullock or Virgin cow, meant to purify the beef
Processed at slaughterhouse in Kobe, Nishinomiya, Sanda, Kakogawa and Himeji in Hyōgo Prefecture.
Marbling ratio called BMS[4] is level 6 and above.
Meat Quality Score[4] is A or B
Gross weight of beef is 470 kg or below.
© More in the WIKIPEDIA !

. . . CLICK here for Photos !
Beef (gyuuniku) Rindfleisch




Koobe wain 神戸ワイン wine from Kobe city
. . . CLICK here for Photos !
Kobe City took the initiative to by developing regional agriculture and tourism with independent wineries as well has launching city-brand products.
Major wine producing regions of Japan



Kobe wain karee 神戸ワインカレー beef curry with Kobe wine
. . . CLICK here for Photos !


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Himeji 姫路名物『お城やき』O-Shiro-Yaki
Castle waffles



Izushi Soba 出石そば



kanisuki, kani suki カニすき hodgepodge with crabs
The famous matsubagani 松葉ガニ from the Sea of Japan side of the prefecture are used.
They are a kind of large zuwaigani queen crabs.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !




katsumeshi, katsu-meshi かつめし cutelett on rice
from Kakogawa 加古川市
Cooked rice is places on a plate, then a cutelett from beef is placed on it, cut in mouthsize pieces and covered with a demiglace sauce. It is eaten with chopsticks in a strange mix of east meets west.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !



kuromameni, kuromame-ni 黒豆煮 boiled black beans
from the Tanba region 丹波地方 (Tamba), which is most famous for these black beans.
They are quite large and the outer skin does not break open during cooking. Essential ingredient for the New Year dishes.
WASHOKU ... kuromame dishes




okonomiyaki お好み焼き "Japanese pizza", Japanese omelett
eaten with sauce and mayonnaise



sabazushi, saba sushi 鯖寿司 mackerel sushi
Made with fish from the Akashi sea and around Awaji Island.


Somen そうめん、素麺 thin noodles



Tajima gyuu 但馬牛 beef from Tajima



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HAIKU


- - - - - Matsuo Basho - - - - -

蛸壺やはかなき夢を夏の月
takotsubo ya hakanaki yume o natsu no tsuki

an octopus pot ---
inside, a short-lived dream
under the summer moon

Tr. Ueda

- in memory of the Heike clan, who perished at Suma beach

. WKD : Octopus (tako 蛸) .





蝸牛 角ふりわけよ 須磨明石
katatsuburi tsuno furiwake yo Suma Akashi

The land snail waving
his horns, stretched out between
Suma and Akashi!


Which is prefaced by,
“The distance between Suma and Akashi is so close that we can reach it by crawling. Now I understand it.”
In fact, Akashi is about 12 km to the west of Suma. Basho in all probability derived his haiku from the Tale of Genji, chapter Suma, and from Chuang-tzu's story of “the Fighting on the Horns of a Snail.” It has also been said to come from a poem of Po Chu I, which I have been unable to trace.
- Tr. and Comment - Bill Wyatt

. Basho - in Suma Ura Park 須磨浦公園 .



足洗うてつひ明けやすき丸寝かな
ashi aroote tsui akeyasuki marune kana

I washed my feet
and already the night is over
after a good sleep . . .


Basho was on his last spot of the journey in the summer of 1688 貞亨5年夏. He had reached his lodgings and was looking forward to a long sleep, but the short nights of summer . . .
The cut marker KANA is at the end of line 3.


月はあれど留守のやうなり須磨の夏 
tsuki aredo rusu no yoo nari Suma no natsu

Though the moon is full
there seems an absence -
Suma in summer

Tr. Aitken


Written in 元禄元年, Basho age 45

There is a famous waka
またなくあはれなるものは、かかる所(須磨の浦)の秋なりけり


- - - - -

月見ても物足らはずや須磨の夏 
tsuki mite mo mono tarawazu ya Suma no natsu

the moon still is
though it seems far from home
Suma in summer

Tr. Barnhill

Written in 元禄元年, Basho age 45


Oi no Kobumi 笈の小文
. Matsuo Basho 松尾芭蕉 - Archives of the WKD .


. WKD : akeyasushi 明易し "dawn comes early" .
kigo for summer


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honobono to Akashi no ura no asagiri ni
shima kagureyuku fune o shizo omou

ほのぼのと明石の浦の朝霧に 
島隠れ行く舟をしぞ思ふ

Faintly with the dawn
That glimmers on Akashi Bay,
In the morning mist
A boat goes hidden by the isle -
And my thoughts go after it.

Tr. Edwin A. Cranston

. 柿本人麻呂 Kakinomoto Hitomaro .
Hitomaru 人丸 / 人麿 / Waka poet, (c. 662 – 710)


ほのぼのと明石が浦のなまこ哉
hono-bono to akashi ga ura no namako kana

gliding dimly
in Akashi Bay...
a sea slug


Or: "sea slugs."
Robin D. Gill points out that this haiku alludes to a traditional waka poem about a boat drifting off into the mist, vanishing among the rocky islands of Akashi Bay. The poem begins: hono-bono to akashi no ura no asa giri ni... ("Dimly in the morning mist of Akashi Bay...").
For Robin's discussion, see Rise, Ye Sea Slugs (Key Biscayne, Florida: Paraverse Press, 2003) 281-83. Shinji Ogawa adds that the waka is #409 of the Kokinshu. "Knowing the beautiful poetic scene, Issa replaced the boat with a sea slug."
A wonderful comic twist.
- - - - - Tr. and comment : David Lanoue

. Kobayashi Issa 小林一茶 in Edo .

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Related words

***** WASHOKU : Regional Japanese Dishes

***** . Folk Toys from HYOGO - Kobe, Himeji .
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Kumamoto

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Kumamoto Prefecture (熊本県,Kumamoto-ken) is a prefecture of Japan located on Kyūshū Island. The capital is the city of Kumamoto.

Historically the area was called Higo 肥後 province and was renamed to Kumamoto prefecture during the Meiji Restoration as part of the abolition of the feudal system. The current Japanese orthography for Kumamoto literally means "bear root/origin", or "origin of the bear".

Mt. Aso, Aso san 阿蘇山 (1592 m), an extensive active volcano, is in the east of Kumamoto Prefecture. This volcano is located at the center of the Aso caldera, the most famous caldera in Japan.

Kato Kiyomasa, a contemporary of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, was made daimyo of half of the (old) administrative region of Higo in 1588.

Amakusa
© More in the WIKIPEDIA !


. WASHOKU
The Ariake Sea (有明海, Ariake-kai, Ariakekai)
 



WKD : Frost Shrine (Shimo Jinja 霜神社)
Aso Shrine (阿蘇神社 Aso-jinja)


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A lot of horse meat is eaten in Kumamoto.
WASHOKU
Horse meat, baniku ばにく/ 馬肉 , sakuraniku 桜肉


sakuranattoo, sakura nattoo 桜納豆 finely cut raw horse meat with natto, an egg and some mustard

basashi 馬刺し sashimi of horse meat

umashabu 馬しゃぶ Shabushabu with horse meat
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warishita わりした broth at the end of a sukiyaki is eaten with kishimen noodles.
see: soysauce


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Kareigawa Ekiben Station Lunchbox
嘉例川駅

百年の旅物語 かれい川 Kareigawa
only with local vegetables.
gane ガネ local name for kakiage, tempura of vegetables
It is prepared with sliced sticks of sweet potatoes, carrots and nira leek takes about 3 hours to prepare!
A pair of mother and daughter prepare only 30 packs for each sunday, and is always sold out immediately. The station house is an old wooden building.
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Higo yasai 肥後野菜 vegetables from Higo


hitomoji ひともじ hitomoji leek
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Kasuga boobura 春日ぼうぶら kind of gourd
boobura ぼうぶら【南瓜】 (bobura) is the way they are called in West-Japan. From the Portugese abobora.
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Kumamoto ingen 熊本いんげん ingen beans

Kumamoto Kyoona 熊本京菜 kyona leafy

Kumamoto naga ninjin  長人参 long carrots

Kumamoto nasu 熊本なす eggplants

Kumamoto negi 熊本ねぎ leek


Temple Suizenji is place name in the Kumamoto town area. During the Edo period, the Daimyo Hosokawa Tadatoshi 細川忠利 had build a temple in the area, which was later rebuild elsewhere and thea area became a large park, Joojuu en 成趣園 or Suizenji Kooen 水前寺公園.
. Hosokawa Tadatoshi 細川忠利 (1586 – 1641) .


Suizenji moyashi 水前寺もやし been sprouts from Suizenji
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Suizenjina, suizenji na 水前寺菜 "leafy vegetables from Temple Suizenji"
One leaf side is green and the other violet.
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Suizenjinori, suizenji nori 水前寺のり seaweed

Suizenjiseri, suizenji seri 水前寺せり dropwort


. WASHOKU
Dentoo yasai 伝統野菜 Traditional Vegetables from Japan
 
Dento Yasai


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More Dishes from Kumamoto 熊本の郷土料理
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Amakusa daioo 天草大王 "king of Amakusa"
a local chicken brand
The meat is also used for a "chicken shabu shabu"
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chikuwa sarada ちくわサラダ chikuwa filled with potato salad
ポテトサラダ
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furikake gohan no tomo ご飯の供 "friend of the cooked rice"
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Kumamoto was one of the first places to develop furikake, toppings to sprinkle on rice. They also sprinkle it on other dishes like natto and salads.
CLICK for more photos A new one to sprinkle on "rice with a raw egg" (tamagokake gohan 卵かけご飯) is developed, where you put the raw egg on the rice and the topping all around and do not use soy sauce any more.




hamaguri ryoori ハマグリ料理 / 蛤料理
dishes with hamaguri clams



Higo dried taro root, higo zuiki 肥後ずいき

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The dried root of a taro is bundled together, looking almost like a male symbol.
It has been used by the ladies as such ...

随喜 zuiki, great pleasure, shedding tears of joy

This root is longer than the normal taro roots, and maybe started being introduced after the first Europeans came to the area. Some say, the cucumber for an European lady, the zuiki for a Japanese geisha!


芋茎(ずいき) Zuiki Taro and the 随喜 Zuiki Vegetable Festival
also spelled
suiki すいき.

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ikinaridago, ikinari dago いきなりだご
the local pronounciation of
ikinari dango いきなり団子 "all of a sudden dumplings"
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kaki 牡蠣 カキ / 熊本カキ Kumamoto oysters,
There is a local variety of oysters, that is now revived to produce a regional speciality since Autumn of 2009.
From 1949 to 1958 these oysters had been exported to the West Coast of America and grown there.
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Reference : Kumamoto Oysters



karashi renkon 辛子れんこん lotus root with mustard paste



kidako きだこ moray eel
Gymnothorax kidako
local dialect for the utsubo うつぼ, taken from the latin name of the animal.
The fish has a very large mouth with strong teeth and can bite the fishermen.
It has a very thick skin and many small bones. But through special preparation, it is now sold packed with a miso paste to make a hodgepodge, kidakonabe きだこ(うつぼ)鍋 with a lot of collagen.
From Amakusa.
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kumaebi, kuma-ebi くまえび / 隈海老 / クマ海老
Green tiger prawn
from Kumamoto, also called aka-ashi ebi 赤あし
Penaeus semisulcatus
They are caught in special boats in the Yatsushirokai 八代海.
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Also in the Seto Inland Sea

. Utasebune 打瀬船
boats for catching shrimp



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raisuyaki ライス焼き "fried rice", rice on o-konomiyaki
ご飯入りお好み焼き
with special toppings of miso paste with mayonaise, shrimp, meat and anything you like ... even with curry taste.
It was "invented" by a housewife who told her husband to mix mayonaise with miso (things all kids like) and prepare a simpel fast food for dinner . . . more than 30 years ago, still a favorite of the region.
The restaurant now prepares more than 400 meals a day, many for home delivery.


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shooyu suiitsu 醤油スイーツ sweets made with soy sauce
suiitsu shooyu スイーツ醤油 soy sauce for sweets



suika スイカ watermelon
Kumamoto is one of the great producing areas. Before the war, a variety with a thick outer skin were produced. After eating the red fruit, the housewife cuts the thick skin off and puts the leftovers, cut to bite size, in a bolw, mix it with salt and let it stay for a day.
suika no asazuke スイカを漬物.
Even now, with varieties of a much thinner outer skin, this pickle is loved in Kumamoto.



Takamori Dengaku 高森田楽
From Aso, Takamori village 阿蘇高森田楽の里



Tsuetate purin 杖立プリン pudding from Tsuetate
from Tsuetate Onsen hot spring 杖立温泉 , 小国町
This small town is also known for its koinobori carp streamers over the small river in town and its many very narrow alleys with hot spring ryokan lodgings.
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yubeshi ゆべし yuzu dumplings
with ?miso, rice and lots of yuzu or citron fruit juice, sometimes with walnuts
yubesi

Princess Atsuhime liked this very much. When she travelled by land to Edo, she also found yubeshi in the postal station of Yakage in Okayama 岡山県矢掛町 and ordered more than 500 packs of it to share with others.

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Worldwide use


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Things found on the way


miru ミル miru seaweed

Codium fragile.
Green sea fingers, Dead man's fingers, felty fingers, felt-alga, Green sponge, Green fleece
This siphonous alga is dark green in color. It appears as a fuzzy patch of tubular fingers. These formations hang down from rocks during low tide.
© More in the WIKIPEDIA !

It has a special finger form which later became the pattern of a local white and blue pottery,

Takahama yaki 高浜焼
from Amakusa 天草

It is part of the tradtion of
Amakusa Toojiki 天草陶磁器 ceramics

First established in 1762 by Ueda Dengoemon 上田伝五右衛門.





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HAIKU




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Related words

***** WASHOKU : Regional Dishes
- #kumamoto -
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