Regional cuisine of Japan by prefecture

Jingisukan

Mutton or lamb grilled with vegetables on a domed iron skillet, a legacy of sheep farming promoted for wool in the early twentieth century.

Miso ramen

Rich miso-based noodle soup associated with Sapporo; Asahikawa is known for soy-sauce ramen and Hakodate for a clear salt broth.

Soup curry

Thin, spiced curry broth with large pieces of chicken and vegetables, which spread from Sapporo from the 1990s.

Kaisendon

Bowl of rice topped with raw seafood such as sea urchin, salmon roe and crab, a speciality of the morning markets in Hakodate, Otaru and Kushiro.

Ishikari-nabe

Hotpot of salmon, cabbage, tofu and vegetables in miso broth, named after the salmon fisheries at the mouth of the Ishikari River.

Chanchan-yaki

Fisherman's dish of salmon steamed on a griddle with vegetables, miso and butter.

Butadon

Grilled pork in a sweet soy glaze over rice, the signature dish of Obihiro in the Tokachi district.

Zangi

Hokkaido-style fried chicken, marinated before frying and often served with a dipping sauce; Kushiro claims its origin.

Senbei-jiru

Hachinohe soup of chicken or pork and vegetables into which hard wheat crackers are broken and simmered until chewy.

Ichigo-ni

Clear soup of sea urchin and abalone from the Hachinohe coast; the name comes from the urchin's resemblance to wild strawberries.

Kayaki-miso

Scallops or other seafood cooked with miso and egg in a large scallop shell used as a pan.

Jappa-jiru

Winter soup of cod heads, bones and offal with radish and miso, making use of the whole fish.

Ke-no-shiru

Tsugaru soup of finely diced root vegetables, wild plants and tofu, prepared in large quantities for the Little New Year.

Ōma tuna

Bluefin tuna caught by pole and line in the Tsugaru Strait off Ōma, among the most prized tuna in Japan.

Aomori apples

Grown mainly on the Tsugaru Plain since the Meiji era; varieties such as Fuji, Ōrin and Mutsu are sold fresh and as juice, cider and pastries.

Wanko soba

Small mouthfuls of soba tossed into the diner's bowl by a server until the lid is closed; associated with Morioka and Hanamaki.

Morioka reimen

Chewy, translucent cold noodles in beef broth with kimchi and fruit, introduced in the 1950s by a Korean-born cook.

Morioka jajamen

Flat udon-style noodles with a miso meat sauce; the last of the noodles is finished as an egg soup called chitantan.

Hittsumi

A home-style soup of hand-torn wheat dough with chicken and vegetables.

Sanriku sea urchin

Sea urchin from the northern coast, eaten fresh or as ichigo-ni, a clear soup of urchin and abalone.

Nanbu senbei

Crisp wheat crackers baked in round iron moulds, often with sesame or peanuts, shared with neighbouring Aomori.

Maesawa beef

Wagyu raised in the Maesawa area of Oshu, one of Tohoku's best-known beef brands.

Gyutan

Thick-sliced beef tongue grilled over charcoal, served with barley rice, oxtail soup and pickles; a Sendai speciality since the late 1940s.

Zunda mochi

Rice cakes coated in a bright green paste of crushed, sweetened edamame.

Sasa-kamaboko

Bamboo-leaf-shaped fish cakes, grilled; made in Sendai, Shiogama and Ishinomaki.

Harako-meshi

Rice cooked in salmon broth and topped with salmon and salmon roe, an autumn dish of Watari on the Abukuma estuary.

Oysters

Farmed in Matsushima Bay and along the Sanriku coast; Miyagi is also a major supplier of oyster seed to other regions.

Hoya

Sea squirt with a briny, bitter-sweet taste, farmed in the bays around Ishinomaki and Onagawa.

Sendai miso

Rich, reddish rice-koji miso whose production was organised under the Date domain.

Kiritanpo

Pounded rice moulded around cedar skewers and grilled, simmered in a hotpot with Hinai chicken broth, burdock and seri; associated with Kazuno and Odate.

Inaniwa udon

Thin, smooth hand-stretched udon from the Inaniwa area of Yuzawa, made since the seventeenth century.

Shottsuru

A fish sauce traditionally fermented from hatahata, used in the hotpot shottsuru-nabe.

Hatahata

Sailfin sandfish that come inshore to spawn in winter, grilled, pickled as hatahata-zushi or used in hotpots.

Iburi-gakko

Daikon smoked over wood fires in the rafters and then pickled in rice bran.

Yokote yakisoba

Thick fried noodles with minced pork, a fried egg on top and fukujinzuke pickles on the side.

Hinai-jidori

A firm, flavourful free-range chicken from the Odate area, the basis of kiritanpo broth and oyako-don.

Imoni

Stew of taro, konnyaku, leeks and beef in soy-sauce broth, the defining autumn dish of inland Yamagata.

Yonezawa beef

Highly marbled wagyu from the Okitama district, counted among Japan's best-known beef brands.

Dashi

Finely chopped raw summer vegetables and herbs such as cucumber, aubergine and myoga, seasoned with soy sauce and served over rice or tofu.

Hiyashi ramen

Chilled ramen served in cold soup with ice, a summer invention of Yamagata city.

Tama konnyaku

Balls of konnyaku simmered in soy sauce and eaten from a skewer, sold at Yamadera and on festival days.

Itasoba

Coarse country soba served on long wooden trays, a speciality of the Murayama district.

Dadacha-mame

Aromatic heirloom edamame grown around Tsuruoka and harvested in late summer.

Sakuranbo

Cherries, above all the Sato Nishiki variety, from the orchards of the Murayama basin around Higashine and Tendo.

Kitakata ramen

Soy-sauce ramen with flat, wavy, thick noodles from the storehouse town of Kitakata, where it is also eaten for breakfast (asa-ra).

Kozuyu

Aizu festive soup of dried scallop stock with taro, konjac, mushrooms and small wheat-gluten balls, served in shallow lacquer bowls.

Negi soba

Cold soba in the post town Ouchi-juku, eaten with a whole leek used as a spoon and bitten as a condiment.

Sauce katsudon

Aizu version of katsudon: pork cutlet dipped in a sweet Worcester-style sauce on shredded cabbage and rice.

Enban gyoza

Fukushima city dumplings pan-fried and served in a tight circle on a round plate.

Ika-ninjin

Shredded dried squid and carrot marinated in soy sauce and sake, a winter home dish of Nakadori.

Namie yakisoba

Stir-fried noodles about three times thicker than usual, with bean sprouts and pork, from the coastal town of Namie.

Peaches

The Fukushima basin is one of Japan's leading peach-growing areas; the Akatsuki variety was bred here.

Natto

Fermented soybeans made with small local beans; Mito natto became a well-known souvenir with the railway.

Anglerfish hotpot

A winter hotpot of anglerfish; the fishermen's version (dobu-jiru) is cooked in the fish's own liver without water.

Dried sweet potato

Steamed, sliced and sun-dried sweet potato; Ibaraki makes the great majority of Japan's supply.

Soboro natto

Natto mixed with dried daikon strips and seasoned with soy sauce, a home dish of central Ibaraki.

Lotus root

Grown in the wetlands around Kasumigaura, the country's largest producing area.

Hitachi beef

The prefecture's brand of Japanese Black wagyu.

Utsunomiya gyoza

Pan-fried or boiled dumplings, served in dozens of specialist shops in the capital.

Nikko yuba

Tofu skin, written 湯波 in Nikko, a staple of the temple cuisine that fed monks and pilgrims.

Shimotsukare

A stew of salted salmon head, roasted soybeans, coarsely grated daikon and carrot and sake lees.

Sano ramen

Soy-sauce ramen with hand-flattened, bamboo-pole-kneaded noodles from Sano.

Strawberries

Tochigi has long led Japan in strawberry production, with its own varieties such as Tochiotome.

Kanpyo

Dried gourd strips used in sushi rolls; nearly all of Japan's output comes from southern Tochigi.

Yakimanju

Steamed buns skewered, glazed with sweet miso and grilled – Gunma's classic snack.

Okkirikomi

Broad, flat noodles simmered with root vegetables in a soy or miso broth.

Mizusawa udon

Firm, translucent udon from the temple approach of Mizusawa Kannon near Ikaho, served cold.

Himokawa udon

Extremely wide, ribbon-like noodles from Kiryu.

Sauce katsudon

Pork cutlet dipped in Worcestershire-style sauce over rice, a speciality of Kiryu and Maebashi.

Konnyaku

Konjac jelly, eaten as sashimi, in oden or grilled with miso; Gunma dominates national production.

Soka senbei

Hard, soy-glazed rice crackers from the Nikko Kaido post town of Soka.

Musashino udon

Thick, chewy wheat noodles dipped in a warm pork and leek broth.

Kawagoe sweet potatoes

Sweet potatoes from the Kawagoe area, sold baked or as confectionery in the old town.

Fukaya leeks

Thick, sweet Welsh onions, one of Japan's best-known leek brands.

Sayama tea

Green tea from the Sayama hills, fired strongly for a rich flavour.

Zeri-furai

Deep-fried patties of okara and potato from Gyoda; the name comes from their shape like a gold coin (zeni).

Namero

Raw horse mackerel or sardine minced with miso, ginger and spring onion – so good one 'licks the plate' (nameru).

Sanga-yaki

Namero shaped into patties and grilled, originally cooked by fishermen on their boats.

Peanuts

Chiba grows most of Japan's peanuts, sold roasted in the shell and in sweets.

Katsuura tantanmen

Soy-sauce ramen with a thick layer of chilli oil, created to warm fishermen and female divers.

Pears

Japanese pears from the orchards around Ichikawa, Funabashi and Shiroi; Chiba is among the leading producers.

Boshu loquats

Large early-summer loquats from Minamiboso, long presented to the imperial household.

Edomae sushi

Hand-pressed nigiri with cured, simmered or marinated fish, created in Edo in the early nineteenth century.

Tempura

Seafood and vegetables in light batter, popularised at Edo's street stalls.

Monjayaki

A runny savoury batter cooked on a hotplate, especially in Tsukishima.

Fukagawa-meshi

Rice with clams in miso broth, the food of the fishermen of old Fukagawa.

Chanko-nabe

The sumo wrestlers' hotpot, served in restaurants around Ryogoku.

Kusaya

Pungent dried fish cured in fermented brine, a speciality of the Izu Islands.

Shirasu-don

Rice topped with tiny whitebait, fresh or boiled, from the Shonan coast and Enoshima.

Iekei ramen

Rich pork-and-soy-sauce ramen with thick noodles, spinach and nori, born in Yokohama in the 1970s.

Shumai

Yokohama's steamed pork dumplings, sold at stations since the 1920s.

Napolitan

Spaghetti with ketchup-based sauce, credited to a Yokohama hotel kitchen after the war.

Odawara kamaboko

Fine fish-paste cakes from the old castle town of Odawara.

Misaki tuna

Tuna landed at the port of Misaki on the tip of the Miura Peninsula.

Yokosuka Navy curry

Curry and rice after the recipes of the Imperial Japanese Navy, served in Yokosuka.

Koshihikari rice

Japan's most widely grown rice variety; Uonuma Koshihikari is the best-known premium brand.

Hegi soba

Buckwheat noodles bound with funori seaweed and served in bite-sized loops on a wooden tray.

Noppe

Festive stew of taro, root vegetables and dried scallop, thickened by the taro starch.

Sasa-dango

Mugwort rice dumplings filled with bean paste and wrapped in bamboo leaves.

Tare-katsudon

Niigata City's version of katsudon: thin cutlets dipped in sweet soy sauce, without egg.

Shiobiki salmon

Salted salmon hung to dry in the winter wind in Murakami.

Kanzuri

Fermented chilli paste from Myōkō; the peppers are first laid out on snow.

Masu-zushi

Pressed trout sushi in a round bamboo-leaf wrapping, sold as an ekiben since the early twentieth century.

Firefly squid

Small bioluminescent squid caught in Toyama Bay in spring, eaten boiled, marinated or raw.

White shrimp

Translucent pink shrimp found commercially only in Toyama Bay, eaten raw or as tempura.

Himi kan-buri

Winter yellowtail landed at Himi, one of Japan's most prized fish.

Toyama Black ramen

Salty ramen in a near-black soy broth with plenty of black pepper.

Kombu-jime

Fish or vegetables cured between sheets of kombu.

Jibuni

Duck dusted in flour and simmered with wheat gluten and vegetables in a thickened broth.

Kabura-zushi

Winter ferment of yellowtail sandwiched in salted turnip with rice kōji.

Kōbako crab

Female snow crab with roe, available only in a short winter season.

Nodoguro

Rich, fatty rosy seabass, grilled or served as sushi.

Ishiru

Fermented fish sauce from Noto made with squid or sardines, used in hotpots.

Kanazawa oden

Oden with local ingredients such as crab shells, fu and kuruma-fu.

Echizen crab

Male snow crab landed in Fukui in winter, marked with a yellow tag.

Echizen oroshi soba

Cold buckwheat noodles with spicy grated daikon and bonito flakes.

Sauce katsudon

Thin cutlets dipped in a Worcestershire-style sauce over rice, without egg.

Heshiko

Mackerel fermented in rice bran for a year or more, a Wakasa speciality.

Yaki-saba

Whole mackerel grilled on a skewer, a street food of Obama.

Wakasa tilefish

Tilefish from Wakasa Bay, prized in Kyoto cuisine.

Hōtō

Thick flat noodles simmered in miso broth with pumpkin and vegetables in an iron pot.

Kōshū wine

White wine from Japan's native Kōshū grape, made above all around Katsunuma.

Yoshida udon

Very firm, chewy udon from Fujiyoshida topped with cabbage and horse meat.

Torimotsu-ni

Chicken giblets glazed in a sweet soy reduction, a Kōfu soba-shop dish.

Shingen mochi

Rice cakes dusted with roasted soybean flour and eaten with brown-sugar syrup.

Awabi no nigai

Abalone simmered in soy sauce, a luxury that once travelled from the coast to Kōfu.

Shinshū soba

Buckwheat noodles, above all from Togakushi, where they are served in small bundles on bamboo baskets.

Oyaki

Wheat dumplings filled with vegetables, pickles or bean paste, grilled or steamed.

Shinshū miso

Light, rice-kōji miso, Japan's most widely produced type.

Nozawana-zuke

Pickled leaf greens from Nozawa Onsen, eaten throughout the winter.

Basashi

Raw horse meat, a speciality of Ina and Matsumoto.

Sanzoku-yaki

Garlic-marinated chicken thigh fried whole, from Matsumoto and Shiojiri.

Obuse chestnut sweets

Chestnut confections from the town of Obuse, where Hokusai spent his last years painting.

Hida beef

Marbled wagyu, eaten grilled, as sushi or on hoba leaves.

Hoba miso

Miso with leeks and mushrooms grilled on a dried magnolia leaf over a charcoal brazier.

Ayu

Sweetfish from the Nagara, grilled with salt or simmered.

Keichan

Chicken stir-fried with cabbage in miso or soy sauce, from Gero and Gujō.

Takayama ramen

Thin curly noodles in a light soy broth, called chūka soba locally.

Kuri kinton

Autumn sweet of mashed chestnut and sugar from Nakatsugawa and Ena.

Gohei-mochi

Grilled rice cakes on skewers glazed with sweet miso or soy and nut sauce.

Green tea

Deep-steamed and regular sencha from Makinohara, Kawane, Honyama and other districts.

Sakura shrimp

Tiny translucent pink shrimp fished commercially in Suruga Bay, eaten raw or as kakiage tempura.

Shizuoka oden

Oden in a dark beef-stock broth, sprinkled with fish powder and green laver.

Hamamatsu gyōza

Pan-fried dumplings arranged in a circle with boiled bean sprouts in the centre.

Unagi

Eel from the farms around Lake Hamana, grilled kabayaki style.

Fujinomiya yakisoba

Chewy fried noodles with pork lard crisps and dried fish powder.

Wasabi

Grown in terraced spring-fed beds in Izu and Utogi, where its cultivation began.

Kinmedai

Splendid alfonsino landed on the Izu coast, simmered in sweet soy sauce.

Hitsumabushi

Chopped grilled eel on rice, eaten plain, with condiments and finally with broth.

Miso-katsu

Pork cutlet with a sweet sauce of Hatchō miso.

Miso-nikomi udon

Firm udon simmered in miso broth in an earthenware pot.

Tebasaki

Crisp fried chicken wings with a sweet-peppery glaze.

Kishimen

Flat wheat noodles in a light broth topped with bonito flakes.

Tenmusu

Small rice balls with shrimp tempura inside.

Ogura toast

Buttered toast topped with sweet red bean paste.

Hatchō miso

Soybean miso aged in cedar barrels under stones in Okazaki.

Matsusaka beef

Highly marbled Wagyu raised around Matsusaka, one of Japan's most prestigious beef brands.

Ise udon

Very thick, soft udon served with a small amount of dark, sweet tamari sauce.

Tekone-zushi

Bonito or tuna marinated in soy sauce and tossed by hand with vinegared rice, a fishermen's dish from Shima.

Ise-ebi

Japanese spiny lobster, named after Ise, landed along the Shima and Kumano coasts.

Akafuku mochi

Rice cake covered in smooth red-bean paste, sold at the approach to the Inner Shrine since the early 18th century.

Kameyama miso-yakiudon

Stir-fried udon in a red miso sauce, a local dish of Kameyama.

Funazushi

Nigorobuna carp fermented with rice for a year or more; pungent, cheese-like and prized as a delicacy.

Ōmi beef

Marbled Wagyu raised in Shiga, counted among Japan's three great beef brands.

Honmoroko

Small endemic lake carp, grilled or simmered, in season in late winter and spring.

Aka-konnyaku

Red-coloured konnyaku from Ōmi-Hachiman, supposedly inspired by Nobunaga's love of flamboyance.

Ebi-mame

Lake shrimp simmered with soybeans, a home dish of the lakeside.

Nishin soba

Buckwheat noodles with sweet-simmered herring, especially associated with Nagahama.

Kaiseki

Multi-course seasonal meal with origins in the tea ceremony, refined by Kyoto's ryōtei restaurants.

Yudōfu

Tofu simmered in kombu broth, a winter speciality around Nanzen-ji and Arashiyama.

Kyō-tsukemono

Kyoto pickles such as senmaizuke (turnip), shibazuke and suguki.

Saba-zushi

Pressed mackerel sushi from fish carried along the "mackerel road" from Wakasa Bay.

Uji matcha

Powdered green tea from shade-grown leaves of the Uji region.

Yatsuhashi

Cinnamon rice-flour confection, baked or raw and filled, Kyoto's best-known souvenir.

Tango crab

Snow crab landed at Taiza in Kyōtango, a winter luxury.

Takoyaki

Octopus-filled batter balls, invented in Osaka in the 1930s.

Okonomiyaki

Cabbage-and-batter pancake grilled on a teppan and topped with sauce, mayonnaise and bonito flakes.

Kushikatsu

Deep-fried skewers of meat and vegetables, especially associated with Shinsekai; the shared sauce may be dipped only once.

Kitsune udon

Udon with sweet fried tofu, created in Osaka around the end of the 19th century.

Battera

Pressed mackerel sushi under a sheet of kombu, named after the Portuguese word for boat.

Mizunasu

Juicy aubergines from the Senshū area, eaten raw or lightly pickled.

Kobe beef

Certified beef from Tajima-strain Japanese Black cattle raised in Hyogo.

Akashi-yaki

Soft, eggy octopus dumplings dipped in dashi, the ancestor of takoyaki.

Sobameshi

Chopped noodles fried with rice and sauce, born in Kobe's Nagata ward.

Izushi sara-soba

Buckwheat noodles served in small plates, several per person.

Matsuba-gani

Snow crab landed at Kasumi and Tsuiyama, eaten at Kinosaki in winter.

Ikanago no kugini

Sand lance simmered in soy sauce and sugar, a spring home-cooking tradition of the Kobe–Harima coast.

Kakinoha-zushi

Pressed mackerel or salmon sushi wrapped in persimmon leaves, from the Yoshino area.

Miwa sōmen

Hand-stretched thin wheat noodles from Sakurai, traditionally eaten cold in summer.

Nara-zuke

Gourds, cucumbers and melons pickled in sake lees for months or years.

Chagayu

Rice gruel cooked in roasted tea, a traditional breakfast linked to Tōdai-ji monks.

Asuka-nabe

Chicken hot pot in milk broth, said to recall dishes of the Asuka court.

Kuzu

Pure arrowroot starch from Yoshino, used for kuzumochi and kuzukiri.

Umeboshi

Salt-pickled Nankō plums from Minabe and Tanabe, Japan's best-known ume.

Wakayama ramen

Pork-bone and soy broth ramen, often eaten with hayazushi pressed mackerel sushi on the side.

Mehari-zushi

Rice balls wrapped in pickled takana leaves, a lunch of Kumano's woodcutters.

Katsuura tuna

Fresh, never-frozen tuna landed at Nachi-Katsuura.

Arida mandarins

Mandarins from terraced orchards in the Arida valley.

Yuasa soy sauce

Soy sauce from Yuasa, where the condiment is said to have originated from Kinzanji miso.

Matsuba-gani

Male snow crab from the Sea of Japan, eaten boiled, grilled or in hot pot during the winter season.

Nijisseiki pear

A crisp, juicy green Japanese pear introduced in 1904 and closely identified with the prefecture.

Sand-dune rakkyō

Small Chinese shallots grown in the Fukube dune fields and pickled in sweet vinegar.

Tottori beef-bone ramen

Ramen in a clear, sweet broth made from beef bones, a speciality of central and western Tottori.

Tofu chikuwa

A tube-shaped fish-and-tofu cake from Tottori city, said to date from the Ikeda lords' encouragement of frugal food.

Iwagaki oysters

Large rock oysters harvested in summer along the Tottori coast.

Izumo soba

Dark, whole-grain buckwheat noodles served cold in stacked round lacquer dishes (warigo) or hot in their cooking water (kamaage).

Shijimi clams

Small brackish-water clams from Lake Shinji, eaten above all in miso soup.

Nodoguro

Rich blackthroat seaperch landed at Hamada, grilled or served as sushi.

Ago-yaki

A large grilled fish-paste roll made from flying fish, called ago in the San'in dialect.

Matsue wagashi

Tea sweets such as wakakusa and yamakawa, recreated from the favourites of Matsudaira Fumai.

Oki sazae and iwagaki

Turban shells and farmed rock oysters from the Oki Islands.

Okayama barazushi

Vinegared rice scattered with Inland Sea fish, vegetables and egg, said to have developed under the Ikeda's sumptuary laws.

White peaches

Pale, delicate peaches grown in bags on the trees, harvested in summer.

Muscat grapes

Muscat of Alexandria grown in glasshouses since the Meiji era, along with Pione and Shine Muscat.

Kibi-dango

Soft sweet dumplings of millet and rice flour, the dumplings Momotarō shares with his companions.

Mamakari-zushi

Small vinegared sardinella on rice; the name jokingly means the fish is so good you borrow rice from the neighbours.

Demi-katsudon

Okayama's version of pork-cutlet rice, topped with demi-glace sauce instead of egg.

Hiruzen yakisoba

Fried noodles with chicken and a sweet-spicy miso sauce from the Hiruzen highland.

Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki

Batter crêpe, cabbage, pork and noodles cooked in layers on the griddle, rather than mixed as in Osaka.

Oysters

Farmed on rafts in Hiroshima Bay, eaten grilled, fried or in miso hot pot in winter.

Anago-meshi

Grilled conger eel on rice cooked in eel broth, a speciality of Miyajimaguchi.

Momiji manjū

Maple-leaf-shaped cakes filled with red-bean paste, created on Miyajima.

Onomichi ramen

Soy-sauce broth with fish stock, flat noodles and floating back-fat.

Setouchi lemons

Lemons grown on Ikuchijima and other islands, Japan's leading domestic lemon area.

Saijō sake

Sake from the soft water of Saijō, where a soft-water brewing method was pioneered in the Meiji era.

Fugu (fuku)

Pufferfish served as paper-thin sashimi, hot pot and grilled milt, prepared only by licensed cooks.

Kawara soba

Green-tea soba, beef and egg on a sizzling roof tile, from the Kawatana hot spring.

Iwakuni-zushi

Pressed sushi in layers with lotus root and egg, cut into large squares, a festive dish of the Iwakuni domain.

Bottled sea urchin

Sea urchin preserved in alcohol, a Shimonoseki invention of the Meiji era.

Yamaguchi uirō

A soft steamed sweet made from bracken starch, lighter than the Nagoya version.

Natsumikan

A tart summer citrus from Hagi, candied or made into marmalade and juice.

Sudachi

A small, sharp green citrus squeezed over grilled fish, noodles and hot pot.

Tokushima ramen

Brown pork-bone and soy broth with sweet-simmered pork belly and, often, a raw egg.

Naruto kintoki

Sweet potatoes grown in the sandy soils near Naruto.

Naruto wakame

Firm seaweed grown in the fast currents of the strait.

Iya soba

Short, thick buckwheat noodles with a rustic flavour from the Iya Valley.

Dekomawashi

Skewers of potato, tofu and konnyaku grilled with miso, a mountain snack of Iya.

Fish katsu

A curry-spiced fried fish cake, a popular everyday food.

Sanuki udon

Square-cut, firm and elastic wheat noodles, eaten in broth, with a thick sauce (bukkake) or with raw egg (kamatama).

Honetsuki-dori

Chicken leg roasted with garlic and pepper, a speciality of Marugame.

An-mochi zōni

New Year soup of white miso with mochi filled with sweet bean paste.

Shōdoshima olives

Olives and olive oil from Japan's first successful olive plantations.

Wasanbon

A fine, delicately sweet sugar made by hand in eastern Kagawa, used for tea sweets.

Iriko

Dried anchovies from Ibukijima, the basis of udon broth.

Tai-meshi

In Chūyo, sea bream cooked with rice; in Uwajima, raw sea bream in soy and egg poured over hot rice.

Mikan and citrus

Unshū mikan and varieties such as iyokan, beni madonna and kanpei, eaten fresh or as juice.

Jakoten

Fried fish cake made from small whole fish, bones and all, a speciality of Yawatahama and Uwajima.

Imabari yakitori

Chicken and skin pressed flat on a hot griddle rather than skewered.

Botchan dango

Three-coloured dumplings named after the hero of Sōseki's novel, sold at Dōgo.

Taruto

A roll of sponge cake around yuzu-scented bean paste, a Matsuyama sweet since the Edo period.

Katsuo no tataki

Bonito seared over burning straw, served thickly sliced with garlic, onion and salt or ponzu.

Sawachi ryōri

Large platters piled with sashimi, sushi and side dishes for banquets.

Yuzu

Aromatic citrus from the mountain villages of Umaji and Kitagawa, used in juice, vinegar and ponzu.

Inaka-zushi

Mountain sushi made with vegetables such as myōga, bamboo shoots and konnyaku, seasoned with yuzu vinegar.

Nabeyaki ramen

Ramen in chicken broth served boiling in an earthenware pot, a speciality of Susaki.

Buntan

A large, fragrant pomelo harvested in winter and eaten in spring.

Hakata ramen

Thin, straight noodles in a milky pork-bone (tonkotsu) broth, typically with an extra portion of noodles (kaedama) ordered on request; Kurume is regarded as the origin of tonkotsu ramen.

Mentaiko

Pollock roe marinated with chilli, adapted from Korean myeongnan-jeot and popularised in postwar Hakata.

Motsunabe

A hotpot of beef or pork offal with cabbage, garlic chives and garlic in soy or miso broth.

Mizutaki

Chicken simmered in a clear, rich broth and eaten with ponzu, a Hakata speciality since the Meiji era.

Gomasaba

Raw mackerel dressed with sesame and soy sauce, often finished as rice with tea poured over it.

Yanagawa eel

Grilled eel steamed on sauce-flavoured rice in a lidded box, the signature dish of Yanagawa.

Yame tea

Green tea from the Yame hills, especially known for shaded gyokuro.

Yobuko squid

Live squid served as translucent sashimi (ikizukuri) in the fishing port of Yobuko, the remainder fried as tempura.

Saga beef

A branded wagyu subject to strict marbling standards.

Saga nori

Seaweed farmed in the Ariake Sea, where the tidal range gives soft, fragrant sheets; Saga is among the largest nori producers in Japan.

Ureshino onsen tofu

Tofu simmered in Ureshino's alkaline spring water until it turns creamy.

Sicilian rice

A Saga City café dish of rice topped with sautéed meat, salad and mayonnaise.

Ogi yōkan

Firm sweet bean jelly from Ogi, made with the local tradition of sugar-crusted outer layers.

Ariake Sea fish

Mudskippers, grilled or in kabayaki style, and other mudflat creatures unique to the Ariake Sea.

Champon

Thick noodles in a pork and chicken broth with seafood and vegetables, created for Chinese students in Nagasaki around 1900.

Sara udon

Crisp fried noodles topped with a thick sauce of seafood and vegetables.

Castella

Honey sponge cake descended from Portuguese pão de Castela.

Shippoku cuisine

Banquet served on a round table from shared dishes, mixing Japanese, Chinese and Western elements.

Karasumi

Salted, dried mullet roe, a delicacy long associated with Nagasaki.

Gotō udon

Thin hand-stretched noodles coated with camellia oil, often eaten from the pot with flying-fish broth.

Basashi

Raw horse meat served with sweet soy sauce, ginger and garlic; Kumamoto is Japan's largest producer.

Karashi renkon

Lotus root stuffed with mustard miso, battered and fried, said to have been created for the Hosokawa lords.

Kumamoto ramen

Pork-bone and chicken broth with fried garlic chips and black garlic oil.

Taipīen

Glass-noodle soup with seafood, vegetables and a fried egg, brought by Chinese immigrants.

Ikinari dango

Steamed dumpling of sweet potato and red bean paste wrapped in dough.

Kuma shōchū

Rice spirit distilled in the Hitoyoshi-Kuma basin, with geographical-indication status.

Toriten

Chicken tempura served with vinegar-soy sauce and karashi mustard.

Nakatsu karaage

Marinated fried chicken; Nakatsu and Usa are home to many specialist take-away shops.

Seki-aji and seki-saba

Line-caught horse mackerel and mackerel landed at Saganoseki, eaten as sashimi.

Dango-jiru

Miso soup with hand-stretched flat wheat noodles and vegetables.

Ryūkyū

Fisherman's dish of raw fish marinated in soy, sesame and ginger, eaten over rice.

Kabosu

Tart citrus used like lemon; Oita grows nearly all of Japan's crop.

Chicken nanban

Fried chicken dipped in sweet vinegar and topped with tartar sauce, created in Nobeoka.

Jidori no sumibiyaki

Pieces of free-range chicken seared over charcoal until blackened and smoky.

Hiyajiru

Cold soup of grilled fish, miso, sesame, tofu, cucumber and shiso poured over barley rice, a summer dish.

Miyazaki beef

Black wagyu raised in the prefecture, several times a national champion at the wagyu competition held every five years.

Miyazaki mango

Greenhouse-grown Irwin mangoes, left on the tree until they fall into nets when fully ripe.

Obi-ten

Sweet fried fish cake from the castle town of Obi, made with tofu and brown sugar.

Kurobuta pork

Black Berkshire-line pork, eaten as shabu-shabu, tonkatsu or simmered dishes; the prefecture's best-known meat.

Imo-jōchū

Distilled spirit made from sweet potatoes, traditionally drunk mixed with hot water; Satsuma shōchū has geographic-indication protection.

Satsuma-age

Deep-fried fish cake, locally called tsukeage, often sweetened and flavoured with shōchū or sake lees.

Tonkotsu

Pork spare ribs slowly stewed with miso, brown sugar and shōchū – a Satsuma samurai field dish, not to be confused with the Fukuoka ramen broth.

Kibinago

Small silver-striped herring eaten raw, arranged in a chrysanthemum pattern and dipped in vinegared miso.

Keihan

Amami dish of rice topped with shredded chicken, egg, papaya pickles and citrus peel, flooded with hot chicken broth.

Shirokuma

Shaved ice with condensed milk and fruit, created in Kagoshima city and named for its polar-bear-like look.

Gōyā chanpurū

Stir-fry of bitter melon, island tofu, egg and pork, the best-known of the chanpurū mixed dishes.

Okinawa soba

Thick wheat noodles in pork-and-bonito broth topped with stewed pork; regional variants include Miyako and Yaeyama soba.

Rafutē

Pork belly slowly braised in awamori, soy sauce and brown sugar, a court dish of Chinese origin.

Awamori

Distilled rice spirit, often aged for years in pots as kūsu (old spirit).

Umibudō

Sea grapes, a seaweed with tiny beads that pop in the mouth, eaten fresh with vinegar.

Taco rice

Taco filling, cheese and salad on rice, created in Kin near a US base.

Sātā andāgī

Deep-fried sugar doughnut balls, a staple snack.