This time, we will introduce the history and characteristics of Nozawana Pickles, a local B-class gourmet food from Nagano Prefecture.

Nagano Prefecture is located in the Koshinetsu region of Japan and is known for its abundant nature.

Nagano Prefecture has many attractions, including buildings where you can feel the tradition and history, such as Zenkoji Temple, the representative mountains of the Southern Alps, and a food culture that has been loved for a long time.

This time, we will be giving you a thorough explanation about Nozawana Pickles, a local B-class gourmet food from Nagano Prefecture!

What is Nozawana Pickle?

Nozawana pickles are, as the name suggests, pickled Nozawana.

Nozawana is a traditional vegetable famous throughout the country, and is synonymous with Nagano.

Nagano Prefecture is extremely cold, and in winter no green vegetables can be harvested, so in late autumn people pickle Nozawana to make Nozawana pickles.

It is often made at home, so you can enjoy the unique flavors of each household.

The history of Nozawana pickles

The origins of Nozawana date back to the 6th year of the Horeki era. It is said that around that time, the head priest of Nozawa Onsen Village brought back Tennoji turnip seeds from Kyoto and planted them.

This Tennoji turnip is native to warm regions, but it adapted to the cold climate of Nozawa Onsen Village, which is located at an altitude of nearly 600 meters, and mutated in such a way that the roots did not grow and only the leaves and stems grew large. This gave birth to Nozawana, a type of vegetable unique to the region.

After this, it spread throughout the country and became popular all over the country as a traditional Nagano vegetable.

The Nozawana seeds for Nozawana pickles are sown around August 27th or 28th, known as the "Seven Nights of Bon," and three days later they sprout and are harvested and pickled.

The appeal of Nozawana pickles

As mentioned above, the appeal of Nozawana pickles is that they can be enjoyed in different ways depending on the household.

You can make it to your own taste, so you can enjoy the process not only of eating it but also of making it.

Nozawana pickles are also known to be good for your health, which is another appealing feature of Nozawana pickles.

For example, it is known as one of the most effective foods for preventing adult diseases and cancer. It is also known that eating Nozawana together with tea has amazing antioxidant power.

How to make Nozawana pickles

From here, I will introduce how to make Nozawana pickles.

What you will need is 1kg of Nozawana, 2 tablespoons of Seto Honjio, 1 teaspoon of Ajinomoto, and an appropriate amount of Hondashi.

First, cut off the roots of the Nozawana, wash it well, and drain it thoroughly.

Next, put a pinch of salt in the bottom of the container, add the drained Nozawana, sprinkle Seto Honjio and Ajinomoto evenly over it, put the lid on and place a weight on top.

After that, when the water has risen in the container, remove the weight and leave it to soak for 2 to 3 weeks, checking the condition of the pickles.

Finally, squeeze out the juice from the Nozawana leaves and cut them into bite-sized pieces. We recommend sprinkling some Hon Dashi on top to taste.

Tourist spots in Nagano Prefecture

From here, I will introduce some tourist spots in Nagano Prefecture.

Ueda Castle, the setting of the "Battle of Ueda"

Ueda Castle was built in 1583 by Masayuki Sanada, the father of Nobushige Sanada. In 2016, it was featured in a historical drama and became an overnight popular tourist spot.

This castle is famous for having repelled the Tokugawa army twice, and is known as an "impregnable castle."

Currently, the castle ruins serve as a park where locals can relax, and the castle grounds also house Sanada Shrine and the Ueda City Museum, where you can learn about the history of Ueda Castle and the local area.

Karuizawa is a summer resort that attracts many tourists.

Karuizawa is a town located in the eastern Shinano region of Nagano Prefecture, and has been a popular resort destination since the 19th century.

During the Edo period it was a post town on the Nakasendo road, and during the Meiji period it was used as a summer resort for foreigners, and even today it is visited by millions of tourists from both within Japan and abroad every year.

Old Karuizawa Ginza is lined with traditional restaurants, cafes, souvenir shops and more, making it a great place to enjoy sightseeing and snacking.

Yudanaka Shibu Onsen Village lined with traditional wooden buildings

Yudanaka Shibu Onsenkyo is a hot spring located at the foot of the Shiga Highlands.

It is made up of nine hot springs: Yasudai Onsen, Kakuma Onsen, Kanbayashi Onsen, Jigokudani Onsen, Shibu Onsen, Shin-Yudanaka Onsen, Hoshikawa Onsen, Honami Onsen, and Yudanaka Onsen, and is said to be the largest hot spring resort in Shinshu.

Even now, more than 1,350 years after it opened, many people visit every day to enjoy the hot springs.

The Yudanaka Shibu Onsen hot spring resort and its surrounding areas have a retro atmosphere and a great ambiance that will surely help you forget the fatigue of everyday life.

Access to Nagano Prefecture

From here, we will introduce how to access Nagano Prefecture.

If you are traveling from Tokyo to Nagano Prefecture, we recommend taking the Shinkansen. There is a Shinkansen from Tokyo Station to Nagano Station, so it is easy to get there. The journey takes about 1 hour and 30 minutes.

If you are traveling from Osaka to Nagano Prefecture, we recommend taking the express bus. There are express buses that go from "Osaka Umeda Station" to "Matsumoto Station", or buses that go from "Osaka Umeda Station" to "Nagoya Station" and then transfer to "Matsumoto Station". The advantage of this is that it is cheaper to access than other means of transportation.

Location of Nagano Prefecture

summary

This time, we thoroughly explained the history and appeal of Nozawana pickles, a local B-class gourmet food from Nagano Prefecture.

I discovered that Nozawana pickles are a healthy local dish that is easy to make and packed with nutrients.

We also mentioned that the appeal of Nagano Prefecture is not just Nozawana pickles, but also that it is a prefecture with many tourist spots where you can experience history and tradition, as well as tourist spots where you can feel the nature.

We encourage everyone to visit Nagano Prefecture and experience what it has to offer!

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