In this article, we will focus on Okayama Prefecture's B-class gourmet food and introduce some delicious dishes that are unique to the local area.
When you think of Okayama Prefecture, you probably think of the seafood and fruit of the Seto Inland Sea, but there is also a ton of delicious B-class gourmet food.

Come explore the charm of Okayama while enjoying the local flavors!

What is Okayama Prefecture's B-class gourmet food?

B-class gourmet food refers to easy-to-prepare and delicious food that is loved by locals. Okayama Prefecture is known for its unique gourmet food such as shrimp rice and horumon udon.

We will introduce you to some exquisite dishes that are unique to Okayama.

Shrimp rice

Ebimeshi, made by stir-frying rice coated with ketchup, caramel sauce, curry powder, and other ingredients including shrimp and onions, is one of Okayama's signature delicacies and can be found in various areas of Okayama Prefecture, mainly in Okayama City.

Depending on the restaurant, the color of the rice varies from amber to jet black, making for a great visual impact.

The origin of this shrimp dish is actually a curry restaurant called "Indera" in Shibuya Ward, Tokyo.

A shop assistant from Okayama Prefecture brought this dish back to his hometown where it was well-received, and it has now become an established Okayama flavor loved by locals and tourists alike.

Tsuyama Hormone Udon

Tsuyama, located inland in Okayama Prefecture, has long been a major producer of Japanese beef, and fresh horumon teppanyaki is a popular dish among locals.

Among the many different dishes that use horumon, yakisoba (fried udon noodles) has become particularly popular, and in Tsuyama city you can enjoy horumon udon at over 50 restaurants.
Tsuyama is also known as the home of "yojogui" (eating beef as medicine), so why not try some horumon udon to blow away your daily fatigue!

Kasaoka Ramen

Kasaoka City is located in the southwestern part of Okayama Prefecture, facing the Seto Inland Sea.
When it comes to gourmet food in Kasaoka city, Kasaoka ramen is the first thing that comes to mind.

At first glance, Kasaoka ramen appears to be a standard Chinese noodle dish topped with roast pork, spring onions, and bamboo shoots, but because poultry farming has been thriving in the city since ancient times, its defining feature is that it is topped with a generous amount of chicken, known as kashiwa roast pork, rather than pork roast pork.

Combined with the chicken bone-based soup, it has a refreshing and healthy taste.
It's also perfect as a final drink after drinking!

Hiruzen Fried Noodles

Another B-grade gourmet dish that uses chicken is Hiruzen Yakisoba.
Hiruzen Yakisoba became known nationwide after winning the B-1 Grand Prix in 2011.

Along with unique sweet and spicy seasonings such as Genghis Khan sauce and miso sauce, cabbage from the Hiruzen Plateau is an essential ingredient.
Enjoy the harmony of rich sauce, crunchy cabbage, and chewy noodles.

Kakioko

Kakioko may be an unfamiliar word, but it is a local delicacy from Hinase, Bizen City, Okayama Prefecture, and as the name suggests, it is okonomiyaki filled with oysters.

Oyster farming is popular in Hinase, and it is said that kakioko originated from small or blemished oysters caught locally that were used as a filling for okonomiyaki.

Oysters are seen as a more luxurious ingredient than the more common ingredient, pork, so this is an idea unique to the fishing town of Hinase.
Oysters are mainly harvested in the winter, so in the summer, "Ebioco" is available, made with plump shrimp caught in the Seto Inland Sea. (Even in the summer, you can enjoy kakioko made with frozen oysters.)

It would be fun to try oysters, shrimp, and okonomiyaki and compare the taste.

Demi-katsu rice bowl

Katsudon is a popular dish with various variations all over the country, but in Okayama, the demi-katsudon is famous.

It is said that the origin of the Demikatsudon was when the founder of the long-established restaurant "Ajitsukasa Nomura" in Okayama City was so impressed by the taste of the demi-glace sauce at a hotel in Tokyo that he wondered if he could serve it on the menu at his own restaurant.

Although it is a simple dish consisting of fried pork cutlet on top of rice topped with demi-glace sauce, it is loved by many people, from adults to children, and the number of restaurants serving demi-katsudon has increased.

Nowadays, it is a standard Okayama delicacy that can be found not only in Western restaurants and set meal restaurants, but also in ramen and udon shops, so be sure to give it a try.

Location of Okayama Prefecture

summary

This time we introduced B-class gourmet food in Okayama Prefecture.

Okayama Prefecture is divided into a coastal area facing the calm Seto Inland Sea and an inland area, so you can enjoy both seafood delicacies and dishes using pork and chicken.

This is a fierce battleground for B-grade gourmet food, with Hiruzen Yakisoba and Hormone Udon taking the top two spots in the B-1 Grand Prix, winning gold and silver medals respectively, so no matter what menu you order, you're likely to be satisfied.

If you visit Okayama, be sure to try these delicious dishes.

Enjoy a wonderful trip exploring the charms of Okayama while savoring the local flavors!

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