Among the local B-class gourmet foods throughout Japan, the cuisine of Saitama Prefecture is unique and of such a high standard that competitions are held to judge the best taste.

Located in the Kanto region, Saitama Prefecture is easily accessible from all over the country, and it has many attractions, including not only local B-class gourmet food, but also history and tradition.

Today, I will be explaining about Saitama Prefecture's local B-class gourmet food.

What is Saitama Prefecture's local B-class gourmet food?

Saitama Prefecture has long been a region with a strong wheat production and food culture, and is home to many of the Kanto region's best local udon noodles.

There are many different types of udon noodles available in the prefecture, from the north to the east, central Japan, and Chichibu region, and you can enjoy hearty, thick noodles to your heart's content.

There are also many other B-class gourmet foods such as "jelly fries" that you would never imagine just by looking at the name, and they have a unique character that sets them apart from other prefectures.

Enjoy a variety of local B-class gourmet foods in Saitama Prefecture, known as the "Land of Color."

Musashino Udon: One of Saitama's most famous udon noodles

"Musashino udon" is a type of udon that is distributed around the Musashino Plateau, mainly from western Saitama Prefecture to the Tama River area of Tokyo.

Musashino udon is characterized by its thicker noodles and slightly brown color than regular udon.

Because of this, it has a chewy texture and does not contain much water, giving it a rough, chewy texture. Traditionally, it was mainly eaten in a colander, but recently, dishes with soup containing various ingredients such as pork have become popular.

By the way, it seems that as a rule, the wheat used for Musashino udon must be produced on the Musashino Plateau.

Fast, cheap and delicious Kawagoe thick noodle fried noodles

"Kawagoe Thick Noodle Yakisoba" is famous in Kawagoe in southern Saitama Prefecture.

This dish also has thick noodles that make a big impact.

During the Showa era, it was eaten as a snack by children and was often sold in front of local candy stores.

The thickness of the noodles gives it a chewier texture than regular yakisoba, and it is a popular B-class gourmet dish from Saitama that has all three of the following qualities: it's quick, cheap, and delicious.

It's filling so you can eat it as a full meal or as a snack.

Omiya Neapolitan, available at coffee shops

The famous Omiya Hikawa Shrine is located in Omiya, Saitama City.

The torii gate of Omiya Hikawa Shrine is vermilion (orange), and the local soccer team, Omiya Ardija, also has an orange-based design.

Omiya, whose symbolic color is orange, has a spaghetti called "Omiya Neapolitan," which is also orange.

Originally, Omiya was known as a railway town, and there were coffee shops around the station that were frequented by railway workers and factory workers.

The Neapolitan spaghetti served there is very popular, and in fact Saitama City is said to boast one of the highest spaghetti consumption rates in the country.

Try some old-fashioned Omiya Neapolitan in a coffee shop with a nostalgic Showa-era atmosphere.

No jelly used at all! Jelly fries

"Jelly Fries" is a local B-class gourmet food with a shocking name.

It is a delicacy from Gyoda city in northern Saitama prefecture, and it is actually not fried jelly, and it does not use jelly at all.

It may be a little confusing, but jelly fries are croquettes with okara as the main ingredient.

Since no breadcrumbs are used, there is no coating and it has a fluffy texture.

The filling is mainly vegetables, so it is probably healthier than regular croquettes.

The name "jelly fry" is said to have come from the fact that it was originally called "zeni furai" (money fry) due to its shape resembling an oval coin, which was then corrupted to "jelly fry."

Snow Bear was born in Kumagaya, the hottest city in Japan.

Kumagaya City, located in the northern part of Saitama Prefecture, is famous as the hottest city in Japan.

You may have heard it in the weather forecast, but this summer was hotter than usual.

Taking advantage of the hot weather, Kumagaya City came up with the local shaved ice dish "Yukikuma" as part of an effort to revitalize the town.

It always ranks highly in the Saitama B-class local gourmet competition, and since the summer heat is still lingering this year, it might be a good idea to try some delicious shaved ice in the hottest city in Japan.

It seems that the number of restaurants serving Yukikuma is increasing.

Igamanju, a Japanese sweet wrapped in red rice

"Iga Manju" is a Japanese sweet from northern Saitama that has been featured on the TV show "Himitsu no Kenmin Show."

In an era when mochi rice was expensive, people pondered how to add volume to red rice, and came up with the idea of putting manju inside the red rice.

From there, the name "iga manju" came from the fact that the shape of the red rice wrapped around it resembles a chestnut burr.

Location of Saitama Prefecture

summary

Today, I explained about Saitama Prefecture's local B-class gourmet food.

In addition to the ones introduced here, there are many other B-class gourmet foods, and they have become so well-known and recognized that events and other such cuisines are frequently held within the prefecture.

It is available at many restaurants around the city, so be sure to include it in your plans for your trip to Saitama.

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