What comes to mind when you hear "Hyogo Prefecture"?

It is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the Kansai region, with attractions such as Koshien, Kobe, Himeji Castle, the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge, and Awaji Island, but its appeal lies in its food as well.

Today, I will be explaining about the local B-class gourmet food of Hyogo Prefecture.

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

Hyogo Prefecture, located in the Kinki region, faces the Sea of Japan to the north and the Seto Inland Sea and Pacific Ocean to the south. One of the prefecture's charms is that due to its vast land area, each city has a different climate and environment.

In the northern part of the country, where Kinosaki Onsen is located, it gets quite cold in the winter, while in the southern part, such as Awaji Island, it is relatively warm.

Hyogo Prefecture is home to many local B-class gourmet foods such as Akashiyaki and soba meshi, and attracts many visitors not only from the local area but also from all over Kansai and Japan.

You can enjoy a wide variety of gourmet foods, from dishes made with Hyogo Prefecture specialties such as local Kobe beef, Tajima beef, and Akashi octopus, to sweet dishes that you'll become addicted to once you try them.

Hyogo Prefecture's local B-class gourmet food

Soba rice

"Sobameshi" is a local B-class gourmet dish that originated in Kobe.
A representative dish of Hyogo Prefecture, it is made by chopping up sauce-fried noodles and mixing them with rice.

Sobameshi was created when a customer at a restaurant in Kobe requested that they be able to add their own rice to their yakisoba.

Although soba noodles and rice are a combination of carbohydrates, everyone agrees that it is delicious, and it is now eaten all over Japan.

Akashiyaki

"Akashiyaki" is also a local B-class gourmet dish that represents Hyogo Prefecture.

This is also a very well-known dish, and as the name suggests, it is a gourmet dish that originated in Akashi, but now there are many stores selling Akashiyaki in Kobe and other areas.

Akashiyaki looks similar to takoyaki and is characterized by its batter that uses a lot of eggs.

It is said that it originated in Akashi during the Edo period, when egg whites were used to make ornaments, and the leftover yolks were mixed with flour and octopus, baked, and eaten.

Himeji oden

The weather is becoming more and more autumnal, and winter is not far away.

"Himeji oden" is eaten during the cold season and warms the whole body. Himeji oden is eaten with ginger soy sauce and is said to have originated in the early Showa period.

The most popular theory is that ginger soy sauce was originally used to adjust the sweetness and spiciness of Kanto-style oden, and it has long been a popular dish in the Himeji area.

Toasted almonds

This is also a local B-class gourmet dish from Himeji City.

This thick toast is spread with almond butter and toasted until golden brown, and is a popular menu item at coffee shops in Himeji City.

Depending on the shop, some serve almonds in chip form, while others crush them into small pieces, but many locals say they can't start their morning without eating them.

It is now sold not only in individual coffee shops, but also in chain coffee shops.

Hineppon

"Hinepon" is a local B-class gourmet food that is eaten throughout western Hyogo Prefecture.

This dish is made using "hinedori" (female chickens) that have stopped laying eggs, a breed of chicken farmed in the Banshu area for the purpose of obtaining eggs.

Because it is not young chicken, the meat is thick and has a tough texture, but when seared and dressed with ponzu sauce, it is more delicious than expected, and has now become a signature dish at izakayas.
It is available not only in the western part of the prefecture but also in Kobe city.

Pork bun

Pork buns are a quick snack to eat when you're feeling a bit hungry and are popular with people of all ages and genders.

Kobe has a Chinatown called Nankinmachi where many Chinese buns are sold.
In the Kanto region and other areas, it is called "nikuman" (meat bun), but in Kansai it is called "tonaman" (pork bun), and is said to have originated in Kobe.

Unlike the pork buns you can buy at convenience stores, these have soft dough and juicy meat, allowing you to enjoy the true taste of the real thing.

Kobe beef

Rather than being a B-grade gourmet food, it is a specialty product that Kobe is proud of around the world.

It is commonly known as Kobe beef, but its official name is Kobe beef or Kobe meat.

Of the approximately seven hundred thousand cattle produced annually in Hyogo Prefecture, the highest quality A and B grade Japanese black beef is Tajima Beef, and from these 3,000 cattle are selected through rigorous inspection to become Kobe Beef.

The marbling of Kobe beef is very fine, with thin strips of fat contained within the muscles, which melt when heated, loosening the muscles and creating a unique, melting texture.

Kobe beef is a meat that every Japanese person wants to try at least once.

Location of Hyogo Prefecture

summary

What did you think? Today, we explained about the local B-class gourmet food of Hyogo Prefecture.

Hyogo Prefecture, one of the leading tourist destinations in the Kansai region, has different faces in the north and south, east and west due to its vast land area, so be sure to try the various local B-class gourmet foods.

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