Wakayama Prefecture is located south of Osaka and Nara Prefecture to the east.

Wakayama Prefecture is surrounded by the North Pacific Ocean, where the Kuroshio Current flows, and is characterized by a warm climate even among the Kinki region. There are many local B-class gourmet dishes made with fresh local ingredients here.

There is a wide range of food on offer, from sushi and ramen to hamburgers and sweets made with the local specialty mandarin oranges.

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

Wakayama Prefecture is a treasure trove of lush greenery and nature. The old name of Wakayama Prefecture, "Kino-Kuni," is said to have come from "Ki-no-Kuni," or "Land of Trees," and three-quarters of the prefecture's area is covered by forests.

It is ranked 6th in the nation and has unique qualities that set it apart from other cities in the Kinki region, such as Osaka, Kyoto, and Kobe.

Moreover, as everyone knows, Wakayama Prefecture is a fruit-producing region famous for its mandarin oranges, and as it is surrounded by not only mountains but also the sea, it is a valuable place in the Kinki region where fresh ingredients can be secured.

Wakayama Prefecture is home to a wide variety of gourmet foods, including B-class gourmet food made with fruits such as mandarin oranges, dishes made with seafood, and more.

Wakayama Prefecture's local B-class gourmet food

pacific saury sushi

"Sanma sushi" has long been eaten in the Kiinan region of Wakayama Prefecture.

Salted saury is seasoned with daidai vinegar, yuzu vinegar, or jabara vinegar, and then placed on top of vinegared rice to make pressed sushi.

Letting it sit overnight removes the saury's particular odor, making it delicious to eat.

Originally, Sanma Sushi was something that was eaten on special occasions, but now it has become popular among tourists as a B-grade gourmet food.

Haya Sushi

The use of vinegar means that the sushi can be served quickly, hence the name "hayasushi."

By the way, in Wakayama Prefecture, there is a type of nare sushi that takes more than a month to mature, and because it takes so long, it is called oshi sushi.

Haya sushi is recommended as it is easy to eat even for beginners.

Wakayama Ramen

"Wakayama Ramen" is a gourmet dish that represents Wakayama.

The most distinctive feature of this ramen is the pork bone and soy sauce soup. Locally, it is also called "Chuka Soba," and there are many restaurants serving Wakayama ramen in the city, especially in Wakayama.

It's also unique in that it uses straight noodles and a kamaboko fish cake topping instead of naruto, and depending on the restaurant and the time of day, there can be quite a long line.

The mainstream style among locals is to eat it together with the previously mentioned "Haya Sushi," so be sure to give it a try!

Deep-fried whale

There may not be many people who have actually eaten whale, but in Wakayama Prefecture, "whale tatsuta-age" is a popular local B-class gourmet dish.

Whale meat is cut into bite-sized pieces, seasoned with ginger juice and soy sauce, coated with potato starch and deep-fried.

Whale meat itself is extremely healthy and easy to eat.

By the way, Taiji Town in Wakayama Prefecture is famous for whale fishing and is considered the origin of full-scale whaling in Japan.

Kishu Plum Burger

The Kishu Ume Burger won the Japan Regional Burger Grand Prix in 2014.

This burger is made with Kishu Umedori chicken cutlet topped with Kishu Nankou plums and topped with tartar sauce made with pickled plums and plum paste sauce, making it extremely satisfying.

Using plums in a burger may not be common, but this idea adds a nice accent and allows you to enjoy a taste you've never tasted before.

Kinzanji Miso

Kinzanji miso is famous as a miso that can be eaten as is.

It is packed with a wide variety of ingredients, including not only rice, barley, and soybeans, but also eggplant, shiso, ginger, and melon, and is excellent eaten on top of white rice.

In addition, Kinzanji miso can be stored for a long time, so it is also recommended as a souvenir.

It's small and not bulky, so it's easy to carry around.

Green Soft

Now let me introduce you to the sweets.

"Green Soft" is a matcha soft serve that has long been loved by the people of Wakayama Prefecture.

Green Soft Serve is said to be the world's first matcha soft serve, created in 1958 by Gyokurin-en, a long-established tea shop in the prefecture. They are very particular about how they make their Green Soft Serve, and have always used only stone-ground matcha, making it a delicious treat that can only be enjoyed here.

Temari mandarins in syrup

"Temari mandarins in syrup" are small Arita mandarins soaked in a lightly sweet syrup.

The idea was to somehow reuse Arita mandarins that were ``leftover'' because they couldn't be sold due to their non-standard size, and when they were preserved in syrup, they became sweeter and more delicious than they had imagined, and quickly became a popular B-grade gourmet food.

You can mix it with carbonated water and drink it as juice, or you can eat it as is and still enjoy its fresh sweetness.

Location of Wakayama Prefecture

summary

Today we talked about Wakayama Prefecture's local B-class gourmet food.

In addition to the B-grade gourmet food we have introduced, Wakayama Prefecture is also a very popular vacation spot with attractions such as Shirahama, so why not consider Wakayama Prefecture for your next trip?

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