In this article, we will focus on Yamaguchi Prefecture's B-class gourmet food and introduce some delicious local dishes.

Yamaguchi is one of the few regions where you can enjoy the natural bounty of two seas, the Seto Inland Sea and the Sea of Japan. This time, we will introduce the local gourmet food that has developed uniquely in Yamaguchi Prefecture, located at the westernmost tip of Honshu.

What is Yamaguchi Prefecture's B-class gourmet food? Introducing popular dishes unique to the area

When it comes to B-class gourmet food in Yamaguchi Prefecture, there are plenty of dishes with impressive appearances and rich flavors, such as "Kawara Soba" and "Mikan Nabe", which have long been loved by locals. From here, we will introduce some exquisite gourmet foods that are unique to Yamaguchi.

Fugu cuisine: a local specialty of Yamaguchi Prefecture

The term "fugu cuisine" may conjure up images of high-end dining, but in Yamaguchi Prefecture you can enjoy fugu cuisine at affordable prices, including sashimi, fried food, and rice bowls.

Shimonoseki City is home to the only wholesale market in Japan specializing in fugu, the Haedomari Market, where fugu caught in western Japan is gathered.
Fugu sashimi, one of the most well-known fugu dishes, allows you to enjoy the straightforward flavor of firm, crunchy fugu meat. It is typically served with ponzu sauce, green onions, and grated momiji radish, and the flavor of the fugu is further enhanced when wrapped in condiments.

Other popular dishes include tetchiri (blowfish hotpot), which is packed with the delicious flavor of fugu, as well as overnight dried fugu and fried fugu.

Kawara soba, a specialty of Shimonoseki Kawatana Onsen

The vibrantly colored "Kawara Soba" is served on a hot tile with fragrant green tea soba noodles, sweet and spicy beef, and shredded egg. The sizzling sound and rich aroma of the green tea soba noodles will whet your appetite, and it is absolutely delicious when dipped into the warm, rich soup.

The deliciousness of "Kawara Soba," a specialty of Shimonoseki Kawatana Onsen, is further enhanced when eaten with lemon, grated momiji leaf, nori seaweed, etc. As you go down the noodles become crispier, making it so delicious that you will be reluctant to finish the last bite.

Barisoba: a hearty noodle dish packed with ingredients

"Bari Soba" is loved by a wide range of generations, from children to adults, and is a local B-class gourmet dish that consists of crispy, thick fried noodles topped with a rich, thick soup. It may look like a hearty meal, but the pleasant texture of the noodles and the light chicken-based flavor make it so delicious that you'll finish it in no time.

It is made with a wide variety of ingredients, including cabbage, pork, shiitake mushrooms, bamboo shoots, bean sprouts, wood ear mushrooms, kamaboko (fish cake), flattened tempura, and squid, and is characterized by the way the crunchy noodles gradually change to a smooth, easy-to-eat texture.

The best thing about Barisoba is that when you've finished about half of it, you can enjoy a change of flavor by adding vinegar soy sauce or ponzu sauce. The mild chicken bone-based seasoning makes it a popular way to finish off a night of drinking.

Ube Ramen: unique smell and rich pork bone flavor

The strong pork bone aroma and rich, cloudy soup are combined with medium-thick, straight noodles to create an addictive "Ube Ramen." This deliciousness is sometimes described as "stinky and delicious," and the appetizing pork bone aroma and thick, rich soup are addictive, making it hard to stop eating.

Each shop has its own unique flavors and toppings, so why not try finding your favorite one?

Kudamatsu Ramen: a rare beef bone soy sauce flavor found throughout Japan

"Kudamatsu Ramen" is a beef bone soy sauce flavored ramen that is rare throughout Japan.
The soup has the rich flavor and subtle sweetness of beef bones, and is characterized by a taste that will make you want to drink it all up. When you hear beef bones, you might think it has a slightly peculiar taste, but the refreshing soy sauce flavor is actually comforting. The noodles vary depending on the restaurant, from medium-thick to thin straight noodles.

It is often topped with pork fillets, bean sprouts, and spring onions, and the standard way to eat it is with toppings of boiled eggs and inari sushi. The sweet and spicy simmered fried tofu and refreshing vinegared rice go well with the mellow beef bone soup. Inari sushi is very popular and sometimes sells out.

Iwakuni sushi, a traditional colorful pressed sushi

"Iwakuni sushi", also known as "Lord's sushi", is a type of pressed sushi characterized by its gorgeous colors and neat square shape, which are characteristic of castle towns. It used to be a dish made for large numbers of people at once as a gift for celebrations or to the feudal lord.
Ingredients with a variety of textures and flavors, such as pickled Iwakuni lotus root, a local specialty, the traditional vegetable lettuce, simmered conger eel, shredded egg, denbu, and shiitake mushrooms, were packed into a large wooden frame and layered alternately with vinegared rice. The finished sushi was then cut into individual portions and served.

Recently, Iwakuni sushi is often made using everyday items such as lunch boxes, milk cartons, and cake molds. You can enjoy it at restaurants and inns around Kintaikyo Bridge, a famous symbol of Iwakuni City.

Choshu chicken: moderately chewy and refined meat quality

"Choshu chicken," which is mainly produced in the vicinity of Nagato City in Yamaguchi Prefecture, is a local chicken characterized by its moderate chewiness and rich flavor. With firm meat and a springy texture, you can taste the flavor with every bite.

They are able to produce such deliciousness by raising the animals in a free-range environment surrounded by the sea and mountains, and by incorporating various techniques such as blending natural herbs into their feed to enhance the aroma of the meat. Yakitori and fried chicken, which make the most of the fine meat quality and flavor, are delicious and worth trying at least once.

Enjoy the refreshing aroma of Suo-Oshima's mandarin orange hotpot

The "Mikan Nabe" (Chinese Mandarin Hot Pot) contains a whole "Unshu mikan" mandarin orange in a simmering pot. The refreshing aroma of citrus spreads in your mouth with every bite of the fish balls made with mikan peel and shiratama (rice flour dumplings) made with mikan juice.

The local way of eating the dish gives a real sense of the unique culture, as it is seasoned with "mikan kosho" (mandarin pepper) made from green chili peppers and mandarin peel, and ends with a rice porridge made with rice, fluffy meringue, green vegetables, and eggs.

"Mikan Nabe" (Chinese mandarin orange hotpot), a winter delicacy of Suo-Oshima, is a seasonal local gourmet dish that allows you to enjoy every last bit of the local specialty, mandarin oranges. Grilled mandarins are very hot, so they are often cooled before eating.

Chewy texture and smooth mouthfeel Uiro (Uiro)

When you hear "Uiro," Nagoya, Kyoto, Odawara, and other areas come to mind as places where it is produced, but it has also long been loved as a famous confection in Yamaguchi. Uiro is often made by steaming rice flour and sugar as the main ingredients, but in Yamaguchi Prefecture, bracken flour is used, resulting in a dish that has a bouncy elasticity and a chewy texture.

Another attractive feature is its smooth texture, which is described as "gentle" in the local dialect. The distinctive flavor and refined sweetness of bracken make it a perfect snack to have with tea, and also a great souvenir or gift that will give you a taste of Yamaguchi Prefecture. If you see it in a Japanese sweets or souvenir shop, why not pick one up?

Soul food originating from school lunches: Chicken, chicken and burdock

"Chicken Chicken Burdock" is said to be the soul food of Yamaguchi Prefecture, which started as a school lunch and spread throughout the prefecture. With its humorous name and delicious taste, it is an extremely popular dish among children. Bite-sized pieces of deep-fried chicken and deep-fried burdock are coated in a sweet and spicy sauce based on sugar and soy sauce.

The dish adds crispy and juicy fried chicken, the crunch of burdock, and the color of edamame, and is said to also provide a well-balanced meal.

It's popular as a side dish that's easy to make at home, as it can be easily adapted by using lotus root instead of burdock or by changing the type of meat. It goes well with rice, and it also goes well with alcohol, so you'll want to try it when you're in the area.

Location of Yamaguchi Prefecture

summary

This time we introduced local B-class gourmet food in Yamaguchi Prefecture. Yamaguchi has many unique local gourmet foods, such as "Fugu cuisine" and "Mikan nabe" that allow you to enjoy the original flavor of the ingredients, and "Bari Soba" that is full of volume.

Be sure to experience the food culture of Yamaguchi Prefecture, located at the westernmost tip of Honshu, while you're there.

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