In this article, we will focus on Akita's B-class gourmet food and introduce some of the delicious local dishes. Blessed with a rich natural environment, Akita has a lot of B-class gourmet food.

We hope you will enjoy the local flavors and explore the charms of Akita Prefecture.

What kind of B-class gourmet food is there in Akita Prefecture?

Akita Prefecture's B-class gourmet food refers to easy-to-prepare and delicious food that is loved by the locals. For tourists, this rare B-class gourmet food that they can't usually get is attractive.

We will introduce you to some delicious dishes that are unique to Akita Prefecture.

Inaniwa udon made using a unique hand-stretching method

Inaniwa udon, a local dish that originated in Inaniwa-cho, Yuzawa City, is a type of dried udon made using a unique hand-stretching method. The flat, thin noodles cook quickly and are characterized by their smooth texture and slippery throat feel. It is considered one of Japan's three great udon noodles, along with Sanuki udon and Mizusawa udon.

Inaniwa udon can be eaten with hot soup, but we recommend dipping it in a thick soy sauce soup with bonito stock or a sesame miso-based soup before sipping.

Here are restaurants where you can eat Inaniwa udon

Yokote Yakisoba: A favorite among children

Yokote Yakisoba is a local B-class gourmet food of Yokote City. It is considered one of the three great yakisoba in Japan, along with Fujinomiya Yakisoba and Ota Yakisoba.

Typical ingredients include thick, straight noodles, minced pork, and cabbage. Some restaurants use pork offal instead of minced pork. It is sweetly seasoned with Worcestershire sauce with dashi. A major feature of this dish is that it is served with a fried egg and fukujinzuke pickles. It is delicious when you mix the thick yolk with the noodles.

Here are the restaurants where you can eat Yokote Yakisoba

Soy sauce flavor is popular Hinai Jidori Ramen

This local ramen is made with Hinai Jidori chicken, which is meaty and packed with flavor. Hinai Jidori chicken has long been raised in the northern part of Akita Prefecture. It is considered one of the three major local chicken breeds in Japan, alongside Nagoya Cochin and Satsuma Jidori.

The soup, made with Hinai chicken and vegetables simmered for a long time, and soy sauce, is exquisite. In Akita Prefecture, soy sauce flavor is the mainstream. It goes well with the chewy, thin egg noodles, and is popular among locals.

Here are the restaurants where you can eat Hinai Jidori Ramen

Kiritanpo hotpot is also very popular in school lunches

Kiritanpo is made by crushing non-glutinous rice, wrapping it around a wooden stick and baking it like chikuwa. Kiritanpo nabe, which is made by simmering kiritanpo with Hinai-jidori chicken and vegetables in chicken stock, is a local dish of Akita Prefecture.

Kiritanpo nabe is often eaten from autumn to winter, especially when new rice is available. It is so popular that it is on the school lunch menu in Akita Prefecture. It is said that the origin of kiritanpo nabe dates back to hunters who would carry it as a preserved food during the winter.

Here are the restaurants where you can eat Kiritanpo nabe

Eating Damako Nabe in Silence

Damakoto is made by grinding rice into balls. Damako nabe, which is made by adding damakoto and chicken meat to a chicken bone-based broth, is a local dish that is often made at home.

In Akita, "Otedama" is called "damako". The name "damako" was derived from the fact that rice dumplings resembled bean balls. Another theory is that the name "damakko" came from the fact that damako nabe is delicious and there are many "children who eat it in silence."

Here are the restaurants where you can eat Kiritanpo nabe

Shottsuru hotpot, a winter staple

Shottsuru is a fish sauce made by straining salted fish that has been left to sit until the salt dissolves, extracting the umami components. Sandfish is the main ingredient. It is a traditional seasoning from Akita Prefecture that was invented as a substitute for soy sauce when soy sauce was a luxury item.

Shottsuru hotpot is made by adding sandfish to a fish sauce broth. The ingredients are simple, such as tofu, green onions, and Chinese cabbage. The light soup and the unique flavor of shottsuru go perfectly together, giving it a mellow, rich flavor.

Here are the restaurants where you can eat Shottsuru Nabe

Enjoy two types of mixed Jindai curry

Aigake Jindai Curry is a local B-class gourmet food found in the area around Senboku City, Akita Prefecture. The Jindai area in Senboku City is a region that is famous for its organic rice, Akita Komachi. It was in this area that Aigake Jindai Curry was born.

It is characterized by a mix of "old-fashioned curry roux" made by frying wheat flour and curry powder, and "modern curry roux" based on demi-glace sauce. It is topped with a soft-boiled egg and garnished with "Iburi-gakko," a specialty pickled vegetable from Akita made from smoked daikon radish.

Here are the restaurants where you can eat Aigake Jindai Curry

Dutch-style baked goods, perfect as a snack

Oranda-yaki is a local B-class gourmet food that originated in Yuzawa City. It looks similar to obanyaki and imagawa-yaki. However, the batter is filled with ham and mayonnaise instead of red bean paste or cream. The slightly sweet batter and the sourness of the mayonnaise are a perfect match.

The way the ham is layered in this dish resembles a windmill, which is why it was named "Dutch Yaki" after the image of Holland, which is famous for its windmills.

Here are the restaurants where you can eat Oranda-yaki

Butter mochi that can be eaten as is

Butter mochi is a local sweet made by kneading butter, sugar, egg yolk, etc. into freshly pounded rice cakes. When you take a bite, the aroma of butter spreads softly and you can feel the gentle sweetness. The chewy texture is irresistible, and you'll be hooked after just one try.

It is made with butter, so it stays soft even after a while, and can be eaten without baking, making it easy to prepare. It is also packed with nutrients, and is said to have been a preserved food for hunters in the winter in the past.

Here are the restaurants where you can eat butter mochi

Simple and nostalgic babahera ice cream

Babahera ice cream is a colorful ice cream with pink (strawberry flavor) and yellow (banana flavor). Its rose-like appearance will lift your spirits. It has a mild flavor and a texture like sorbet.

Babahera ice cream started when farming women would go around selling ice cream in their free time. It is said that the name "Babahera ice cream" came from the fact that middle-aged or older women (babas) served the ice cream with a spatula.

Here are some restaurants where you can eat Babahera ice cream

Location of Akita Prefecture

summary

This time, we introduced B-class gourmet food in Akita Prefecture. In addition to the representative Inaniwa udon, Yokote yakisoba, and Kiritanpo nabe, there are many other B-class gourmet foods.

If you visit Akita Prefecture, be sure to try these delicious dishes. Enjoy a wonderful trip exploring the charms of Akita Prefecture while savoring the unique local flavors.

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