Atsugi City is located almost in the center of Kanagawa Prefecture. It is relatively close to central Tokyo, Haneda Airport, and Yokohama, and is known as a tourist base and a town with good transport access.

Have you heard of Shirokoro horumon, a popular local delicacy in Atsugi City? This time, we will introduce the characteristics, parts, and delicious ways to eat Atsugi Shirokoro horumon, which has won the B-1 Grand Prix.

What is Atsugi Shirokoro Hormones?

Atsugi Shirokoro Hormone is a popular local B-class gourmet dish in Atsugi City, made by grilling cylindrical pork intestines. Pig intestines are also called "shiro", and when grilled they puff up and are rolled around while grilling, hence the name "shirokoro".

For hygienic reasons, the "shiro (large intestine)" of typical horumon is cut by splitting the skin around the periphery, flattening it, and parboiling it before using, but at Atsugi Shirokoro Hormone, the horumon is processed on the same day it arrives at the store, so it is very fresh and the cylindrical horumon is used as is, without parboiling.
The mainstream way to eat it is to slowly grill the offal over charcoal and dip it in the restaurant's special miso sauce.

By the way, why did Atsugi Shirokoro Hormones start to use fresh, raw pork innards? The reason for this is related to a certain facility in Atsugi City.

The origin and history of Atsugi Shirokoro Hormones

In Atsugi City, where pig farming has been thriving since around 1945, the Kanagawa Meat Center, one of Japan's leading meat processing facilities, was established in 2002. From there, it became easy to obtain fresh pork and innards, and gradually the number of shops selling pork innards began to increase.

It is said that it all began in 2005 when a group in Atsugi City took notice of Shirokoro horumon and began proposing the name as part of a campaign to revitalize the town.

Also, around Hon-Atsugi Station, there have been many yakitori restaurants serving the same way of eating it today since shortly after the war, and it seems that this was originally the standard way of eating it in Atsugi.

The name of Atsugi Shirokoro Hormone became known nationwide after it won the B-1 Grand Prix, a festival of local gourmet food.

Currently, there are over 40 restaurants in Atsugi City, ranging from long-established restaurants with a Showa-era feel to stylish yakiniku restaurants, and it seems that popular restaurants are often fully booked even on weekday evenings.

How to grill and eat Atsugi Shirokoro horumon deliciously

Atsugi Shirokoro Hormones are slightly different from regular hormonal meat in that they are tubular in shape, so what is the best way to grill them?

When grilling, if you are cooking 2-3 servings of innards, place them all on the wire rack and turn them over to prevent them from burning. By grilling the innards in batches, they are cooked in a steamed state, which means there is no smoke or fire, and they cook quickly and come out fluffy.

Another tip is to quickly flip the innards over before the fat starts to release. Cook the innards by rolling them over about once every three seconds. When they start to puff up while cooking, they're ready to eat. If you move them to the edge of the grill, you can eat them at your own pace.

When you eat the savory grilled Atsugi Shirokoro horumon with the special miso sauce, the delicious fat and subtle sweetness spread with every bite, and the richness of the miso and the aroma of the charcoal grill make it so delicious that you won't be able to stop eating.

The juicy taste that fills your mouth and the bouncy texture are also major attractions of Atsugi Shirokoro Hormone. Please come and try this deliciousness that can only be found in Atsugi.

Recommended sightseeing spots in Atsugi

From here, we will introduce some recommended tourist spots in Atsugi City.

Atsugi is also famous as a hot spring town. The "Atsugi Onsenkyo" area is dotted with several hot springs, including Iiyama Onsen, Nanasawa Onsen, Kotakuji Onsen, and Kabutoyu Onsen.
The area is also surrounded by a rich natural countryside, making it a tranquil hot spring resort known as the "inner retreat of Kanto." We recommend spending a relaxing time here, away from the everyday.

Among them, Nanasawa Onsen, which was selected as one of Japan's 100 best hot springs, is characterized by its viscous, highly alkaline spring water, and is also known as the "hot spring for beautiful skin." Located in the east of the Tanzawa Mountains, which spread out in the northwest of Kanagawa Prefecture, why not take a break at an elegant inn surrounded by nature?

Also, about a 10-minute walk from the bus stop at the entrance to Nanasawa Onsen is the prefectural Nanasawa Forest Park. The large arched bridge known as "Mori no Kakehashi" is so beautiful you'll want to take a photo of it.

Nanasawa Forest Park is one of the largest in the prefecture, and has well-maintained walking trails where you can easily enjoy walking and hiking. In addition, it is a place where families can enjoy pottery, crafts, barbecues, and more, and refresh the mind and body, so please be sure to visit.

Access to Atsugi City

From here, we will introduce how to access Atsugi city. If you go by train, take the Odakyu Line Limited Express from Shinjuku to Hon-Atsugi Station, it takes about 45 minutes.

If you are coming from Yokohama, take the Sotetsu Line bound for Ebina and it takes about 30 minutes to Ebina Station. From there, change to the Odakyu Line bound for Odawara and you will arrive at Hon-Atsugi Station in about 5 minutes.

If you are driving, it takes about 30 minutes from Tokyo IC via the Tomei Expressway to Atsugi IC. If you are using the Tohoku Expressway, it takes about 1 hour and 10 minutes from Kuki Shiraoka JCT to Atsugi IC via the Ken-O Expressway.

Atsugi City is easily accessible, less than an hour and a half from central Tokyo, so it's also recommended for a short weekend trip. Enjoy the food, relaxation, and more, along with the local specialty Atsugi Shirokoro and horumon.

Location of Atsugi City, Kanagawa Prefecture

summary

This time we introduced the local gourmet food of Atsugi City, "Atsugi Shirokoro Hormone." Shirokoro Hormone, with its unique chewiness and delicious, bursting fat, is addictive, and you can enjoy the special sauce and the atmosphere of the restaurant, so it's sure to be a memorable experience once you've tried it.

Be sure to try the delicious local gourmet food in Atsugi.

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