🕓 2024/7/22
#Gourmet
About Nagano’s Gourmet
Nagano Prefecture is a region where beautiful nature and rich culture merge, boasting a uniquely appealing gourmet culture. Nagano’s cuisine is characterized by its use of fresh local ingredients, offering simple yet deeply flavorful dishes. If you visit Nagano, here are the exquisite gourmet specialties you must experience.
The following three dishes – “Shinshu Soba,” “Shinshu Salmon,” and “Sanzoku-yaki” – are must-try gourmet treats when visiting Nagano.
3 Select Gourmet Specialties of Nagano
Shinshu Soba
● The Appeal of Shinshu Soba
Shinshu Soba refers to soba (buckwheat noodles) cultivated throughout Nagano Prefecture. The soba from this region is nurtured by the area’s unique climate and terrain, and there are several reasons for its exceptional taste. First, the large temperature difference between day and night in Nagano Prefecture promotes the maturation of starch in buckwheat flour, producing richly flavored soba noodles.
There are many varieties, each with characteristics unique to its region. For example, Togakushi Soba is one of Japan’s three great soba varieties, known for its excellent flavor and smooth texture. Sarashina Soba uses only the center part of the buckwheat seed, resulting in white noodles with an elegant taste. Furthermore, Sunki Soba from the Kiso region uses lactic acid-fermented red turnip leaves, offering a distinctive sour flavor.
● History of Shinshu Soba
The history of Shinshu Soba is said to trace its roots back to the Nara period. Buckwheat was first brought to Nagano Prefecture by En no Gyoja, a mountain ascetic who introduced buckwheat seeds to Shinshu and taught the local people how to cultivate it. The legendary location is present-day Ina City, known as the “birthplace of Shinshu Soba.”
During the Edo period, Shinshu Soba spread throughout Japan, and Takato Soba in particular is recorded as having been served to Tokugawa Ieyasu. During this era, the technique of cutting soba noodles was established, and the current thin, elongated form of soba became standard.
● Where to Eat Shinshu Soba!
- Restaurant: Okubo Nishi no Chaya Honten
- Appeal:
“Okubo Nishi no Chaya,” located in Togakushi, Nagano Prefecture, is a long-established restaurant that serves traditional Togakushi soba and seasonal mountain vegetable dishes, focusing on buckwheat and vegetables grown in their own farm. Founded in 1624 (the first year of Kan’ei) with a history spanning over 390 years, this restaurant is run by its thirteenth-generation owner, and is marked by its traditional thatched roof.
Using the highland air at 1,100 meters elevation and Togakushi’s water, combined with soba-making techniques passed down through generations, the restaurant produces exquisite soba under the philosophy of “We grow great ingredients because we want to serve great food!” - Access: Approximately 25 minutes by car from JR Nagano Station
- Address: 2763 Togakushi Toyooka, Nagano City, Nagano 381-4102
- Google Maps: https://maps.app.goo.gl/4Paz9wD9XGYxcoLZ6
Shinshu Salmon
● The Appeal of Shinshu Salmon
Shinshu Salmon is a fish developed exclusively for aquaculture over approximately 10 years by the Nagano Prefecture Fisheries Experiment Station. This variety, created by crossbreeding female rainbow trout with male brown trout, has a beautiful silver body and pink-red flesh, earning it the name “Shinshu Salmon.” As a triploid with genes that prevent egg production, all the energy that would normally go toward reproduction instead contributes to the deliciousness of the flesh.
The flesh of Shinshu Salmon is thick, well-marbled with fat, and features a melt-in-your-mouth texture. The moderate fat content enhances its rich flavor, making it suitable for any style of cooking. It is particularly delightful as sashimi, offering a mellow taste and pleasant texture.
● History of Shinshu Salmon
Development began in 1994 (Heisei 6), and official production started in 2004 (Heisei 16).
The development involved much trial and error, including applying special treatments to 20,000 to 30,000 fertilized eggs each year to create tetraploid rainbow trout, which were then crossbred with brown trout. Success rates were extremely low in the early stages, and it took 10 years before stable production became possible.
● Where to Eat Shinshu Salmon!
- Restaurant: Kawasemi
- Appeal:
“Kawasemi” is a set-meal restaurant that prides itself on using domestically sourced and local ingredients. The restaurant is particularly proud of its dishes made with rice from Matsukawa, Azumino, and homemade miso.
The Shinshu Salmon Zuke-don (marinated salmon rice bowl) is offered at 1,630 yen and comes as a set meal with salad, simmered eggplant, miso soup, and pickled cucumber. The melt-in-your-mouth texture and sweetness are exquisite, and you can enjoy fresh salmon with absolutely no fishy taste. - Address: 10001-1 Hotaka Ariake, Azumino City, Nagano Prefecture
- Access: Approximately 17 minutes by car from Azumino Interchange, approximately 5 minutes by taxi from JR Hotaka Station
- Google Maps: https://maps.app.goo.gl/UoAZi3Ws9vGX1Cnn8
Sanzoku-yaki
● The Appeal of Sanzoku-yaki
Sanzoku-yaki is a local specialty beloved primarily in the Matsumoto and Shiojiri areas of Nagano Prefecture, known as a hearty chicken dish. Chicken is marinated in a garlic-infused soy sauce, coated with potato starch, and deep-fried to a crispy finish. Its hallmark is the contrast between the crispy exterior and juicy interior. Thigh meat is typically used, and the dish is characterized by cooking an entire piece of chicken in a bold, generous style.
It can be enjoyed as a side dish with rice or as a snack with drinks. Its bold appearance and satisfying flavor have made it widely loved by both locals and tourists. The cities of Shiojiri and Matsumoto designate an annual “Sanzoku-yaki Day” and promote its appeal through events.
● History of Sanzoku-yaki
The history of Sanzoku-yaki is rooted in the origins of this hearty chicken dish centered around Matsumoto and Shiojiri in Nagano Prefecture. Sanzoku-yaki was created by the owner of an izakaya called “Sanzoku” in Shiojiri City after World War II.
In the 2000s, promotional activities for Sanzoku-yaki as a local specialty intensified in Matsumoto and Shiojiri, and in 2009, the Matsumoto Restaurant Business Cooperative Youth Division began displaying banner flags at shops serving Sanzoku-yaki. In 2012, the “Matsumoto Sanzoku-yaki Support Team” was formed and established its own standards.
● Where to Eat Sanzoku-yaki!
- Restaurant: Showa Shokudo
- Appeal:
The signature Sanzoku-yaki at “Showa Shokudo” is impressive in its large size. It comes with two pieces – bone-in thigh meat and tender, juicy breast meat – and the generous portions are truly astonishing. The exterior is wrapped in a crispy coating while the inside remains moist and tender. The salty seasoning with garlic and ginger punch means it tastes delicious even without any additional sauce. - Access: 5-minute walk from Shiojiri Station
- Address: 13-28 Daimon Nana-bancho, Shiojiri City, Nagano Prefecture, Showa Corpo 1F
- Google Maps: https://maps.app.goo.gl/QR5RRyHw31esFfJ48