🕓 2024/7/22
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Nagano Prefecture is a region where beautiful nature and rich culture blend seamlessly, offering a unique and captivating gourmet culture. Nagano's cuisine is characterized by its use of fresh local ingredients, presenting simple yet profoundly flavorful dishes. When visiting Nagano, here are some must-try gourmet delights you should experience.
The following dishes, "Shinshu Soba," "Shinshu Salmon," and "Sanzoku-yaki," are absolute must-tries when you visit Nagano.
Shinshu Soba refers to buckwheat noodles grown throughout Nagano Prefecture. The unique climate and environment of this region contribute to the deliciousness of the soba. One key factor is the significant temperature difference between day and night, which helps the starch in the buckwheat flour to mature, resulting in flavorful noodles.
There are various types of Shinshu Soba, each with distinct regional characteristics. For example, Togakushi Soba, one of Japan's top three soba varieties, is known for its rich flavor and smooth texture. Sarashina Soba, made from the core of the buckwheat seed, has a refined taste. Additionally, Kiso's Sunkisoba uses lacto-fermented red turnip leaves, offering a unique sour flavor.
The history of Shinshu Soba is said to date back to the Nara period. It is believed that a Shugendo practitioner named En no Ozunu brought buckwheat seeds to Nagano and taught the locals how to cultivate them. This legendary location is present-day Ina City, known as the "birthplace of Shinshu Soba."
In the Edo period, Shinshu Soba spread nationwide. It is recorded that Takatō Soba was served to Tokugawa Ieyasu. During this time, the technique of making soba noodles was established, leading to the long, thin noodles we are familiar with today.
Shinshu Salmon is a specially cultivated fish developed by the Nagano Prefecture Fisheries Experiment Station over a period of about ten years. It is a hybrid of female rainbow trout and male brown trout, featuring a beautiful silver body and reddish flesh, hence the name "Shinshu Salmon." The fish has triploid genetics, meaning it does not produce eggs, so all the energy that would go into reproduction is instead directed towards enhancing the flavor of the flesh.
Shinshu Salmon is known for its thick, fatty flesh with a rich, buttery texture. The moderate fat content enhances its full flavor, making it suitable for various dishes. It is particularly delicious when served as sashimi, where its creamy taste and firm texture can be fully appreciated.
The development of Shinshu Salmon began in 1994 and officially started production in 2004. This process involved many trials and errors, including treating 20,000 to 30,000 fertilized eggs each year to create tetraploid rainbow trout, which were then crossed with brown trout. Initially, the success rate was very low, but after ten years, stable production became possible.
Sanzoku-yaki is a beloved local gourmet dish from Matsumoto and Shiojiri cities in Nagano Prefecture, known for its bold and hearty flavor. This dish involves marinating chicken in a garlic-infused soy sauce, coating it with potato starch, and then deep-frying it to a crisp. The result is chicken that is crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. Typically, thigh meat is used, and it is cooked whole for a robust presentation.
Sanzoku-yaki is enjoyed as both a main dish with rice and a savory accompaniment to drinks. Its hearty appearance and rich flavor make it a favorite among locals and tourists alike. Shiojiri and Matsumoto even celebrate "Sanzoku-yaki Day" annually to promote its appeal through various events.
The history of Sanzoku-yaki is rooted in the post-World War II era, when the owner of an izakaya named "Sanzoku" in Shiojiri city created the dish. In the 2000s, Matsumoto and Shiojiri began actively promoting Sanzoku-yaki as a local specialty. In 2009, the Youth Division of the Matsumoto Restaurant Cooperative started a campaign to mark restaurants serving Sanzoku-yaki with flags. By 2012, the "Matsumoto Sanzoku-yaki Supporters" group was formed, establishing specific standards for the dish.