🕓 2024/9/23
#Gourmet
Gourmet Guide to Shiga Prefecture
Shiga Prefecture is blessed with a rich natural environment and beautiful scenery across all four seasons, and has developed a distinctive food culture that makes the most of abundant ingredients from its lakes and mountains, starting with Lake Biwa. The prefecture’s specialty products, beginning with Omi beef, have earned high acclaim nationwide. Fresh lake fish from Lake Biwa are also deeply rooted in the region’s food culture.
Particularly famous are “Omi Champon,” “Yakisaba Somen,” and “Junjun.” When visiting Shiga Prefecture, be sure to savor these dishes and enjoy the region’s food culture.
Top 3 Gourmet Picks from Shiga Prefecture
Omi Champon
*Source: Champon-tei
● The Appeal of Omi Champon
While Nagasaki champon is the most famous, Omi champon has evolved uniquely, rooted in its local region. Its biggest distinguishing feature is the broth. Unlike pork bone-based broths, it uses a light chicken and seafood dashi base, seasoned with soy sauce or salt for a gentle flavor. The broth has a clear appearance, with the natural sweetness and umami of vegetables coming through beautifully.
Centered around Hikone City, Omi champon is served at many restaurants and is beloved by locals and tourists alike.
● History of Omi Champon
Omi champon is a local gourmet dish originating from Hikone City, Shiga Prefecture, born in the early Showa era. While Nagasaki champon is the most famous variety, Omi champon has undergone its own unique evolution rooted in the local community. It was born from the founding owner’s desire to provide local people with healthy, vegetable-rich ramen.
In recent years, its popularity has spread, and an increasing number of restaurants outside Shiga Prefecture are now serving Omi champon.
● Where to Eat Omi Champon!
- Restaurant: Champon-tei Sohonke Main Store
- Appeal:
“Champon-tei Sohonke Main Store” in Hikone City, Shiga Prefecture, has been known as the birthplace of “Omi Champon” since the Showa era. The “Omi Champon” served here features a flavorful broth based on bonito flakes and kelp, served with their own homemade noodles, and topped generously with fresh domestic vegetables and pork. Unlike Nagasaki champon, it uses no seafood, and its appeal lies in its simplicity with just vegetables and pork. - Access: 16-minute walk from JR Hikone Station
- Address: 74-1 Saiwai-cho, Hikone City, Shiga Prefecture 522-0021
- Google Maps: https://maps.app.goo.gl/HKfmQnG9gxJCYkLH7
Yakisaba Somen (Grilled Mackerel with Somen Noodles)
*Source: Tabelog
● The Appeal of Yakisaba Somen
Yakisaba somen has long been served as a dish for special occasions such as weddings, festivals, and memorial services. In some parts of Shiga Prefecture, it is often served as a feast during Obon and New Year, making it a cherished traditional dish for local people.
Its characteristic feature is the exquisite harmony between fragrant grilled mackerel and dashi-flavored somen noodles. The mackerel is first grilled to concentrate its umami, creating a richer, more aromatic flavor. The grilled mackerel is then simmered in a sweet and savory sauce, and simple somen noodles are added. The somen absorbs the cooking broth, resulting in an exceptional taste. The combination of the rich mackerel flavor and the light somen offers a satisfying yet refreshing finish.
● History of Yakisaba Somen
This is primarily a local dish from the Kohoku region centered around Nagahama City, Shiga Prefecture. Its origins date back to the Edo period, when it was served during celebratory occasions and special events. At that time, for landlocked Shiga Prefecture, mackerel was a precious fish, and grilled mackerel was particularly valued for its long shelf life. By combining it with somen noodles, a luxurious dish was born in which the umami of the mackerel soaks into the noodles.
In recent years, creative variations of this dish have appeared, and it continues to evolve while attracting attention as a traditional local cuisine.
● Where to Eat Yakisaba Somen!
- Restaurant: Yokaro
- Appeal:
“Yokaro,” a local cuisine restaurant in Nagahama City, was founded in 1990 and has been a beloved establishment for locals and tourists alike. Set in a renovated traditional folk house with a charming atmosphere, guests can enjoy their meal while viewing an elegant inner garden. The mackerel is slowly simmered for two days in a secret soy sauce-based sauce until even the bones are tender. The sweet and savory flavors soak exquisitely into the somen noodles, creating a dish that melts in your mouth. The noodles absorb the mackerel’s cooking broth, delivering a rich and flavorful taste. - Address: 7-8 Motohama-cho, Nagahama City, Shiga Prefecture 526-0059
- Access: Approx. 5-minute walk from JR Biwako Line Nagahama Station
- Google Maps: https://maps.app.goo.gl/c3up7bWaaqSnmWYm6
Junjun (Sukiyaki-Style Hot Pot)
*Source: Noka Restaurant Daikichi
● The Appeal of Junjun
Junjun is often served at events and festivals throughout Shiga Prefecture and is popular not only with local residents but also with tourists.
While it is a sukiyaki-style hot pot dish using beef and vegetables, what makes it distinctive is its cooking method and seasoning. The basic preparation involves simmering beef, green onions, Chinese cabbage, tofu, and shiitake mushrooms with sugar and soy sauce for a sweet and savory flavor. Omi beef from Shiga Prefecture is often used, and the high-quality fat and umami of the meat make this dish truly stand out.
● History of Junjun
Junjun is a type of hot pot dish that is primarily a local cuisine of Shiga Prefecture. The name derives from the “junjun” simmering sound made when the ingredients are cooked. This sound symbolizes the dish’s character and has made it a beloved name. It is particularly eaten in the Omi region of Shiga Prefecture and has been passed down as a traditional home-cooked dish.
In recent years, it is often served at events and festivals within Shiga Prefecture and is popular not only with local residents but also with tourists.
● Where to Eat Junjun!
- Restaurant: Omi Beef Ranch Direct – Noka Restaurant Daikichi
- Appeal:
This restaurant is attached to a ranch-direct meat shop where you can enjoy Shiga Prefecture’s specialty “Omi beef” to your heart’s content, with high-quality Omi beef offered at reasonable prices. Junjun is a traditional local dish from the Kohoku region — a home-style cooking resembling sukiyaki topped with egg. This restaurant adds tomatoes as a creative twist, giving it an original flavor. Offering both fresh, high-quality Omi beef and traditional local cuisine, this restaurant is popular with both locals and tourists. - Address: 2-25-11 Imakatata, Otsu City, Shiga Prefecture 520-0241
- Access: Approx. 8-minute walk from Katata Station
- Google Maps: https://maps.app.goo.gl/soMwtusYqFNGmtKn7