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🕓 2025/3/25
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Table of Contents
About Tokushima Cuisine
Tokushima Prefecture is a region blessed with rich natural surroundings and stunning landscapes. Its unique food culture has developed by making the most of abundant water sources such as the Naruto Strait and the Yoshino River. Thanks to its mild climate and the bounty of both the sea and the mountains, visitors can enjoy a wide variety of gourmet dishes made with fresh, high-quality ingredients.
Among them, Naruto Sea Bream, Tokushima Ramen, and Awa-Odori Chicken are especially popular and considered iconic local specialties of Tokushima. When visiting Tokushima Prefecture, be sure to try these dishes and experience the region’s distinctive culinary culture.
Top 3 Must-Try Dishes in Tokushima
1. Awa-Odori Chicken
● The Appeal of Awa-Odori Chicken
A local specialty of Tokushima Prefecture, Awa-Odori Chicken is known throughout Japan for its exceptional quality and rich flavor. Thanks to its savory taste and firm texture, it is enjoyed in a variety of dishes.
One notable example is served at Honetsuki Awa-Odori Ikko, where the chicken is marinated in a secret sauce made from a blend of 17 different spices and seasonings, then slowly grilled in a special kiln. This dish highlights the deep umami, subtle sweetness, and chewy texture that are unique to Awa-Odori Chicken.
● The History of Awa-Odori Chicken
Awa-Odori Chicken was developed over a period of more than 10 years by the Livestock Research Division of the Tokushima Prefectural Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Technology Support Center. It was officially launched on the market in 1990. The name is derived from "Awa Odori", Tokushima’s traditional dance festival.
These chickens are carefully raised for over 75 days in the rich natural environment of western and southern Tokushima. They are kept in spacious coops where they get plenty of exercise, which contributes to their healthy growth and high-quality meat. Thanks to these rearing methods, Awa-Odori Chicken became the first brand of free-range chicken in Japan to be certified under the JAS (Japanese Agricultural Standards) for local poultry.
● Where to Eat Awa-Odori Chicken
- Restaurant Name: Ikko Tokushima Station Front Branch
- Recommended Dish: Bone-in Awa-Odori Chicken
Located in Tokushima City, Ikko is a popular restaurant renowned for its bone-in Awa-Odori Chicken. Especially on weekends, reservations are a must, as the place is bustling with both tourists and local regulars.
Their signature dish, Honetsuki Dori (bone-in chicken), offers two options: Oyadori (mature chicken) and Hinadori (young Awa-Odori chicken). Each has its own unique texture and flavor, but the Hinadori is especially popular for its tender, juicy meat that bursts with umami with every bite.
Crispy on the outside and moist on the inside, the bone-in chicken is grilled to perfection. The house blend of spices adds a bold flavor that pairs perfectly with a cold beer. - Access: 2-minute walk from JR Tokushima Station
- Address: 3-12-8 Terashima Honcho Higashi, Tokushima City, Tokushima Prefecture
- Google Maps：https://maps.app.goo.gl/PqoUF7BrVnK7nRM7A
2. Tokushima Ramen
出展：https://funfun-tokushima.jp
● The Appeal of Tokushima Ramen
Tokushima Ramen is one of the most iconic local specialties of Tokushima Prefecture and is widely recognized throughout Japan. This regional ramen features a rich tonkotsu (pork bone) broth, giving it a bold, flavorful taste.
One of the most distinctive features of Tokushima Ramen is its soup, which is often categorized into three types:
White (Shiro) – Komatsushima style
Brown (Cha) – Tokushima style
Yellow (Ki) – Naruto style
The White style features a pale tonkotsu broth flavored with light soy sauce or white soy sauce. The Brown style uses a thicker tonkotsu broth seasoned with dark soy sauce or tamari, served with medium-thin noodles. The Yellow style has a lighter-colored broth made from chicken bones and vegetables, enhanced with light soy sauce.
Each ramen shop brings its own twist to these base styles, resulting in a rich variety of flavors unique to Tokushima.
● The History of Tokushima Ramen
Tokushima Ramen originated in eastern Tokushima Prefecture and has grown into one of Japan’s well-known regional ramen styles. Its roots go back to the post-World War II era, when it became closely tied to the local food culture.
The origin of Tokushima Ramen is believed to trace back to around 1949 (Showa 24), with a ramen stall that opened in Komatsushima City. At the time, ferry travel between Kansai and Tokushima was popular via Komatsushima Port, bringing a steady flow of people. In this lively setting, Mr. Hiroshi Futaki started a ramen stall and is said to have worked alongside the first owner of what is now known as Kasai, a local ramen establishment.
● Where to Eat Tokushima Ramen
- Restaurant Name: Ramen Todai Daidō Main Store (Ramen Todai Daidō Honten)
- Recommended Dish: Tokushima-style Brown Ramen (Cha-kei)
Ramen Todai Daidō Main Store is a legendary ramen shop representing the brown-style (Cha-kei) Tokushima Ramen. It draws not only locals but also ramen lovers from outside the prefecture. True to its name—“Todai” meaning “top university” and symbolizing its aim to be at the top of the ramen world—it offers a bowl packed with the rich flavor of Tokushima’s signature ramen.
Their signature Todai Ramen features a deep and flavorful broth made by slowly simmering pork bones, chicken bones, and vegetables, enhanced with a secret soy-based sauce. It’s topped generously with sweet and savory simmered pork belly slices (known locally as butasura) and served with medium-thin straight noodles that pair perfectly with the broth.
A unique and popular feature is the free raw eggs available at each table. Diners can crack them into the ramen for extra richness or enjoy them with rice on the side—a favorite local combo. - Address: 1-36 Daidō, Tokushima City, Tokushima Prefecture
- Access: Approximately 15 minutes on foot from JR Tokushima Station
- Google Maps : https://maps.app.goo.gl/magSVimFAumDFgwa7
3. Naruto Sea Bream (Naruto Tai)
出展：https://arashi-naruto.co.jp/
● The Appeal of Naruto Sea Bream
The Naruto Strait is famous for its intense tidal currents and is considered one of the three fastest tidal currents in the world. Naruto Sea Bream, or Naruto Tai, raised in these turbulent waters, is a premium fish known for its firm texture and rich flavor. The nutrient-rich environment created by the whirlpools allows the fish to develop a natural sweetness in its fat, making it ideal for various dishes such as sashimi, grilled fish, and simmered preparations.
In particular, Sakura Tai (cherry blossom sea bream) in spring and Momiji Tai (autumn-leaf sea bream) in autumn are especially prized for their seasonal richness. Low in calories and high in protein, Naruto Tai is also rich in DHA and EPA, making it not only delicious but also nutritious. Thanks to its outstanding taste and nutritional value, it is highly regarded throughout Japan.
● The History of Naruto Sea Bream
The red sea bream (madai) raised in the Naruto Strait—commonly referred to as Naruto Tai—has long been recognized as one of Tokushima Prefecture’s signature marine products. Fishing in this area has flourished since before the Edo period, and the sea bream nurtured by the strong currents of the Naruto Strait has always been considered a delicacy.
Due to the swift tidal flows and abundant plankton in this region, the sea bream raised here are praised for their rich fat content and robust umami flavor.
● Where to Eat Naruto Sea Bream
- Restaurant Name: Ajidokoro Arashi (味処あらし)
- Highlights:
Located in Naruto City, Tokushima Prefecture, Ajidokoro Arashi is a beloved local eatery renowned for serving the freshest seafood. Highly recommended by locals, it is also popular among tourists and often fills up as soon as it opens. The atmosphere is lively, filled with cheerful conversations and satisfied exclamations of “umai!” (delicious!), making it an ideal spot to enjoy authentic Japanese cuisine.
The restaurant’s signature dish, the Natural Naruto Sea Bream Sashimi Set Meal, features premium Naruto Tai raised in the turbulent waters of the Naruto Strait. This sashimi is exceptionally flavorful, offering firm, elastic texture and a sweet, fatty richness. It’s truly a standout dish.
In addition to Naruto Tai, the handwritten menu lining the walls offers a mouthwatering array of fresh seafood, including golden eye snapper (kinmedai), amberjack (kanpachi), striped jack (shima-aji), bigfin reef squid (aori-ika), fresh sea urchin (nama uni), and salmon roe (ikura)—so many tempting options that you’ll have a hard time choosing just one. - Address: Approximately a 20-minute walk from Naruto Station on the JR Naruto Line
- Access: 813 meters from Imabari Station
- Google Maps：https://maps.app.goo.gl/3zsgqci89ZhBiRmH7