Top 3 Tokushima Gourmet Picks: Must-Try Local Cuisine

Q: What types of Tokushima Ramen are there?

Tokushima Ramen is classified into three styles: White (Komatsushima style), Brown (Tokushima style), and Yellow (Naruto style). White features a light soy sauce pork bone broth, Brown uses a dark soy sauce pork bone broth, and Yellow is characterized by a light-colored soup with a chicken stock base. Each shop adds its own original twist to these styles.

Q: When is Naruto Sea Bream in season?

The peak seasons are spring (Cherry Blossom Bream) and autumn (Autumn Leaves Bream), when the flavor is especially outstanding. Raised in the powerful currents of the Naruto Strait, the fish develops firm flesh and sweet, rich fat. It is a healthy ingredient that is low in calories, high in protein, and rich in DHA and EPA.

Q: Where is the best place to eat Tokushima Ramen?

Ramen Todai Omichi Main Branch is a popular choice. Their signature brown-style ramen features a rich broth simmered from pork bones, chicken stock, and vegetables, blended with a secret soy sauce base. An added perk is the unlimited free raw eggs at each table. It is about a 15-minute walk from JR Tokushima Station.

Q: Is there a recommended restaurant for Naruto Sea Bream?

Ajidokoro Arashi in Naruto City is highly recommended. Their signature Tennen Tai-zukushi Zen (wild sea bream set meal) lets you savor the firm flesh and sweet fat of sea bream raised in the powerful tidal currents. The restaurant also offers an abundant menu of other seafood including splendid alfonsino and striped jack.

Table of Contents

Awa Odori Chicken
Tokushima Ramen
Naruto Sea Bream

About Tokushima Prefecture’s Gourmet Food
Top 3 Gourmet Picks from Tokushima Prefecture
Frequently Asked Questions

About Tokushima Prefecture’s Gourmet Food

Tokushima Prefecture is blessed with rich natural environments and beautiful landscapes. Its unique food culture has developed by making the most of abundant water sources such as the Naruto Strait and Yoshino River. Thanks to its mild climate and the bounties of both sea and mountains, visitors can enjoy a wide variety of gourmet dishes made with fresh local ingredients.

In particular, “Naruto Sea Bream,” “Tokushima Ramen,” and “Awa Odori Chicken” are popular as the signature gourmet dishes of Tokushima Prefecture. When visiting Tokushima, be sure to savor these dishes and experience the region’s distinctive food culture.

✔ In Short — Our Top Picks

Awa Odori Chicken — Awa Odori Chicken is a specialty of Tokushima Prefecture, renowned nationwide for its exceptional quality and rich flavor.
Tokushima Ramen — Tokushima Ramen is Tokushima Prefecture’s signature local ramen and one of Japan’s most famous regional ramen varieties.
Naruto Sea Bream — The Naruto Strait is known as one of the world’s three great tidal currents.

Read on for the appeal, history, and access details of each spot.

Top 3 Gourmet Picks from Tokushima Prefecture

Awa Odori Chicken

The Appeal of Awa Odori Chicken

Awa Odori Chicken is a specialty of Tokushima Prefecture, renowned nationwide for its exceptional quality and rich flavor. Its rich taste and satisfying texture make it perfect for a variety of dishes.

For example, at “Bone-in Awa Odori Chicken Ikko,” the chicken is seasoned with a secret blend of 17 spices and seasonings, then slowly roasted in a special oven to create their signature “Bone-in Awa Odori Chicken.” This dish allows you to fully enjoy the rich depth of flavor, natural sweetness, and springy texture that is unique to Awa Odori Chicken.

History of Awa Odori Chicken

Awa Odori Chicken was developed over more than 10 years starting in 1978 by the Tokushima Prefectural Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Technology Support Center’s Livestock Research Division, with sales beginning in 1989. Its name is derived from “Awa Odori,” Tokushima’s traditional dance.

Awa Odori Chicken is carefully raised over a minimum of 75 days in the lush natural environments of western and southern Tokushima. The chickens are given plenty of room to exercise in spacious coops, ensuring healthy growth and premium meat quality. Thanks to these rearing methods, Awa Odori Chicken became the first free-range chicken to obtain the JAS (Japanese Agricultural Standard) certification for free-range poultry.

Where to Eat Awa Odori Chicken!

Restaurant: Ikko Tokushima Station Branch
Highlights:
“Ikko” in Tokushima City is a renowned restaurant where you can enjoy bone-in Awa Odori Chicken. Reservations are recommended on weekends at this popular spot, bustling with both tourists and local regulars. Their signature “bone-in chicken” comes in two varieties – parent bird and young Awa Odori Chicken – each offering a different texture and depth of flavor. The young chicken is especially popular for its tender, juicy meat that releases incredible umami with every bite.
The bone-in chicken is roasted to a crispy, fragrant exterior while maintaining a moist, succulent interior, with flavors that intensify the more you chew. Seasoned with a unique spice blend, it pairs perfectly with beer.
Access: 2-minute walk from JR Tokushima Station
Address: 3-12-8 Terashimahoncho-higashi, Tokushima City, Tokushima Prefecture
Google Maps: https://maps.app.goo.gl/PqoUF7BrVnK7nRM7A

Tokushima Ramen

The Appeal of Tokushima Ramen

Tokushima Ramen is Tokushima Prefecture’s signature local ramen and one of Japan’s most famous regional ramen varieties, featuring a rich pork-bone-based broth with bold flavors.

The broth is the defining feature of Tokushima Ramen. The broths are sometimes classified as “White (Komatsushima style),” “Brown (Tokushima style),” and “Yellow (Naruto style).” White features a pork bone base with light soy sauce or white soy sauce; Brown uses pork bone broth seasoned with dark soy sauce or tamari soy sauce with thin noodles; Yellow is a light-colored broth made with chicken stock and vegetables with light soy sauce. Each shop adds its own original twist to these base styles.

History of Tokushima Ramen

Tokushima Ramen originated in eastern Tokushima Prefecture and is now one of Japan’s most well-known regional ramen varieties. Its history dates back to the early post-war period and has developed in close connection with the region’s food culture.

The origin is believed to be a street stall that started around 1949 in Komatsushima City. At that time, passenger ships from Komatsushima Port were the main means of travel to and from the Kansai region, and the area saw heavy foot traffic. It was here that Mr. Hiromu Niki started a stall and, together with the first owner of “Kasai,” began serving ramen.

Where to Eat Tokushima Ramen!

Restaurant: Ramen Todai Omichi Main Branch
Highlights:
“Ramen Todai Omichi Main Branch” is a renowned “brown-style” Tokushima ramen restaurant that draws ramen lovers from both locals and outside the prefecture. Living up to its name, which aspires to be the “Todai (pinnacle)” of the ramen world, it serves bowls that showcase the full appeal of Tokushima ramen.
The signature “Todai Ramen” features a rich broth slowly simmered from pork bones, chicken stock, and vegetables, enhanced with a secret soy sauce blend for deep, complex flavors. Generous portions of sweet-savory braised pork belly are piled on top, perfectly complementing the thin straight noodles. As a bonus, unlimited free raw eggs are available at each table, allowing you to add a creamy richness to your ramen or enjoy them with a side of rice.
Address: 1-36 Omichi, Tokushima City, Tokushima Prefecture
Access: About 15-minute walk from JR Tokushima Station
Google Maps: https://maps.app.goo.gl/magSVimFAumDFgwa7

Naruto Sea Bream

The Appeal of Naruto Sea Bream

The Naruto Strait is known as one of the world’s three great tidal currents, famous for its powerful tidal flows. Sea bream raised in these strong currents develop firm flesh and rich flavor, making them a premium fish. Nurtured in the nutrient-rich environment created by the whirlpools, the fish has a sweet, fatty quality, and can be enjoyed in a variety of dishes including sashimi, grilled preparations, and simmered dishes.

The seasonal flavors are especially outstanding in spring as “Cherry Blossom Bream” and in autumn as “Autumn Leaves Bream.” Low in calories yet high in protein, and rich in DHA and EPA, it is considered an excellent food for health. Its delicious taste and high nutritional value have earned it acclaim throughout Japan.

History of Naruto Sea Bream

The red sea bream raised in the Naruto Strait, commonly known as “Naruto Sea Bream,” has long been recognized as one of Tokushima Prefecture’s representative seafood products. In this region, fishing has been thriving since before the Edo period, and sea bream with firm flesh developed in the powerful currents of the Naruto Strait has been particularly prized. The Naruto Strait’s fast-flowing currents supply abundant plankton, making the bream raised here well-regarded for its rich fat and strong umami flavor.

Where to Eat Naruto Sea Bream!

Restaurant: Ajidokoro Arashi
Highlights:
“Ajidokoro Arashi” in Naruto City, Tokushima Prefecture, is a beloved local restaurant where you can enjoy fresh seafood. Well-known among tourists as well, it’s not uncommon for every seat to be filled as soon as it opens. The interior buzzes with energy, filled with laughter and exclamations of “Delicious!” – making it the ideal place to enjoy a fantastic meal.
The restaurant’s signature dish, the “Tennen Tai-zukushi Zen” (wild sea bream set meal), is a luxurious way to savor the sea bream nurtured in the powerful currents of the Naruto Strait. The sashimi features firm flesh with a perfect balance of sweet fat and a satisfying, springy texture – truly exquisite. Beyond this, the wall-mounted menu boards offer an overwhelming array of delicacies including splendid alfonsino, amberjack, striped jack, bigfin reef squid, fresh sea urchin, and salmon roe.
Address: 51-1 Kitanohama, Okuwajima, Muya-cho, Naruto City, Tokushima Prefecture
Access: About a 20-minute walk from Naruto Station on the JR Naruto Line
Google Maps: https://maps.app.goo.gl/3zsgqci89ZhBiRmH7

Frequently Asked Questions

A.Tokushima Ramen is classified into three styles: “White (Komatsushima style),” “Brown (Tokushima style),” and “Yellow (Naruto style).” White features a light soy sauce pork bone broth, Brown uses a dark soy sauce pork bone broth, and Yellow is characterized by a light-colored soup with a chicken stock base. Each shop adds its own original twist to these styles.

A.Awa Odori Chicken is a free-range chicken developed by Tokushima Prefecture over more than 10 years starting in 1978. Its name derives from the traditional “Awa Odori” dance. Raised for at least 75 days in the lush natural environments of western and southern Tokushima, it was the first free-range chicken to obtain JAS certification for free-range poultry. It is known for its rich flavor, sweetness, and springy texture.

A.The peak seasons are spring (“Cherry Blossom Bream”) and autumn (“Autumn Leaves Bream”), when the flavor is especially outstanding. Raised in the powerful currents of the Naruto Strait, the fish develops firm flesh and sweet, rich fat. It is a healthy ingredient that is low in calories, high in protein, and rich in DHA and EPA.

A.“Ramen Todai Omichi Main Branch” is a popular choice. Their signature brown-style ramen features a rich broth simmered from pork bones, chicken stock, and vegetables, blended with a secret soy sauce base. An added perk is the unlimited free raw eggs at each table. It is about a 15-minute walk from JR Tokushima Station.

A.“Ajidokoro Arashi” in Naruto City is highly recommended. Their signature “Tennen Tai-zukushi Zen” (wild sea bream set meal) lets you savor the firm flesh and sweet fat of sea bream raised in the powerful tidal currents. The restaurant also offers an abundant menu of other seafood including splendid alfonsino and striped jack.