Japanese Regional Food to Try in Each of the 47 Prefectures

There is a lot of Japanese regional food.

Each prefecture offering distinct flavors and traditional dishes.

This guide is designed for travelers eager to explore the authentic tastes of Japan, extending beyond the familiar sushi and ramen to uncover local culinary gems.

Whether you’re a food enthusiast or a curious tourist, this journey through Japan’s diverse food landscape promises a rich experience of culture and taste.

Plan your Japanese Regional Food Experience

Traditional Japanese Regional Cuisine

Whether you are touring the Kansai region, hiking through the country, sticking to Tokyo and Kyoto or going off the beaten path, there are plenty of famous dishes to try.

One of the main reasons for visiting Japan is the food.

Here are three different dishes famous in each prefecture.

Hokkaido

1. Kaisendon – a seafood rice bowl featuring fresh sashimi.
2. Soup Curry – a spicier, soupier version of Japanese curry, loaded with vegetables and chicken.
3. Jingisukan (Genghis Khan) – a grilled mutton dish named after the Mongolian leader.

Aomori

1. Senbei Jiru – soup made with fish broth and rice crackers.
2. Ichigoni – a seafood stew made with sea urchin and abalone.
3. Tsugaru Nabe – a hot pot dish featuring local vegetables and meats.

Iwate

1. Wanko Soba – small portions of soba noodles made of buckwheat flour served repeatedly in a challenge to eat as many bowls as possible.
2. Jaja Men – udon noodles topped with a miso-based meat sauce.
3. Reimen – a cold noodle dish influenced by Korean cuisine.

Miyagi

1. Zunda Mochi – mochi balls coated with a sweet paste made from edamame.
2. Gyutan – grilled beef tongue, typically served with rice and soup.
3. Hoya (Sea Pineapple) – a sea creature eaten raw or cooked, known for its unique texture.

Akita

1. Kiritanpo Nabe – hot pot with mashed rice sticks, chicken, and vegetables.
2. Hinai Jidori – a type of high-quality chicken often used in sukiyaki and other dishes.
3. Baba Hera Ice Cream – traditional ice cream served using a unique spatula.

Yamagata

1. Imoni – a taro and meat soup, popular as a communal meal.
2. Cherry Rice – rice cooked with fresh cherries, typically enjoyed in the cherry season.
3. Yamagata Soba – buckwheat noodles, which are a specialty in the region.

Fukushima

1. Kitakata Ramen – known for its thick, flat noodles and soy-sauce-based broth.
2. Mamador – a local version of blanched peaches, often served as a dessert.
3. Kozuyu – a traditional soup made with vegetables and mochi balls.

Ibaraki

1. Natto – fermented soybeans, often eaten as a breakfast dish.
2. Anko Nabe – anglerfish hot pot, which is a local delicacy.
3. Melon – Ibaraki is famous for its particularly sweet melons.

Tochigi

1. Gyoza – Japanese-style dumplings, especially famous in Utsunomiya.
2. Kanpyo Udon – udon noodles served with dried gourd strips.
3. Tochigi Lemon Milk – a sweet beverage made from local lemons and milk.

Gunma

1. Shimonita Leek – dishes featuring the famously sweet and thick leeks of Shimonita.
2. Tonkatsu – breaded and deep-fried pork cutlet, served with cabbage and rice.
3. Mizusawa Udon – one of Japan’s three famous udon, known for its chewy texture.

Saitama

1. Unagi (Eel) – grilled eel, commonly served over rice.
2. Sayama Tea – a locally produced green tea known for its rich flavor.
3. Higashichichibu Village Persimmon Leaves Sushi – sushi wrapped in persimmon leaves.

Chiba

1. Nama Shirasu Don – a bowl of rice topped with raw young sardines.
2. Peanuts – Chiba is known for producing most of Japan’s peanuts.
3. Funabashi Yakitori – a local style of yakitori skewered chicken.

Tokyo

1. Monjayaki – a type of runny pancake cooked on a hot grill.
2. Edomae Sushi – traditional Tokyo-style sushi, emphasizing freshly caught seafood.
3. Tempura – battered and deep-fried seafood and vegetables.

Kanagawa

1. Sanma Men – noodles with Pacific saury, a local specialty.
2. Shumai – steamed dumplings, particularly famous in Yokohama.
3. Odawara Kamaboko – steamed fish cake, often enjoyed as a snack.

Niigata

1. Koshihikari Rice – widely regarded as Japan’s finest rice.
2. Sasa Dango – rice dumplings wrapped in bamboo leaves, typically filled with red bean paste.
3. Noppe – a hearty vegetable stew.

Toyama

1. Masu Sushi – trout sushi, made by curing the fish and pressing it on vinegared rice.
2. Hotaru Ika – firefly squid, often served as sashimi or cooked in various ways.
3. Toyama Black Ramen – black soy sauce-based ramen, known for its rich flavor.

Ishikawa

1. Kanazawa Curry – a unique, thicker curry roux served with a breaded pork cutlet.
2. Jibuni – a stew made with duck and vegetables, a Kanazawa specialty.
3. Hoshi Gaki – dried persimmons, often consumed as a sweet treat.

Fukui

1. Echizen Crab – a prized winter delicacy, often served steamed or in hot pots.
2. Soba – buckwheat noodles, commonly enjoyed in various regional styles.
3. Oroshi Soba – soba noodles served with grated daikon radish.

Yamanashi

1. Hoto – thick noodles cooked in a miso-based soup with vegetables.
2. Yamanashi Peach – peaches from Yamanashi are famous for their sweetness and size.
3. Grapes – the region is known for its high-quality grapes, including the Koshu variety.

Nagano

1. Shinshu Soba – Nagano’s version of buckwheat noodles.
2. Basashi – horse meat sashimi, a delicacy in the region.
3. Nozawana Pickles – pickled greens unique to Nagano.

Gifu

1. Hida Beef – high-quality beef from cattle raised in the Hida region.
2. Keichan – chicken marinated in miso and grilled, typically served with cabbage.
3. Ayugui – grilled sweetfish, a local favorite during the fishing season.

Shizuoka

1. Unagi – eel, particularly famous in Hamamatsu.
2. Shizuoka Oden – a unique version of the Japanese hot pot dish, featuring a dark, rich broth.
3. Wasabi – grown especially in the Izu Peninsula, used fresh.

Aichi

1. Hitsumabushi – Nagoya-style grilled eel served over rice.
2. Miso Katsu – pork cutlet with a thick miso sauce.
3. Tebasaki – spicy glazed chicken wings, a Nagoya favorite.

Mie

1. Ise Lobster – a luxury seafood often served grilled or raw.
2. Matsusaka Beef – famous beef known for its marbling and flavor.
3. Akafuku Mochi – red bean paste covered with a soft, pounded rice cake.

Shiga

1. Funazushi – fermented crucian carp sushi, a rare delicacy with a strong flavor.
2. Biwa Trout – dishes made from trout found in Lake Biwa.
3. Omi Beef – high-grade beef from Shiga, rivaling Kobe and Matsusaka beef.

Kyoto

1. Kaiseki Ryori – traditional multi-course meal, showcasing seasonal and local ingredients.
2. Yuba – tofu skin, often enjoyed in various dishes or as a sashimi.
3. Matcha – green tea powder used in drinks and sweets, central to Kyoto’s tea culture.

Osaka

1. Takoyaki – octopus balls, a popular street food.
2. Okonomiyaki – savory pancake containing a variety of ingredients.
3. Kushikatsu – skewered and breaded meats and vegetables, deep-fried and served with sauce.

Hyogo

1. Kobe Beef – world-renowned for its flavor, tenderness, and fatty, well-marbled texture.
2. Akashiyaki – a softer, lighter version of takoyaki, dipped in dashi before eating.
3. Nada Sake – sake from one of Japan’s most famous brewing areas.

Nara

1. Kakinoha Sushi – sushi wrapped in persimmon leaves.
2. Nara Pickles – various vegetables pickled in a unique Nara-style using sake lees.
3. Narazuke – vegetables pickled in sake lees, offering a distinctively sharp flavor.

Wakayama

1. Koyasan Shojin Ryori – vegetarian cuisine developed by Buddhist monks.
2. Umeboshi – pickled and dried ume fruits, often intensely sour and salty.
3. Mikan – sweet citrus fruits, especially tangerines, are a specialty of Wakayama.

Tottori

1. Tottori Crab – snow crab and Matsuba crab are local specialties, often enjoyed in season.
2. Pears – Tottori is known for its juicy and sweet pears.
3. Gyukotsu Ramen – ramen made with beef bone broth, unique to the region.

Shimane

1. Izumo Soba – buckwheat noodles served in a unique style, often with a dipping sauce.
2. Shijimi Clams – harvested from Lake Shinji, used in soups and broths.
3. Taimeshi – sea bream rice, where the fish is cooked together with the rice.

Okayama

1. Demikatsu Don – breaded pork cutlet served over rice with a demi-glace sauce.
2. Barazushi – a type of scattered sushi featuring local seafood and vegetables.
3. Okayama Peach – renowned for its sweetness and juicy texture.

Hiroshima

1. Hiroshima-style Okonomiyaki – a layered pancake, including ingredients like noodles, cabbage, pork, and seafood, all cooked together.
2. Oysters – Hiroshima is Japan’s largest producer of oysters, served raw, grilled, or fried.
3. Momiji Manju – maple leaf-shaped cakes filled with red bean paste.

Yamaguchi

1. Fugu – pufferfish, famously prepared in Shimonoseki, a city known for its expertise in safely preparing the dish.
2. Kawara Soba – green tea soba noodles served on a heated roof tile, often accompanied by meat and eggs.
3. Blowfish Sashimi – thinly sliced and artfully arranged, a delicacy despite its potential danger.

Tokushima

1. Sudachi – a citrus fruit used to flavor various dishes, from noodles to fish.
2. Awa Odori Chicken – chicken marinated in local Tokushima sake, soy sauce, and sudachi, then grilled.
3. Naruto Kintoki – sweet potatoes with a distinctively rich flavor, often used in desserts.

Kagawa

1. Sanuki Udon – famously chewy and thick udon noodles, typically served in a simple broth.
2. Olive Beef – beef from cattle raised on olives, giving it a unique flavor profile.
3. Iriko Dashi – broth made from dried sardines, foundational in local cuisine.

Ehime

1. Tai Meshi – sea bream served over rice, often cooked together to infuse the rice with flavor.
2. Jakoten – fried fish cake, a popular local snack.
3. Mikan Juice – Ehime is famous for its citrus, and the juice is a popular local beverage.

Kochi

1. Katsuo no Tataki – seared bonito, typically lightly grilled on the outside and raw inside.
2. Sawachi Cuisine – a style of serving where various dishes are presented together on a large platter.
3. Yuzu – a citrus fruit used in Kochi to flavor dishes from savories to sweets.

Fukuoka

1. Hakata Ramen – rich, pork bone broth ramen, known for its creamy texture.
2. Mentaiko – spiced cod roe, often served with rice or used as a topping for various dishes.
3. Tonkotsu Ramen – another style of pork bone broth ramen, characterized by its hearty flavor.

Saga

1. Saga Beef – high-quality beef known for its tender texture and rich marbling.
2. Arita Yaki Donburi – dishes served in Arita porcelain, featuring locally sourced ingredients.
3. Squid Sashimi – fresh squid, often served in its simplest form to highlight its flavor.

Nagasaki

1. Champon – a noodle dish with a variety of seafood and vegetables, in a rich broth.
2. Castella – a type of sponge cake brought by Portuguese traders.
3. Sara Udon – crispy noodles topped with a thick, stir-fried mixture of vegetables and seafood.

Kumamoto

1. Kumamoto Ramen – characterized by garlic and oily broth, often topped with fried garlic chips.
2. Basashi – horse meat sashimi, a local favorite.
3. Karashi Renkon – lotus root stuffed with mustard and miso, then deep-fried.

Oita

1. Toriten – chicken tempura, often enjoyed as a local comfort food.
2. Kabosu – a citrus fruit similar to lime, used to flavor many local dishes.
3. Jigoku Mushi – cooking using natural steam vents from hot springs, a technique unique to Beppu.

Miyazaki

1. Chicken Nanban – fried chicken marinated in a sweet and sour sauce, typically served with tartar sauce.
2. Miyazaki Mango – highly prized for its sweetness and creamy texture.
3. Higo Don – a rice bowl topped with Miyazaki beef and local vegetables.

Kagoshima

1. Kurobuta – black Berkshire pork, known for its juicy flavor and tender texture.
2. Satsuma-age – fried fish cakes, a popular local snack.
3. Shirokuma – a sweet shaved ice dessert topped with fruits and sweetened condensed milk.

Okinawa

1. Goya Champuru – a stir-fry dish made with bitter melon, tofu, and other ingredients.
2. Okinawa Soba – wheat noodles in a pork-based broth, topped with slow-cooked pork belly.
3. Taco Rice – a unique Okinawan dish combining taco fillings with rice instead of taco shells.

A Food Lovers Paradise

Japanese cuisine is famous all over the world, from sushi to miso soup.

But as we have shown, there are plenty of regional dishes and regional cuisines that you can try.

Some use seasonal ingredients such as fresh seafood or fresh vegetables that you cannot get easily elsewhere.

Use the planner at the top of the page to find even more regional specialities.