Regional food of Chubu
Mountain, coastal, and inland specialties from central Japan, with distinctive noodles, fermented seasonings, and preserved foods.
This curated English section currently features 35 representative guides. The Japanese edition contains the full archive.
- Aichi Miso DengakuAichi
Miso dengaku grills tofu, konjac or vegetables and coats them with a sweet-savory miso glaze.
- HitsumabushiAichi
Hitsumabushi is a Nagoya eel dish in which finely sliced grilled eel is spread over rice in a wooden tub. The same serving changes character through...
- Miso Nikomi UdonAichi
Miso nikomi udon is a Nagoya noodle stew cooked vigorously in an individual clay pot with dark soybean miso and dashi. Chicken, fried tofu, leek...
- Nagoya KishimenAichi
Kishimen are broad, flat wheat noodles from Aichi, commonly served in a hot dashi broth with soy sauce, fried tofu, green onion and fluttering bonito...
- Echizen Oroshi SobaFukui
Echizen oroshi soba is Fukui buckwheat served with grated daikon, green onion, and bonito flakes in a seasoned dipping broth or sauce. It is commonly...
- Fukui Decchi YokanFukui
Decchi yokan is a modest azuki sweet with a lighter body and sweetness than rich gift-style yokan.
- HeshikoFukui
Heshiko is a strongly seasoned preserved fish from the Wakasa area, most commonly mackerel salted and then matured for months in rice bran. It is...
- Wakasa Hamayaki SabaFukui
Hamayaki saba skewers and grills a whole mackerel until its skin is fragrant and flesh remains rich.
- Gifu Hoba-zushiGifu
Hoba-zushi wraps vinegared rice and toppings such as fish, vegetables or pickles in a broad magnolia leaf.
- Gifu Kuri KintonGifu
Gifu kuri kinton is a simple autumn confection made by cooking chestnuts with sugar, then shaping the soft mixture in cloth to resemble a chestnut. It...
- Hoba MisoGifu
Hoba miso is a Hida dish in which miso, green onion, mushrooms, and other ingredients are warmed and browned on a dried magnolia leaf over a small...
- JibuniIshikawa
Jibuni is a representative Kanazawa dish of duck or chicken simmered with seasonal vegetables, wheat gluten, and a sweet-savory dashi sauce. The meat...
- Kabura ZushiIshikawa
Kabura zushi is an Ishikawa winter ferment made by sandwiching salted yellowtail between thick pieces of turnip, then maturing them with rice koji...
- Noto IshiruIshikawa
Ishiru is a salty, umami-rich fish sauce fermented in Noto from squid organs or small fish and salt.
- Gohei MochiNagano
Gohei mochi is made by crushing cooked rice, pressing it around a flat skewer, coating it with a miso-based sauce containing walnuts, sesame or...
- Nagano Nozawana-zukeNagano
Nozawana-zuke salt-pickles long nozawana leaves and stems into a crisp green preserve.
- Nagano Sanzoku-yakiNagano
Despite its name meaning grilled food, Nagano sanzoku-yaki is usually a large piece of chicken marinated with garlic and soy sauce, dusted with starch...
- OyakiNagano
Oyaki is a Nagano dumpling made by enclosing vegetables, pickles, beans, or sweet fillings in a wheat- or buckwheat-based wrapper. Common fillings...
- Shinshu SobaNagano
Shinshu soba is the broad name for Nagano's buckwheat-noodle traditions, from finely cut seiro soba to regional forms such as Togakushi soba.
- Hegi SobaNiigata
Hegi soba is a Niigata noodle tradition using funori seaweed as a binder, giving the buckwheat noodles a smooth surface, firm spring, and subtle...
- Myoko KanzuriNiigata
Kanzuri is a fermented Niigata condiment made from chili, yuzu, koji and salt.
- Sasa DangoNiigata
Sasa dango is a Niigata sweet made from chewy mugwort-flavored rice dough wrapped in bamboo leaves and tied before steaming. The most familiar version...
- Mariko Tororo-jiruShizuoka
Tororo-jiru seasons grated yam with dashi and miso, then pours it over barley rice.
- Sakura Ebi KakiageShizuoka
Sakura ebi kakiage is a Shizuoka fritter that gathers tiny pink sakura shrimp into a crisp disk, sometimes with green onion or a small amount of other...
- Shizuoka Kuro HanpenShizuoka
Kuro hanpen is a gray, half-moon fish cake made mainly from whole sardines or mackerel.
- Shizuoka Unagi KabayakiShizuoka
Unagi kabayaki is eel opened, skewered and grilled repeatedly with a glossy sweet soy tare. Hamamatsu and the Lake Hamana area are especially...
- Shizuoka Wasabi-zukeShizuoka
Wasabi-zuke mixes chopped wasabi stems and roots with seasoned sake lees.
- Masu ZushiToyama
Masu zushi is a Toyama pressed sushi in which vinegared trout and seasoned rice are packed into a round wooden container lined with bamboo leaves. The...
- Toyama Buri DaikonToyama
Buri daikon simmers yellowtail collars and bony cuts with daikon in soy sauce, sake, mirin and ginger.
- Toyama Hotaru-ikaToyama
Hotaru-ika are small firefly squid associated with Toyama Bay's spring season and its glowing coastal displays.
- Toyama Kombu-jimeToyama
Kombu-jime sandwiches fish or vegetables between sheets of kombu so gentle curing adds umami and firms the texture.
- Toyama Shiro EbiToyama
Shiro ebi are small translucent shrimp landed in Toyama Bay and celebrated for their refined sweetness. They are commonly served as sashimi, sushi...
- Hoto NoodlesYamanashi
Hoto is a Yamanashi noodle stew made with broad, flat wheat noodles simmered directly in a miso-based broth. Pumpkin, root vegetables, mushrooms, and...
- Kofu Tori Motsu-niYamanashi
Kofu tori motsu-ni rapidly cooks chicken liver, gizzard, heart and sometimes immature eggs in a glossy sweet soy sauce.
- Yoshida UdonYamanashi
Yoshida udon is a specialty of Fujiyoshida known for unusually firm, thick, rustic noodles. A soy, miso, or blended broth commonly holds boiled...