Regional food of Hokkaido & Tohoku
Northern food traditions shaped by cold winters, seafood, rice, preserved foods, and warming hot pots.
This curated English section currently features 30 representative guides. The Japanese edition contains the full archive.
- Akita Shottsuru NabeAkita
Shottsuru nabe seasons hatahata sandfish, tofu and vegetables with Akita's fermented fish sauce.
- IburigakkoAkita
Iburigakko is an Akita pickle made by smoking daikon over wood, then fermenting it in a rice-bran bed with salt and seasonings. The slices combine a...
- Inaniwa UdonAkita
Inaniwa udon is a fine, flat dried noodle from southern Akita, made through repeated kneading, twisting, stretching, and drying. It is smooth and...
- Kiritanpo Hot PotAkita
Kiritanpo is an Akita specialty made by pounding freshly cooked rice, wrapping it around cedar skewers, and grilling it. In kiritanpo hot pot, the...
- Oga Ishiyaki NabeAkita
Ishiyaki nabe boils seafood, seaweed and vegetables in a wooden tub by dropping in red-hot stones.
- Yokote YakisobaAkita
Yokote yakisoba combines thick, straight boiled noodles with a mild sweet-savory sauce, minced pork and cabbage, then adds a sunny-side-up egg and...
- Aomori Jappa-jiruAomori
Jappa-jiru cooks the head, bones and other flavorful parts of cod with daikon, tofu and vegetables in miso soup.
- IchigoniAomori
Ichigoni is a clear celebratory soup from the Hachinohe area of Aomori made with sea urchin and abalone in a lightly seasoned seafood broth. Despite...
- Senbei JiruAomori
Senbei jiru is a specialty of the Hachinohe area in southeastern Aomori. Pieces of firm, unsweetened Nanbu senbei are simmered with chicken, burdock...
- Koriyama Cream BoxFukushima
Cream box is a Koriyama bakery specialty made by spreading a thick, milky white cream over a small slice of bread. The cream is smooth and gently...
- KozuyuFukushima
Kozuyu is a delicately seasoned ceremonial soup from the Aizu area of Fukushima. Dried scallop stock supports small pieces of taro, carrot, shiitake...
- Hokkaido Chanchan-yakiHokkaido
Chanchan-yaki cooks salmon with cabbage, onion, mushrooms, and other vegetables under a savory-sweet miso sauce, usually on a griddle or in a large...
- Hokkaido IkameshiHokkaido
Ikameshi is a whole squid stuffed with glutinous and regular rice, then simmered until tender in a sweet-savory soy-based broth.
- Hokkaido Jaga ButterHokkaido
Jaga butter is a hot steamed or boiled potato split open and topped with butter.
- Hokkaido Matsumae-zukeHokkaido
Matsumae-zuke marinates finely cut kombu and dried squid, often with herring roe, in a soy-based seasoning until the mixture becomes glossy and...
- Hokkaido SanpeijiruHokkaido
Sanpeijiru simmers salted salmon or herring with daikon, carrot, potato and leek in kombu broth.
- Ishikari NabeHokkaido
Ishikari nabe is a Hokkaido hot pot built around fresh salmon, including rich belly meat, bone-in cuts, and sometimes the head or other parts...
- JingisukanHokkaido
Jingisukan is Hokkaido's communal lamb or mutton barbecue, commonly cooked with onions, bean sprouts, cabbage, and other vegetables on a domed metal...
- Nemuro EscalopeHokkaido
Nemuro escalope places a thin pork cutlet over butter rice and covers it with demi-glace sauce.
- Obihiro ButadonHokkaido
Obihiro butadon covers rice with thick slices of pork grilled and repeatedly brushed with a sweet-savory soy tare.
- Shiroi KoibitoHokkaido
Shiroi Koibito is a famous Hokkaido confection consisting of chocolate sandwiched between thin, crisp langue de chat cookies. The white-chocolate...
- WakasaimoHokkaido
Wakasaimo is a Hokkaido confection shaped and flavored to resemble a small roasted sweet potato, even though no sweet potato is used. White bean paste...
- Morioka JajamenIwate
Morioka jajamen pairs broad, chewy wheat noodles with a dense meat-miso sauce, cucumber, and green onion. Diners customize the bowl with grated...
- Morioka ReimenIwate
Morioka reimen is a cold noodle soup known for translucent, exceptionally chewy starch-enriched noodles, a clear beef-based broth, kimchi, sliced...
- Wanko SobaIwate
Wanko soba is an Iwate dining tradition in which an attendant repeatedly adds bite-size portions of soba to a guest's small bowl. It is especially...
- Harako MeshiMiyagi
Harako meshi is an autumn specialty from the Watari area of Miyagi. Rice cooked in a seasoned salmon broth is topped with tender slices of salmon and...
- Sendai GyutanMiyagi
Sendai gyutan is thick-cut beef tongue seasoned, rested, and grilled over high heat. A classic set pairs it with barley-mixed rice, clear oxtail soup...
- Zunda MochiMiyagi
Zunda mochi is soft rice cake coated with a bright green paste made from cooked young soybeans, usually edamame, mashed with sugar and a little salt...
- Yamagata DashiYamagata
Yamagata dashi is a refreshing relish of finely chopped cucumber, eggplant, myoga, shiso, green onion, and other summer vegetables seasoned with soy...
- Yamagata ImoniYamagata
Imoni is an autumn hot pot centered on taro and shared outdoors with family, friends, coworkers, or community groups. In inland Yamagata, the familiar...