JLGC has launched a new project to introduce the regions of Japan… with local dishes! Japanese cuisine has a vast array of regional specialities known as gotōchi gurume (gourmet) in Japanese, many of them originating from dishes prepared using local ingredients and traditional or popular recipes there.
While “local” ingredients are now available nationwide, and some originally regional dishes such as okonomiyaki and Edo-style sushi have spread throughout Japan and are no longer considered as such, many regional specialities survive to this day, with some new ones still being created.
Regionality is also apparent in many dishes which are served throughout Japan such as zōni soup. For example, the dashi-based broth for serving udon noodles is heavy on dark soy sauce, similar to soba broth, in eastern Japan, while in western Japan the broth relies more on the complex dashi-flavouring, with a hint of light soy sauce.
This collection of Japanese gourmet recipes was put together to promote tourism and raise interest in regional areas of Japan, using ingredients that can be found outside of Japan. While cooking and eating, you can discover the tourism websites and social media pages of all 47 prefectures.
However, although this website only shares recipes using ingredients that can be found overseas, there are many recipes from all over the country that use ingredients that can only be found in regional areas of Japan. The recipes below are only a small selection of local gourmet food from each region.
Please note: Sometimes dishes with the same name are found not only in one prefecture but are enjoyed in several prefectures (or regions). Also, in order to easily enjoy recreating these dishes at home, some recipes have been simplified.
The Cook Local Japan webpage is online HERE.
