2009/10/02
Various foods from mountains and villages – Morioka, Iwate
”Iwate” has more than a 100% food self-sufficiency ratio
A wealth of fishery products, a gift from Sanriku Kaigan coastline, various foods from mountains and villages
”Iwate” is a prefecture that has a vast area that is equivalent to the total area of four prefectures in Shikoku. The sea that is facing Sanriku Kaigan, is a coast (deeply-indented coastline) with various rocks of all sizes, mountains and villages; its rich nature and northern land which is fully covered by snow in winter produces some tasty foods.
About 40km from Morioka, one-hour drive by car, there is “Iwado-ko Lake” an artificial lake, in Kitagami Sanchi (Kitagami Hill District). The lake, which is said to be the coldest place in Honshu in winter, is well known as a key site for Wakasagi (lake smelt) fishing. Pitch a tent on the frozen lake, make a small hole in its ice surface, drop a fishing line into the hole and wait quietly for Wakasagi . One day fishing ticket is at 500 yen. The season is from Jan. to Mar. (Depends on condition of ice)
Omotenashi (hospitality) handed down from ancient times in mountain villages in Iwate
“Wanko Soba / Azuma ya”
“Hai, dondon. Janjan. Yoisho (OK. Keep going, more to come and more to eat. upsy-daisy) “
long with a vibrating friendly voice, soba is poured into a bowl one after another, and empty bowls are piled up like a tower.
“In recent days, there were some women who could eat about 100 bowls of soba,”according to “Azumaya” an established soba shop since the 40th year of the Meiji period. In mountain villages in Iwate, there is a tradition of serving soba as the last dish at a banquet, as well as at rice planting and rice plant cutting events. Even using a large pan, you can not make many portions of soba at one time, maybe for 10 people at the most. So boiled soba is served into a 100 bowls, and then more soba is boiled while guests are eating the first portion. It is the sprit of hospitality, serving soba at its best and encouraging the guests to eat more.
Wanko Soba Eating Championship in Japan is held annually. The recent top record is 599 bowls of soba.
- 8-3, 1cho-me, Nakanohashi dori, Morioka City
（Get off at JR Morioka Station／Near-by station shop opens as well） - Tel; 019-622-2252
- Open hours 11:00-20:00 Basically opens everyday * There are some closing date depends on shops
- http://www.wankosoba-azumaya.co.jp/
Land is covered by snow in winter, by cherry blossoms in spring and by amaranth in autumn which turn red .
Millet rice
Rice is an essential food for the Japanese. As people are becoming more health conscious recently, millet rice is also increasing in popularity. Karimai cho town of Iwate prefecture produces a lot of millets including amaranth. Also, miso, shoyu, natto, tofu and other soy-bean products are essential for people’s living. Products such as Iwate-originated “Aomame beans (Iwate Midori)” “Yellow Soy beans (Nambu Shiromame)” and “Shiro Otafuku (Dai fukuna mame beans)” are produced by local young men who cultivate idle fields for the bean production which are then sold in Morioka.
Satonosachihttp://satonosachi.com/
