Tochigi Cuisine

Tochigi Prefecture

Located just north of Tokyo, less than an hour away by the Tohoku Shinkansen, lies one of Japan's most fertile agricultural regions, Tochigi Prefecture. Although Tochigi is one of the rare prefectures on the Japanese archipelago that does not have a coastline, it is blessed with beautiful natural attributes, most notably the magnificent Nikko and Nasu mountains. These mountains are the source of water for the Kinugawa, Nakagawa and Watarasegawa Rivers, which irrigate the abundant rice paddies in the center and southern parts of the prefecture.

This ideal geography has given Tochigi a long history of thriving agriculture, and the prefecture's cuisine and local dishes have been heavily influenced by the agriculture calendar. This is evident in the foods consumed at festivals and at Buddhist temples. Like the most famous local dishes described below, "shimotsukare" and "kanpyo sushi," Tochigi cuisine is not flamboyant but rather reflective of the traditions of the residents' ancestors.

Agriculture still being essential to Tochigi, the prefecture boasts the country's largest production of strawberries, kanpyo (dried gourd) and Chinese chive, plus a thriving industry for rice and Japanese beef. In addition, the same water sources that contribute so much to agriculture are also what enable Tochigi to be home to many fine brewers of Japanese sake.

Featured Products

Tochigi "Wagyu" Beef
Tochigi Wagyu is the brand name of the super-high-quality beef from the Japanese Black Cattle raised in Tochigi Prefecture. Calves from specific Tochigi Wagyu bloodlines are painstakingly raised, one by one, in a pure environment at specially designated farms. Beef from these cows is currently being exported to the United States.

Where to Buy
JA Zen-noh Tochigi
12-11 Motomachi,Utsunomiya,Tochigi Prefecture
tel: 028-626-2105
fax: 028-625-4588
e-mail: zz_tc_kikaku@tc.zennoh.or.jp

Strawberries: "Tochiotome"
For four decades, Tochigi Prefecture has had the highest production of strawberries in Japan, and is known as the "Strawberry Kingdom." Harvested from October until May, Tochiotome is a variety of strawberries famous in Japan for their large size, bright red color and very sweet meat.

Where to Buy
JA Zen-noh Tochigi
12-11 Motomachi,Utsunomiya,Tochigi Prefecture
tel: 028-626-2105
fax: 028-625-4588
e-mail: zz_tc_kikaku@tc.zennoh.or.jp

Rice: "Koshihikari," "Nasuhikari"
A measure of the purity of the water in the Kinugawa, Nakagawa, and Watarasegawa Rivers flowing from the Nikko and Nasu mountains is the presence of wildlife, especially sweetfish, which is said to live only in very clean water. As the water flows to the center of the prefecture it creates a large and fertile plain, which is home to many organic farms. The rice grown in this fertile plain with abundant pure water is known as "Tochigi Rice."

Where to Buy
JA Zen-noh Tochigi
12-11 Motomachi,Utsunomiya,Tochigi Prefecture
tel: 028-626-2105
fax: 028-625-4588
e-mail: zz_tc_kikaku@tc.zennoh.or.jp

Kanpyo (Dried Gourd Strip)
With nearly 300 years of history, kanpyo, the shavings of dried gourds, is a specialty of Tochigi, which has the largest area dedicated to production and the highest amount produced in Japan. The bottle-gourd plant is cut into long strips and set in the summer sun to dry for one day. High in fiber and minerals, kanpyo is very nutritious and has a unique texture.

Tochigi Sake
Blessed with fertile rice fields fed by the pure water flowing from the Nikko and Nasu mountains through abundant forest streams, generations of skilled artisans have dedicated themselves to making the best sake possible. There are currently 38 sake brewers in Tochigi that have protected and passed down the traditional production process and flavor of their sake through the generations.

Where to Buy
Tochigi Prefectural shuzoukumiai
12-31 Motomachi,Utsunomiya,Tochigi Prefecture
fax: 028-627-1780
e-mail: sasara@sun.ucatv.ne.jp

Local Cuisine

Shimotsukare
Shimotsukare is the most traditional of all the local dishes in Tochigi Prefecture. It is made by first taking the Japanese radish and carrots that are harvested in the fall and storing them during the winter in the ground. Then, around the beginning of February, the radish and carrots are coarsely grated by a tool made from bamboo called onioroshi. This is mixed with the leftover head from the New Year's salted salmon, along with lightly-roasted soybeans, sake cake, and soy sauce, and the whole thing is brought to a boil several times. Every region has slightly different recipes and names for this dish, and every household dish has its own special flavor.

Kanpyo Sushi
Kanpyo is used in many ways, from varieties of sushi to mixed vegetable dishes, plus other dishes eaten around the New Year season including onishime (vegetables and other ingredients boiled with soy sauce-based seasoning) and tamago-toji (a kind of egg soup made by mixing lightly-beaten egg in a dashi-based soup with chopped kanpyo).

Historically, residents of Tochigi have eaten sushi made with kanpyo during celebrations and other special occasions. The two most common of these dishes is rolled sushi and deep-fried tofu sushi. In the former, Kanpyo cooked in soy sauce is used as a filling in the rolled sushi. The deep-fried tofu is boiled in soy sauce mixed with sugar, the tofu then rolled with rice that has been mixed with sugar and vinegar, and the whole thing then tied with kanpyo.

Nikko Yuba
Nikko Yuba's history dates to 766 A.D., when it was considered an ideal source of nourishment for the Buddhist monks and followers of Shugen who first explored the cold Nikko Mountains. Both Nikko and Kyoto are famous for yuba, with the biggest difference being the extra thickness of the Nikko variety. Being a good low-calorie source of protein, and being high in calcium and iron, this famous product of Nikko has always been an important ingredient in Buddhist temple cuisine.

Mimi-udon
Mimi-udon has been made for years in Sano City's Senba-cho and is a rare, ear-shaped noodle made around the New Year season. The shape has been compared to the ear of the devil, and it is said that if you eat the dish during the New Year, the devil will not hear you and you will have a year free from sickness and trouble. Mimi-udon is made by taking a piece of udon dough cut into a credit-card size piece, forming an ear and filling it with meat, onions, carrots, Japanese radish and other vegetables. It is then lightly grilled in oil before it is boiled in a soy sauce-flavored soup.