Regional Flavors of Japan

Discover the taste of local culture through Japan’s unique dishes

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Japanese Regional Dishes

From north to south, discover iconic flavors representing every corner of Japan.

🍜 Hokkaido & Tohoku Region

Grilled lamb and vegetables on a dome-shaped skillet (Jingisukan from Hokkaido)

Hokkaido – Jingisukan

Grilled lamb dish cooked on a dome-shaped skillet with vegetables.

Rice cracker hot pot with vegetables and chicken (Senbei-jiru from Aomori)

Aomori – Senbei-jiru

Hot pot featuring rice crackers simmered with vegetables and chicken.

Tiny bowls of soba served continuously (Wanko Soba from Iwate)

Iwate – Wanko Soba

Small servings of soba noodles offered continuously in tiny bowls.

Thick grilled beef tongue slices, a Sendai specialty (Gyutan from Miyagi)

Miyagi – Gyutan

Thick slices of grilled beef tongue, a specialty of Sendai.

Hot pot with mashed rice sticks and chicken (Kiritanpo Nabe from Akita)

Akita – Kiritanpo Nabe

Hot pot with mashed rice sticks and chicken in savory broth.

Soy-based stew of taro and beef, enjoyed outdoors (Imoni from Yamagata)

Yamagata – Imoni

Taro and beef stew flavored with soy sauce, enjoyed in autumn gatherings.

Pork cutlet on rice with sweet sauce (Sauce Katsudon from Fukushima)

Fukushima – Sauce Katsudon

Breaded pork cutlet drizzled with sweet sauce over rice.

🍥 Kanto Region

Extra-wide flat udon noodles from Saitama (Himokawa Udon)

Saitama – Himokawa Udon

Extremely wide and flat udon noodles, smooth and chewy in texture.

Minced fish tartare with miso and herbs (Namero from Chiba)

Chiba – Namero

Minced fresh fish mixed with miso and herbs, often eaten with rice.

Pan-fried batter dish with various toppings (Monjayaki from Tokyo)

Tokyo – Monjayaki

Runny savory pancake cooked on a griddle, eaten directly with a spatula.

Soy sauce based ramen with stir-fried vegetables (Sanma-men from Kanagawa)

Kanagawa – Sanma-men

Soy sauce ramen topped with stir-fried vegetables and thick sauce.

Miso-based hot pot with monkfish and vegetables (Ankou Nabe from Ibaraki)

Ibaraki – Ankou Nabe

Miso-based hot pot made with monkfish and winter vegetables.

Pan-fried dumplings with cabbage, garlic, and pork (Utsunomiya Gyoza from Tochigi)

Tochigi – Utsunomiya Gyoza

Pan-fried dumplings filled with cabbage, garlic, and pork.

Flat miso noodle stew with root vegetables (Okkirikomi from Gunma)

Gunma – Okkirikomi

Wide flat noodles simmered with root vegetables in miso broth.

🍲 Chubu Region

Stir-fried chicken marinated in miso sauce (Kei-chan from Gifu)

Gifu – Kei-chan

Chicken marinated in garlic miso sauce and stir-fried with cabbage.

Popular charcoal-grilled hamburger steak (Hamburg from Shizuoka)

Shizuoka – Gōtōchi Hamburg

Charcoal-grilled hamburger steak with juicy inside, a local favorite.

Pork cutlet with rich red miso sauce (Miso Katsu from Aichi)

Aichi – Miso Katsu

Breaded pork cutlet topped with thick red miso sauce, Nagoya style.

Miso-based noodle stew with pumpkin and vegetables (Hōtō from Yamanashi)

Yamanashi – Hōtō

Flat udon-like noodles stewed with pumpkin and seasonal vegetables.

Grilled bun filled with savory vegetable mix (Oyaki from Nagano)

Nagano – Oyaki

Grilled dumplings filled with vegetables, mushrooms, or sweet bean paste.

Pressed trout sushi wrapped in bamboo leaves (Masu Sushi from Toyama)

Toyama – Masu Sushi

Pressed sushi with trout on vinegared rice, wrapped in bamboo leaves.

Simmered duck with wheat gluten and vegetables (Jibu-ni from Ishikawa)

Ishikawa – Jibu-ni

Simmered duck with vegetables and wheat gluten in a thickened broth.

Cold soba noodles with grated radish (Echizen Oroshi Soba from Fukui)

Fukui – Echizen Oroshi Soba

Cold soba topped with plenty of grated daikon radish and light soy sauce.

Thick vegetable soup with seafood (Noppe-jiru from Niigata)

Niigata – Noppe-jiru

Thick vegetable stew with taro and salmon, often served at festivals.

🍢 Kinki (Kansai) Region

Thick and soft udon with dark soy-based broth (Ise Udon from Mie)

Mie – Ise Udon

Thick and soft udon noodles served with rich, dark soy-based sauce.

Fermented crucian carp sushi (Funazushi from Shiga)

Shiga – Funazushi

Fermented sushi made from nigorobuna carp and rice, with a strong aroma.

Tofu simmered in kombu broth (Yudofu from Kyoto)

Kyoto – Yudofu

Simple tofu simmered in kelp broth, often served in temple cuisine.

Octopus-filled round dumplings (Takoyaki from Osaka)

Osaka – Takoyaki

Balls of batter filled with diced octopus, topped with sauce and bonito.

Eggy dumplings dipped in broth (Akashiyaki from Hyogo)

Hyogo – Akashiyaki

Soft, eggy octopus dumplings dipped in light dashi broth before eating.

Pressed sushi wrapped in persimmon leaf (Kakinoha Sushi from Nara)

Nara – Kakinoha Sushi

Vinegared rice topped with fish and wrapped in fragrant persimmon leaves.

Deep-fried whale meat (Whale Tatsuta-age from Wakayama)

Wakayama – Whale Tatsuta-age

Whale meat marinated in soy sauce and deep-fried to crispy perfection.

🍲 Chugoku & Shikoku Region

Boiled or grilled snow crab (Matsuba-gani from Tottori)

Tottori – Matsuba-gani

Snow crab, served boiled or grilled, prized for its sweet meat.

Buckwheat noodles served in stacked lacquered boxes (Izumo Soba from Shimane)

Shimane – Izumo Soba

Robust-flavored soba noodles served in three-tiered bowls with toppings.

Colorful chirashi sushi with various ingredients (Bara-zushi from Okayama)

Okayama – Bara-zushi

Scattered sushi topped with vegetables, seafood, and egg on vinegared rice.

Savory pancake layered with noodles (Hiroshima-style Okonomiyaki)

Hiroshima – Okonomiyaki

Layered savory pancake with cabbage, pork, egg, and yakisoba noodles.

Paper-thin slices of raw pufferfish (Fugu Sashimi from Yamaguchi)

Yamaguchi – Fugu Sashimi

Delicate sashimi made from thinly sliced pufferfish, served with ponzu.

Hand-stretched udon served in a large communal basin (Tarai Udon from Tokushima)

Tokushima – Tarai Udon

Thick hand-stretched udon served in a large wooden tub, shared among diners.

Firm and chewy udon noodles (Sanuki Udon from Kagawa)

Kagawa – Sanuki Udon

Famous for its firm, chewy texture and simple soy-based broth.

Deep-fried fish cake made with tiny fish (Jakoten from Ehime)

Ehime – Jakoten

Fried fish cake made from ground whole small fish, including bones.

Seared bonito slices with garlic and onion (Katsuo no Tataki from Kochi)

Kochi – Katsuo no Tataki

Bonito seared over straw fire, served with garlic, onions, and citrus soy sauce.

🍜 Kyushu & Okinawa Region

Tonkotsu ramen with thin noodles and creamy pork broth (Hakata Ramen from Fukuoka)

Fukuoka – Hakata Ramen

Rich pork bone broth ramen with thin, firm noodles and green onions.

Translucent raw squid sashimi (Yobuko Ika from Saga)

Saga – Yobuko Ika

Crystal-clear raw squid sashimi, known for its sweet flavor and texture.

Noodle soup with pork, seafood, and vegetables (Champon from Nagasaki)

Nagasaki – Champon

Rich noodle soup topped with stir-fried seafood, pork, and vegetables.

Raw horse meat sashimi (Basashi from Kumamoto)

Kumamoto – Basashi

Thin slices of raw horse meat served chilled with soy sauce and garlic.

Tempura-style fried chicken (Toriten from Oita)

Oita – Toriten

Tempura-battered chicken pieces deep-fried and served with citrus soy sauce.

Fried chicken with tartar sauce (Chicken Nanban from Miyazaki)

Miyazaki – Chicken Nanban

Fried chicken soaked in sweet vinegar and topped with tartar sauce.

Shabu-shabu with tender black pork (Kurobuta Shabu-shabu from Kagoshima)

Kagoshima – Kurobuta Shabu-shabu

Hot pot with thin slices of rich-flavored black pork and vegetables.

Stir-fried bitter melon with tofu and pork (Goya Champuru from Okinawa)

Okinawa – Goya Champuru

Stir-fry made with bitter melon, tofu, egg, and pork belly – a true island dish.

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