{"id":2658,"date":"2025-09-30T09:00:50","date_gmt":"2025-09-30T00:00:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/goodie-foodie.com\/en\/?p=2658"},"modified":"2025-09-24T10:32:22","modified_gmt":"2025-09-24T01:32:22","slug":"yamagata-local-foods-tama-konnyaku-dongara-dashi-ramen-dondon-23106","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/goodie-foodie.com\/en\/yamagata-local-foods-tama-konnyaku-dongara-dashi-ramen-dondon-23106\/","title":{"rendered":"Discover Yamagata\u2019s Must-Try Local Dishes: From Tama Konnyaku to Spicy Akayu Ramen"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cTama Konnyaku\u201d Born from Shojin Ryori<\/h2>\r\n
\"\u201cTama<\/div>\r\n

\u201cTama Konnyaku\u201d consists of konnyaku shaped into spheres about 3 cm in size, skewered like dumplings. It is said that konnyaku was originally used in temple shojin ryori (Buddhist vegetarian cuisine) and gradually spread to ordinary households. One of the dishes born from this is \u201cTama Konnyaku.\u201d Instead of using water, the konnyaku is simmered in soy sauce and typically eaten with mustard if desired. The key is to simmer until the soy sauce\u2019s color and flavor are thoroughly absorbed. Today, it is commonly eaten as a handheld snack at tourist spots and festivals, much like fast food.<\/p>\r\n

\u201cDongara-jiru\u201d \u2013 A Luxurious Stew of Whole Cod<\/h2>\r\n
\"\u201cDongara-jiru\u201d<\/div>\r\n

\u201cDongara-jiru\u201d is a fisherman\u2019s dish made using an entire cod in winter. The cod is chopped into chunks, bones included, and simmered in a broth made from kombu kelp. The innards are also added. To finish, only rock seaweed is sprinkled on top to fully savor the flavor of the cod. Incidentally, \u201cdongara\u201d means \u201cara\u201d (fish scraps). Cod season is January to February, and the \u201cKandara Festival,\u201d where dongara-jiru is served, is held in late January.<\/p>\r\n

Summer Staple Dish \u201cDashi\u201d<\/h2>\r\n
\"Summer<\/div>\r\n

In Yamagata, \u201cDashi\u201d is a dish made by chopping summer vegetables such as eggplant and cucumber, along with aromatic herbs like shiso and myoga, then mixing them and seasoning with kombu and soy sauce. In the Murayama region of Yamagata, surrounded by mountains, summers are hot and humid. People there say that even when they had no appetite due to the heat, they could still eat \u201cDashi\u201d made with water-rich vegetables like eggplant and cucumber. Thus, it became a staple summer dish in Yamagata. Since it can be eaten raw and easily prepared, many households serve it in a large container at the table.<\/p>\r\n

\u201cAkayu Karamiso Ramen\u201d Born from Creative Use of Leftovers<\/h2>\r\n
\"\u201cAkayu<\/div>\r\n

\u201cAkayu Karamiso Ramen\u201d originated in the Akayu region of Yamagata. It was developed in 1960 (Showa 35) by a shop called \u201cRyu Shanghai.\u201d The dish was created when miso was added to what was originally a soy sauce-based broth. A spicy miso ball kneaded with garlic and chili peppers is placed in the center, which can be gradually dissolved to adjust the spiciness as you eat. It\u2019s a superb ramen that changes its flavor with every bite.<\/p>\r\n

Handheld \u201cDondon-yaki\u201d \u2013 A Portable Version of Monjayaki<\/h2>\r\n
\"Handheld<\/div>\r\n

\u201cDondon-yaki\u201d is a modified version of monjayaki that can be eaten by hand. A wheat-based batter is topped with nori, aonori, and fish sausage, then grilled. To make it easy to hold while hot, the batter is wrapped around a disposable chopstick. The name \u201cDondon-yaki\u201d comes from the beating of taiko drums (\u201cdondon\u201d) used to attract customers during its sale. Originally, soy sauce was the typical seasoning, but nowadays sauce is commonly used. With various toppings like egg and cheese, it is now widely enjoyed at festivals.<\/p>\r\n\n

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5 Local foods in AKITA | Iburi-gakko, Kiritanpo nabe, Hatahata, Inaniwa udon, and Hinai jidori <\/p><\/div>\n

The prefecture of Akita is situated on the Sea of Japan side of the Tohoku region, the northeastern part of Japan\u2019s main island of Honshu. High-quality spring water flows from the Ou Mountains into rivers, where it is used to cultivate superb rice, which is the primary ingredient of renowned local specialties such as nihonshu (sake) and kiritanpo (mashed rice skewers which are toasted around the hearth). Other delicious Akita specialties include iburi-gakko (smoked daikon radish), hatahata (sandfish), and Inaniwa udon (an artisanal style of udon made entirely by hand).<\/p><\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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Top 5 Must-Try Local Foods in Miyagi: Zunda, Gyutan, Sasakama, Oysters, and Hiyashi Chuka <\/p><\/div>\n

Miyagi Prefecture is also known as the center of the Tohoku region. Date Masamune, the feudal lord who built Sendai Castle, was famous for being a gourmet and is said to have been the first to popularize zunda mochi. Miyagi is also blessed with abundant seafood, with specialties such as sasakama (fish cake) and Matsushima oysters. In addition, popular dishes like gyutan (grilled beef tongue) and hiyashi chuka (chilled Chinese noodles) are also well-loved.<\/p><\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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Yamagata Prefecture is home to a series of mountains counted among the \u201c100 Famous Mountains of Japan.\u201d It is also the land where the renowned haiku poet Matsuo Bash\u014d composed his famous \u201cCicada Haiku.\u201d Surrounded by such beautiful nature, Yamagata offers a variety of local dishes such as tama konnyaku, dongara-jiru, and dashi, all of which are beloved by both locals and visitors alike.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":18,"featured_media":2661,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[56],"class_list":["post-2658","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-slug_articles","tag-what"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/goodie-foodie.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2658","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/goodie-foodie.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/goodie-foodie.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/goodie-foodie.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/18"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/goodie-foodie.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2658"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/goodie-foodie.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2658\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2660,"href":"https:\/\/goodie-foodie.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2658\/revisions\/2660"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/goodie-foodie.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2661"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/goodie-foodie.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2658"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/goodie-foodie.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2658"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/goodie-foodie.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2658"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}