In Ibaraki Prefecture, a vegetable kingdom, local cuisine using local vegetables is still deeply rooted, and one of the dishes is "Niai".

Where it is made

Central area of the prefecture

Main ingredients

Lotus root, burdock, carrot, shirataki noodles, dried shiitake mushrooms, fried tofu

Soba (buckwheat) has been widely cultivated in Ibaraki Prefecture since the Edo period (1603 - 1868) due to the large temperature difference between morning and evening and the large amount of…

Where it is made

The whole prefecture

Main ingredients

Soba, taro, radish, carrots, konjac, tofu, raw shiitake mushrooms

Likewise, there are local dishes with chopped fish and flavor it like "Paita-yaki" in other prefectures.

Where it is made

Hitachinaka City

Main ingredients

Sardine, Japanese leek, Ginger, Miso, Egg, Wheat flour as binder

It is a local dish of boiled anglerfish dipped in vinegared miso paste with liver.

Where it is made

Northern Region

Main ingredients

Anglerfish, Miso

"Shimi Konjac"(=Freeze-dried Konjac) has been traditionally produced as a sideline during the agricultural off-season in the northern part of Ibaraki prefecture.

Where it is made

Northern Region

Main ingredients

Konjac(=yam cake)

The Okukuji region in Ibaraki Prefecture has been known for its thriving konjac cultivation since ancient times and is considered the birthplace of konjac.

Where it is made

North Region

Main ingredients

Konjac(=yam cake)

Kasumigaura, with the second-largest lake surface area in Japan, is renowned for its thriving lotus root cultivation.

Where it is made

All of Ibaraki Prefecture

Main ingredients

Lotus root, Gobou(=Burdock root), Carrot and so on

"Imogara" refers to the dried stalk and tuber part of root vegetables such as Satoimo(=Japanese taro).

Where it is made

All of Ibaraki Prefecture

Main ingredients

Satoimo(=Japanese taro) stalk, Lotus root, Carrot, Fried bean curd, Konjac(=yam cake)

"Peanut-Miso" is a traditional dish in Ibaraki Prefecture, where peanuts are abundant.

Where it is made

All of Ibaraki Prefecture

Main ingredients

Peanuts, Miso

“Garigari Namasu”, a local dish made in Ibaraki Prefecture, which is blessed with rich food materials, is made with the seasonal produce of the mountains and sea.

Where it is made

The whole prefecture

Main ingredients

Japanese radish, pickled fish

Green yuzu is available in the market from August until October, then yellow yuzu takes over after it’s getting cooler. ‘Yuzu Daikon’ is a local cuisine not only in Ibaraki, but also in wider area…

Where it is made

Northern Region

Main ingredients

Daikon radish, yuzu, vinegar, Kombu (=kelp)

People made natto with soybeans harvested in the autumn, and made efforts to keep natto longer when they provided natto to their neighbors or temples. ’Soboro natto’ is a traditional dish in Mito…

Where it is made

Central Region of the Prefecture

Main ingredients

Natto (fermented soybean), Wariboshi Daikon(=Dried strips of Daikon radish), Soy sauce, "Mirin (=sweet rice wine)", Sake

Mitsumeno Botamochi' refers to the large rice cakes eaten three days after the birth of the first child.

Where it is made

All of Ibaraki Prefecture

Main ingredients

Glutinous rice flour, Short-grain rice, Red bean Paste

Aka-mochi is a red-colored rice cake made from red corn flour.

Where it is made

Kanasago Region and others

Main ingredients

Red Corn Flour, Kinako (Roasted soybean flour), Sugar

"Kaiso Yose(=Seaweed yose)" is a local dish eaten along the Kashima coast, extending from Kashima in Ibaraki Prefecture to Choshi in Chiba Prefecture.

Where it is made

Kashima City, Namekata City

Main ingredients

Seaweed, Soy Sauce

In Kasumigaura, the second largest lake in Japan in terms of area, carp farming began in the late 1960s, mainly in the Kitaura area, and today it is the area that produces the most carp in the…

Where it is made

Southern region, Kasumigaura, Namegata City, Tsuchiura City

Main ingredients

Carp

“Suzuke (pickling in vinegar) of Japanese smelt and lotus root” is made with Japanese smelt and lotus root, which are local specialties of Kasumigaura, the second largest lake in Japan.

Where it is made

The whole prefecture

Main ingredients

Smelt, lotus root, vinegar, carrots, onions

“Gosaitzuke” has long been loved as a local hometown winter dish and was an important source of protein for commoners.

Where it is made

Rokko region, Kashima, Hokota

Main ingredients

Pacific saury, daikon radish

Kasumigaura is the second largest lake in Japan. It is abundant in freshwater fish like smelt, whitebait, eels, and crucian carp because of the rich plankton and interaction with the sea.

Where it is made

Tone River, Kasumigaura area

Main ingredients

Eel

While Ibaraki Prefecture is renowned as one of the most agricultural prefectures in Japan, it is also a fishery prefecture.

Where it is made

Northern region

Main ingredients

Sardines, soy pulp, yuzu

Clam rice is another classic clam dish that is often eaten in Japanese households.

Where it is made

All regions of the prefecture

Main ingredients

Clams, shiitake mushrooms, carrots

Pumpkin itoko-ni, which is boiled with adzuki beans, has become a staple dish for the winter solstice. Itoko-ni refers to a stew made mainly from vegetables and beans.

Where it is made

Entire prefecture

Main ingredients

Pumpkin, red beans, and soy sauce

Since adzuki beans also come from Ibaraki Prefecture, 'ogura renkon' has long been made at home, as it can be made with locally available ingredients.

Where it is made

All areas of Ibaraki and areas around Kasumigaura

Main ingredients

Lotus root, adzuki beans

"Gomoku Inarizushi" has been well-known for many years as a regional cuisine that features local agricultural products.

Where it is made

Entire prefecture

Main ingredients

Fried tofu pouches, rice, carrot, burdock root, shiitake mushroom

One of Ibaraki Prefecture's local dishes using such soybeans is "komo-dofu. Komodofu" is tofu wrapped in straw wrappings and boiled in salted water, just like natto (fermented soybeans).

Where it is made

All over the prefecture

Main ingredients

Tofu

“Shimotsukare” is a local cuisine in the western part of Ibaraki that consists of leftover New Year's salmon heads, leftover beans from Setsubun (February 3), and root vegetables cooked in sake lees.

Where it is made

Western part of the prefecture

Main ingredients

Salmon, soybeans, radishes, fried tofu, carrots, sake lees

Sudare-bu with sesame paste is a local dish produced in Yuki City, Ibaraki Prefecture.

Where it is made

Yuki City

Main ingredients

sudare-bu, white sesame, vinegar, sugar, soy sauce

Dried sweet potatoes are a processed sweet potato product that is popular among men and women of all ages. Ibaraki Prefecture is the top producer of dried sweet potatoes in Japan.

Where it is made

All over the prefecture

Main ingredients

sweet potatoes

One of the most popular rice cake dishes in Ibaraki Prefecture is "tagane-mochi.

Where it is made

Southern region, Shikagyo region

Main ingredients

Glutinous rice, Uruchi rice

In order to make effective use of all the plums harvested at Kairakuen, Prince Nariaki invented the "Shikinbai" plum tree.

Where it is made

Mito City

Main ingredients

Ume plum, red perilla, salt