Kakinoha-zushi is pressed sushi made of salted mackerel wrapped in kakinoha (persimmon leaf) with vinegared rice. There are various theories about the origin of Kakinoha Sushi.

Where it is made

Gojo City, Yoshino area

Main ingredients

Rice, mackerel, persimmon leaves

One of Nara's local dishes, "Nokpe" is a stew of taro, radish, carrots, and other ingredients.

Where it is made

All over Nara Prefecture

Main ingredients

taro, deep-fried tofu, radish, carrot, dried shiitake mushroom, konnyaku

In Nara, it is a white miso soup with tofu, festive radish, carrot, taro, and round rice cake, etc. In many areas, the rice cake is taken out of the soup and dipped in soybean flour with sugar.

Where it is made

All over the prefecture

Main ingredients

round rice cake, celebratory radish, carrot, taro, cotton (momen) tofu, white miso paste, soybean flour

Tea cultivation in Japan is said to have begun in the early 9th century when Kobo Daishi (Kukai) brought back tea seeds from Tang China and sowed them at Butsuryuji Temple in Uda City.

Where it is made

All over the prefecture

Main ingredients

Rice, hojicha (green tea)

The "Omizutori" ceremony held every March at Todaiji Temple has a history of more than 1,200 years, and the original chahan (rice with green tea), called "gecha," is served along with tea porridge…

Where it is made

All over the prefecture

Main ingredients

Rice, soybeans, hojicha green tea, water

"Imobota" refers to botamochi (adzuki-bean covered glutinous rice balls) with taro inside.

Where it is made

Entire prefecture

Main ingredients

Rice, taro, adzuki bean

In the Kansai region, chicken that is eaten is called "Kashiwa." The guardian deity of Tenjin is a cow, so chicken sukiyaki (hot pot) was eaten during the autumn festivals at Tenmangu Shrine.

Where it is made

Entire prefecture

Main ingredients

Chicken, napa cabbage, shirataki noodles, grilled tofu, green onion, shiitake mushroom, chrysanthemum leaves, etc.

Miwa, Sakurai City, Nara prefecture is known as the birthplace of somen, and the somen made in this region is called Miwa Somen.

Where it is made

Entire prefecture

Main ingredients

Somen noodles, dashi broth

"Asuka Nabe" is a regional cuisine of Nara prefecture in which chicken and vegetables are simmered in a broth of milk and dashi.

Where it is made

Central and Southern Nara Basin

Main ingredients

Chicken, milk, vermicelli noodles, shiitake mushroom, napa cabbage, chrysanthemum leaves, carrot, long green onion, burdock root, etc.

In the Nara Basin, the wheat harvest ends and the first stage of the rice planting is completed around the time of "Hagessho," so "Hagessho Mochi" is made as a way to take a break.

Where it is made

Entire prefecture

Main ingredients

Crushed wheat, glutinous rice, roasted soybean powder

"Kuzumochi" is a transparent, pulpy mochi made from kudzu powder.

Where it is made

Entire prefecture

Main ingredients

Yoshino Kudzu Powder, sugar, water, soybean flour, black sugar syrup, etc.

"Warabimochi" is a Japanese confectionary made by adding water and sugar to bracken starch, mixing together while heating, then cooling to a solid shape.

Where it is made

The whole prefecture

Main ingredients

Pure bracken starch, sugar, flour

The syrup is poured over fluffy shaved ice which is created in such shops. There is a reason why "shaved ice" in Nara Prefecture is becoming a new food fad.

Where it is made

Entire prefecture

Main ingredients

Ice, syrup, etc.

‘Tako Momiuri’ is a salad marinated octopus, round-sliced cucumber salted and rubbed in salt, and Japanese vinegarette.

Where it is made

All of Nara Prefecture

Main ingredients

Octopus, cucumber, white sesame, vinegar, etc.

‘Sanma zushi’ is prevailed as a local cuisine mainly in Yoshino-gun Totsukawa Village in Nara Prefecture, and was an important ‘nare-zushi’, type of traditional sushi fermented with salted fish and…

Where it is made

Totsukawa Village

Main ingredients

Sanma (=Pacific saury), rice, vinegar, salt, etc.

Originally ‘Ayu-zushi’ was a ‘nare-zushi’, sushi fermented from 1week to 1 month, but it had became less served as time went by because of its unique flavor.

Where it is made

Along the Yoshino River

Main ingredients

Ayu (= sweetfish), rice, vinegar, etc.

"Nara-ae" is a dish that uses Nara's specialty, "Nara-zuke", and is a popular dish even among children.

Where it is made

All of Nara Prefecture

Main ingredients

Nara-zuke (=pickled vegetables), Fiddlehead ferns, Kampyo (=dried gourd strips), Dried shiitake mushrooms, Tsukikonnyaku (konjac strips), Carrots, Fried thin tofu

In Nara Prefecture, the traditional New Year's dish known as "Kaki-namasu" has been enjoyed for a long time.

Where it is made

All of Nara Prefecture

Main ingredients

Daikon Radish, Carrot, Dried Persimmons, Vinegar

"Dengara" is a traditional confection, wrapping sweet bean paste-filled rice cakes in magnolia leaves.

Where it is made

Higashi Yoshino Village , Kawakami Village

Main ingredients

Rice flour, Ho leaves (Magnolia leaves), Azuki beans (Red bean), etc.

In the Yamato Kogen region, the day marking the beginning of rice planting is called "Sabiraki", and on this day, people create "Fukidawara" and offer it on household altars, praying for a bountiful…

Where it is made

Yamato Kogen Area

Main ingredients

Soybeans, Rice, Butterbur leaves

“Manamehari" is a type of mehari-zushi made with salted Shimokita harumana.

Where it is made

Shimokita-yama Village region

Main ingredients

Pickeled Harumana (Mustard green), Rice, Bonito flakes, Soy sauce

In Nara Prefecture, "Iro-gohan" refers to soy sauce-flavored mixed rice.

Where it is made

All of Nara prefecture

Main ingredients

Rice, Carrot, Gobou(=Burdock root) , Thinly sliced and deep-fried tofu, Soy sauce, etc.

‘Zuiki’ is a Japanese taro stem. Stems from red stem species like ‘tou no imo’ and ‘yatsugashira’ (both are species of Japanese taro) have relatively less scum, so it is suitable for food.

Where it is made

All of Nara Prefecture

Main ingredients

‘Zuiki’ (=Japanese taro stem), Fried thin tofu, etc.

This is one of offering dishes during "obon" (mid-August) in Shingon Buddhism.

Where it is made

All of Nara Prefecture

Main ingredients

Carrot, Pumpkin, Eggplant, "Sando mame" (=common green beans), "Zuiki" (=Japanese taro stem), "Myoga" (=Japanese ginger), Gobou (=Burdock root), etc.

‘Shiki shiki’ is a local snack in Nara by grilling dough made from wheat flour, water and sugar, and has been eaten since before war. Eggs can be added these days. It’s like a crape.

Where it is made

Central Nara Basin

Main ingredients

Wheat flour, Sugar, etc.

"Yamato-mana to usuage no nimono" (simmered yamato-mana and fried thin tofu) is a home-style dish using yamato-mana, a traditional vegetable of Yamato (Nara Prefecture).

Where it is made

All of Nara Prefecture

Main ingredients

Yamato-mana, Fried thin tofu, Soy sauce, Sugar, Japanese mustard paste

Itadori is a perennial herb of the Polygonaceae family that grows wild throughout Japan and is an indispensable spring wild plant. It is also called "gonpachi" and "sukampo".

Where it is made

Yoshino mountainous Area and other Areas in the Nara Prefecture

Main ingredients

Itadori (Japanese knotweed), Soy sauce, Mirin (=sweet rice wine) etc.

"Amago no kanroni" is a traditional home-style dish.

Where it is made

Yoshino District, Uda District

Main ingredients

Amago trout, Hoji-cha (roasted green tea)

In Nara Prefecture, which does not face the sea, people used to eat a simmered dish of namabushi (half dried bonito), which lasts for a long time.

Where it is made

All of Nara Prefecture

Main ingredients

Namabushi (half dried bonito), Yuzaki nebuka (Japanese leek)

"Ei no nikogori" is a stewed ray dish with sweet and spicy sauce. It is a standard local dish in the Katsuragi area and other areas in the prefecture.

Where it is made

Katsuragi Area and other Areas in Nara Prefecture

Main ingredients

Ray