It is made by rolling kneaded rice flour with kumazasa (bamboo grass) and then boiling it. It is a traditional food for the lunar calendar's Children's Day (Tango no Sekku).

Where it is made

Eastern Region, Oki Region

Main ingredients

Kumazasa (bamboo grass), Rice flour, Igusa (mugwort)

On New Year's Day, people eat "Sumashi-zoni" with iwanori seaweed in it, and in some areas they start eating "Azuki-zoni" on January 2. There is a tradition of using round rice cakes.

Where it is made

Eastern area of the prefecture

Main ingredients

Red beans, round rice cake

Sumashi Zoni is eaten in a soy sauce-based dashi (=Japanese soup stock), similar to clear soup, with round rice cakes added to the broth.

Where it is made

All of Shimane prefecture

Main ingredients

Round rice cakes, Rock seaweed, Bonito flakes, Agodashi (flying fish broth), Hazedashi (goby fish broth), Irikodashi (anchovy broth), etc.

Called "Heka-nabe," it involves cooking seafood in an iron flat pot similar to a sukiyaki pot. In some cases, wild boar meat is used instead of seafood.

Where it is made

Iwami Region (Oda City etc.) , Eastern Region

Main ingredients

Seafood, seasonal vegetables such as onions, napa cabbage, and shimeji mushrooms.

Shijimi clams are harvested from Lake Shinji, located at the lower reaches of the Hii River in the eastern part of Shimane Prefecture. Lake Shinji is the seventh-largest brackish lake in Japan.

Where it is made

Eastern Region (around Izumo Region)

Main ingredients

Yamato Shijimi, Green onions, etc.

In Shimane Prefecture, during the Boys' Festival (Tango no Sekku), a snack known as "kashiwamochi" is commonly made and enjoyed by children.

Where it is made

All of Shimane Prefecture

Main ingredients

Sarutoriibara leaves(Smilax china leaves), Glutinous rice, Short-grain rice, etc.

In 1939, “Uzume-meshi” was selected by the Imperial Household Agency as one of the "Five Famous Types of Japanese Rice" along with “Sayori-meshi” from Gifu Prefecture, “Fukagawa-meshi” from…

Where it is made

Iwami region (Hamada city, Masuda city Hikimi town, Tsuwano town, etc.)

Main ingredients

Wasabi, sea bream, japanese parsley, seasonal vegetables (carrots, burdock, shiitake mushrooms, satoimo, tofu and fried tofu, chicken, kamaboko), etc.

“Kakuzushi” and “Hakozushi” are both types of pressed sushi. The difference lies in the shape and size of the wooden box used.

Where it is made

Iwami region

Main ingredients

Seasonal vegetables such as vinegared rice, carrots, burdock, and shiitake mushrooms

Especially “Braised Oki Arame” is a familiar dish to the locals.

Where it is made

Oki Islands

Main ingredients

Oki arame, carrots, fried tofu, etc.

In Shimane Prefecture, known for its abundant "Tobiuo(=Flying fish)" catch, these fish are affectionately called "Ago" by the locals.

Where it is made

Eastern Area, Oki Area

Main ingredients

Tobiuo(=Flying fish)

Sazae is an essential ingredient on the Oki Islands' dining tables, cherished in various culinary preparations, with "Sazae Meshi" being one of the popular Sazae dishes.

Where it is made

Entire Oki Area, Iwami Area, Izumo Coastal Area

Main ingredients

Sazae(=Turban Shell), Rice

Izumo soba is representative of the Izumo region. Along with "wanko soba" in Iwate Prefecture and "Togakushi soba" in Nagano Prefecture, it is one of the three most famous soba in Japan.

Where it is made

Izumo Area

Main ingredients

Izumo Soba

Sumoji is a type of chirashi-sushi, and is a type of sushi made with grilled mackerel, which is a specialty of the prefecture, served over vinegared rice.

Where it is made

Tobu Area (Unnan City etc.)

Main ingredients

Mackerel, rice, glutinous rice, etc.

The offshore smelt, horse mackerel, and flying fish harvested by these fishing methods are made into surimi, which is then made into tsumire (fish ball) with gobou(=burdock) and green onion, and…

Where it is made

Izumo Area, Iwami Area, Oki Area etc.

Main ingredients

Okigisu fish, horse mackerel, flying fish, gobou(=burdock), carrot, etc.

The Shimada area was mostly surrounded by mountains and could not produce enough rice.

Where it is made

Eastern region (Shimada area)

Main ingredients

bamboo shoots, sansho (Japanese pepper)

"Fukinotou miso" is a popular dish made with miso and butterbur sprouts, which is often served with rice and as a snack with alcoholic beverages.

Where it is made

Izumo region, Iwami region, etc.

Main ingredients

butterbur sprouts, white miso, country miso, etc.

There are a variety of loach dishes, including fried loach, Yanagawa hotpot, and candied stew, but dojo kenchinjiru, which is made with loach and plenty of other ingredients from the mountains of…

Where it is made

The eastern region (Yasugi City, etc.)

Main ingredients

Loach, burdock, shiitake mushrooms, carrot, radish, etc.

The salt water-packed wetlands that sit between fresh and sea water are called brackish lakes.

Where it is made

Izumo region

Main ingredients

Blood clams (salubowgai)

"Koi no Ito-zukuri" was a noble cuisine eaten by emperors and shoguns from the Kamakura period to the Meiji period.

Where it is made

Matsue City

Main ingredients

Carp, carp roe, etc.

One of these is whitebait tempura, a regular fixture at local restaurants as an accompaniment to udon noodles or a bowl of rice.

Where it is made

Matsue city

Main ingredients

Whitebait, bamboo shoots, rapeseed blossom, seasonal vegetables etc

"Suzuki no Hoshoyaki" is a specialty cuisine of Matsue City, which has flourished as a castle town since the Edo period.

Where it is made

Matsue City

Main ingredients

Sea bass

Even today, eels are still eaten in the Izumo region, and are enjoyed in a variety of dishes such as shiroyaki (grilled eel without sauce), kabayaki (grilled eel with sauce), unaju (eel over rice)…

Where it is made

Izumo Region

Main ingredients

Eel, grilled tofu, Kyo-negi (green onions), seasonal mushrooms, garland chrysanthemum, etc.

Kuroda Seri is a local vegetable of Matsue City, Shimane Prefecture, which has been handed down since the Edo period. The name "Kuroda" comes from the old name of the area, Kuroda-cho.

Where it is made

Matsue City

Main ingredients

Kuroda Seri, spinach

Hamada City and Masuda City are located in the western part of Shimane Prefecture, facing the Sea of Japan. Iwami Sanda, which includes both cities and Ota, is the main city of the Iwami region.

Where it is made

Iwami area (Hamada City, Masuda City, etc.)

Main ingredients

Whale skin, rice, radish, burdock root, shiitake mushrooms, etc.

Bakudan-onigiri" is a popular lunch box or snack that makes lavish use of iwanori. The name "bakudan" is derived from the appearance of the large, round rice ball covered with iwanori seaweed.

Where it is made

Izumo region, Oki region

Main ingredients

iwanori seaweed, rice

One of these is "kakinamasu," dried persimmons made into a vinegared dish.

Where it is made

All over the prefecture

Main ingredients

Dried persimmons, radishes (or turnips), carrots, etc.

Dried daikon is made in all parts of Shimane Prefecture, but "Nishime (simmered dish) of dried daikon" is a local dish mainly made in the Iwami region.

Where it is made

Iwami region (Hamada city, etc.)

Main ingredients

Dried daikon(Japanese radishes)

The locals recommend agono ko umani (braised flying fish roe), which goes well with sake. Dishes using the roe of flying fish are well-loved and eaten by locals.

Where it is made

Oki island area

Main ingredients

Flying fish roe