Chugoku Cuisine: Typical Food From the Region
Chugoku is on the westernmost part of Honshu Island and contains both rural and urban areas. Containing mountains, rivers, lakes, and wetlands, it has a variety of different ingredients and heritages that contribute to its regional food culture.
The cuisine of Chugoku is extremely varied. Seafood is very popular in this region, with several species of unique shellfish being fished in the area. There are also many farming districts, with wheat and yuzu being two major crops. There are 5 prefectures in Chugoku (Hiroshima, Okayama, Shimane, Tottori, Yamaguchi) each of which is known for different specialities.
The top restaurants to visit in Chugoku are the floating oyster restaurant Kakifune Kanawa, Micchan for Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki, Karato Market for fugu, and Oshokuji-dokoro Kaishin in Tottori.
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What food is Chugoku famous for?
Oysters, clams, and snowcrabs are three of the most famous varieties of shellfish from the region. Hiroshima also has its own version of a savory pancake, called hiroshimayaki, where the vegetables, egg, and pork are cooked in layers, with a base layer of noodles.
Three other well-known dishes of the region are doto-nabe, which features oysters, tofu and vegetables in miso broth; fugu, the poisonous pufferfish; and izumo soba, dark soba noodles. Each of the 5 prefectures are known for different dishes.
1. Hiroshima
Hiroshima is best known for its incredible oysters, winter hotpots, and a very hearty variation of okonomiyaki.
5 specialities of Hiroshima are:
- Kaki: the best oysters in Japan, eaten raw or in multiple dishes.
- Kaki-meshi: mixed rice with the famous oysters.
- Doto-nabe: hotpot which features oysters, tofu and vegetables in miso broth.
- Bishu nabe: a sake hotpot with vegetables, sometimes also chicken or pork.
- Hiroshimayaki: a local type of okonomiyaki pancake, very heavy with noodles and eggs.
2. Okayama
Japan’s biggest producers of yuzu fruit. Parts of it are unsuitable for rice cultivation, so wheat noodles also play a strong role.
5 dishes typical of the region are:
- Barazushi: a one-plate rice, fish, and vegetable dish borne out of frugality laws.
- Yuzu miso: an all-purpose seasoning made with the yuzu fruit.
- Tenobe Somen no Bach-ijiru: hand-pulled somen noodles with radish.
- Kenchin soba: buckwheat noodles from Niimi City
- Inoshishi ramen: noodles with wild boar meat.
3. Shimane
Shimane is known for several types of unusual seafood. It has two types of famous clams: giant Shijimi clams from Lake Shinji and salubowgai (blood clams) from the wetland lake of Nakaumi, and additionally squid and flying fish.
5 dishes you may be served in this region are:
- Shijimi-jiru: a soup made with the famous Shijimi clams.
- Akagai garan mushi: a type of blood clam from the brackish Nakaumi Lake.
- Kanshimame-zuke don: rice topped with soy-marinated squid.
- Izumo soba: chewy dark soba noodles
- Tobiuo no sashimi: sashimi from the Tobiuo flying fish.
4. Tottori
Tottori is a provincial area with many farmers. Two especially famous ingredients from the region are various types of crabs and also leeks.
5 well-known dishes from Tottori are:
- Kanimeshi: a dish with the region’s famous snow crab, served with steamed rice.
- Gancha-jiru: Japanese mitten crab with eggplant, in broth.
- Gyukkotsu ramen: ramen made with beef broth, rather than the more usual pork or chicken.
- Shireonegi nabe: a hotpot with dashi stock, in which leeks are dipped. Often served with yellowtail sashimi.
- Itadaki: an ancient “packed lunch” for farmers, with rice and vegetables wrapped inside a sheet of tofu.
5. Yamaguchi
With a vibrant heritage, combining mountain banditry with the poisonous fugu pufferfis, Yamaguchi has an adventurous food culture.
5 typical dishes of the region are:
- Sanzoku chicken: “bandit chicken” skewers of thigh meat eaten straight off the stick.
- Fugu: the internationally famous poisonous pufferfish, for which chefs must have a special licence to prepare.
- Ohira: a ceremonial soup with chicken, yams, burdock root and tofu.
- Kawara soba: BBQ noodles cooked and served on a hot roof tile, originating from makeshift soldiers’ food from the battlefield.
- Iwakuni sushi: a giant, multilayered rice cake, with different flavors and colors woven through.
What restaurants do you go when eating in Chugoku?
For fugu pufferfish in Yamaguchi, Japan travel recommends going to Karato Market in Shimonoseki, and Savor Japan suggests Wa Fukushima as the number one restaurant for fugu in the area, and Dining Hanakoji for shabu-shabu and hotpots.
In Tottori, Savor Japan recommends Oshokuji-dokoro Kaishin, especially for snow crab dishes.
The famous okonomiyaki of Hiroshima is best enjoyed at Micchan, where the dish is thought to have originated, claims Japan Travel. For Hiroshima oysters, the floating oyster restaurant Kakifune Kanawa is a gourmet fine-dining experience. The Oyster Festival is held every February on the island of Miyajima, and is also well worth a visit.
Ronjin is a highly popular restaurant in Shimane, offering traditional Japanese and fusion cuisine. Arigato Japan recommends Kizuki or Arakiya restaurants.
How does Chugoku differ from other regional Japanese food?
Chugoku’s culinary tradition is influenced by the region’s history and geography, which set it apart from other regional Japanese food. With a lot of unusual or speciality seafood from its coastline, lakes and rivers, and layered dishes like Hiroshimayaki, Chugoku offers unique regional variation.
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Caroline first opened the doors to her own apartment in Berlin to guests, which was soon sold out. She then became the head chef of Muse Berlin, Prenzlauer Berg, for eight years, renowned for “international comfort food.”