Place
Toyama
富山県
36 items
● 33 born here(Bai no Nimono, Bekko, Burishabu, and more) / ● 3 prepared here(Kobumaki Kamaboko, Kurozukuri, Zaiku Kamaboko) / ○ 1 known for it here
Born here33
- Bai no Nimonoばいの煮ものwhole whelk simmered in the shellWhelks from the deep waters of Toyama Bay are simmered whole in their shells — said to appear at celebrations thanks to a play on words suggesting doubled good fortune, with smaller whelks simmered and larger ones eaten raw.
- Bekkoべっこうsoy-flavored agar jelly with swirled eggMelted agar is seasoned with soy sauce and mirin, then set with egg trailed in like threads — its amber color flecked with egg said to resemble a tortoiseshell hair ornament, giving the dish its name; in the west of the prefecture it goes by "yubeshi" instead.
- BurishabuぶりしゃぶShabu-shabu styleyellowtail shabu-shabuThin slices of yellowtail are swished briefly through kelp broth, said to cook only the surface while leaving the center rare — versions using Himi's branded winter yellowtail are considered a particularly luxurious cold-weather treat.
- Genge no Misoshiruげんげの味噌汁deep-sea eelpout miso soupEelpout, a deep-sea fish covered in a gelatinous layer, is cut into chunks and simmered into a miso soup — long treated as an unwanted bycatch of sweet shrimp fishing, its flavor has since been reappraised and spread beyond the fishing villages that first ate it.
- Himi Udon氷見うどんHand-stretched noodles from a fishing town on the Toyama coastA hand-stretched udon developed in Himi, Toyama, in the mid-Edo period by adapting somen-making techniques from Wajima. It was once presented to the Kaga domain as tribute.
- Hoonko Ryori報恩講料理the memorial feast for Jodo Shinshu's founderA catch-all term for the dishes served at houonko, the memorial gathering held on the death anniversary of Jodo Shinshu's founder — the season's better vegetables and wild greens are said to be set aside for it apart from everyday use, with the devout Gokayama area of Nanto known for hearty stews of dried greens and local tofu.
- Hotaruika no Sumisoaeほたるいかの酢味噌和えHotaru ika no sumisoae — firefly squid with vinegar-miso and mustardBoiled firefly squid, its eyes removed, is paired with scallion and dressed in a mustard-vinegar-miso sauce — a spring dish built on squid said to have been fished from Toyama Bay's shores since the Edo period, rising in shimmering shoals each March to spawn.
- Ika to Satoimo no Nimonoいかと里いもの煮ものsquid and taro simmered togetherRings of squid and peeled taro are simmered slowly until the broth reduces — Toyama is said to land squid year-round, and pairing it with taro harvested in autumn and winter has made this a standard cold-season side dish.
- Itokoniいとこ煮azuki beans simmered with root vegetablesAzuki beans, said to have been a favorite of the Jodo Shinshu founder, are simmered with burdock, daikon, and taro — made for the memorial gathering known as houonko, called "nizai" in the east of the prefecture, where the vegetables are cut larger.
- Kuromame Okowa黒豆おこわsticky rice steamed with black soybeansSticky rice steamed with black soybeans, also called "mitama" in the east of the prefecture — chosen over red-bean rice, said to evoke fire, for funerals and memorial services, offered at the altar or handed out as a parting gift.
- Masu-zushiますのすしround pressed trout sushi wrapped in bamboo leavesTrout sushi pressed round and wrapped in bamboo leaves, known nationwide as an ekiben.
- Mikka no Dangojiru三日の団子汁rice-flour dumpling soup for new mothersA miso soup of rice-flour dumplings and taro stem, said to be traditionally fed to a mother on the third day after giving birth, the stem believed to aid recovery and milk supply — the dumpling soup itself is also made as an everyday family dish.
- Myoga Zushiみょうが寿司chirashi sushi with pink ginger flower budsKosanami myoga — a local pink ginger flower bud — and flaked trout are mixed into sushi rice, a festival treat said to have been served at houonko and other celebrations; a later bamboo-wrapped pressed version made it easier to carry and share.
- Nyuzen Brown Ramen入善ブラウンラーメンMisoa secret miso built from local rice, soybeans, and Kurobe fan-waterA rich broth of secret miso brewed from prefecture-grown rice and soybeans, shrimp extract layered in — devised in 2010 by Nyuzen's chamber of commerce youth division to counter the nationally famous Toyama Black.
- Osezushiおせずしpressed mackerel sushi from the Niikawa coastGrilled, flaked mackerel dressed in sweet vinegar is layered with sushi rice and nori and pressed overnight in a wooden mold — its name said to be a contraction of "oshizushi," made for festivals and memorial gatherings along the Niikawa coast around Uozu and Kurobe.
- Osuwaiおすわいdaikon and carrot dressed in sweet vinegarJulienned daikon and carrot are dressed in sweet vinegar with fried tofu — its name said to be a contraction of "su-ae," or vinegar dressing, close in spirit to namasu. Its red and white colors make it a fixture of New Year's boxed meals, and it doubles as an everyday side.
- Oyabe White RamenおやべホワイトラーメンTonkotsu — pork bonea pork broth boiled pale white, topped with ground pork misoA pork-bone broth simmered pale white and topped with sweet-savory ground pork miso — devised in 2012 by Oyabe's chamber of commerce youth division and since spread to more than thirty shops in the city.
- Shiroebi no Kakiage白えびのかき揚げfritter of Toyama Bay's white shrimpGlassy pink shrimp said to be commercially fished only in Toyama Bay are battered with onion and carrot and deep fried — unlike most shrimp, they keep their color when cooked, and the fritter is prized for a crisp bite and delicate sweetness.
- Shiroebi Boshi Dashi no Somen白えび素干だしのそうめんShiroebi somen — wheat noodles in dried white shrimp brothWhite shrimp are sun-dried and simmered into a broth for chilled wheat noodles — drying is said to let the shrimp's season-bound flavor be used year-round, often paired with the hand-stretched somen from Tonami's Daimon district for a cooling summer dish.
- Suzuki酢ずきpickled taro stem in sweet vinegarTaro stems, known as zuiki, are cut short, had their bitterness drawn out, and pickled in sweet vinegar — the vinegar is said to brighten their red color, and the crunchy stems have long been eaten by women recovering after childbirth.
- Surimi Ageすり身揚げdeep-fried fish paste frittersGround paste from seasonal fish such as horse mackerel is mixed with grated mountain yam and vegetables, then deep-fried — crisp outside and fluffy within, known in Himi as "totobochi-age" and sometimes dropped into oden.
- Takaoka Green Ramen高岡グリーンラーメンTonkotsu — pork bonea pork broth turned green with local spinach, echoing the city's copper-green landmarksA pork-bone broth turned green with pureed Takaoka spinach — devised in 2012 by local volunteers to translate a city long associated with the color green into a bowl of ramen.
- Takenoko no Misoniたけのこの味噌煮bamboo shoot simmered in miso with kelpParboiled bamboo shoot is simmered in miso with kelp — a spring dish from areas around Imizu and Takaoka known for bamboo, said to carry a distinctly Toyama touch in the way kelp's savor is folded into the miso.
- Tarajiruたら汁whole cod miso soup from AsahiWalleye pollock, cut whole with head, liver, and roe intact, is simmered in miso — said to have started when fishermen's wives lit a big pot on the beach to welcome the boats home, giving the coastal road here the nickname "cod-soup highway."
- Tororo Konbu Onigiriとろろ昆布のおにぎりrice balls wrapped in shredded kelpRice balls are rolled in white and black shredded kelp until fully coated — Toyama produces almost no kelp itself yet is said to consume more than most, a habit traced to Kitamae-bune trade and to migrants who settled in Hokkaido. Unlike nori, it stays soft over time.
- Toyama Black富山ブラックShoyu — soy saucejet-black soy broth built for riceA jet-black soy broth under cracked pepper — salted to be eaten with rice on the side.
- Buri Daikonぶり大根yellowtail simmered with daikon, Toyama styleYellowtail trimmings are slow-simmered with daikon, the signature dish built on Toyama Bay's winter yellowtail — fish landed at Himi are branded "Himi kan-buri," and the custom of gifting a whole yellowtail to a newly married daughter ties the dish to marriage.
- Kobujime昆布〆raw fish cured between sheets of kelp, Toyama styleSliced raw fish is sandwiched between sheets of kelp and left overnight — said to have begun as a way to draw out moisture and extend keeping time before refrigeration, most often with the marlin locally called "sasu," but also sea bream, white shrimp, or firefly squid.
- Konbumaki昆布巻きherring rolled in kelp, Toyama styleKelp and herring, both said to have arrived on Kitamae-bune trading ships, are rolled together and simmered sweet for New Year — the thick kelp turns silky soft, and sardine, firefly squid, or yellowtail sometimes stand in for the herring.
- Zoni雑煮New Year mochi soup, Toyama styleNew Year's mochi soup varies sharply across the prefecture — the east piles in yellowtail and vegetables, while the western Tonami area keeps it spare with root-on scallion and kelp-rolled fish cake, both said to lean on the same prized local fish cake.
- Tsuboniつぼ煮dried fern shoots simmered with root vegetablesDried fern shoots called kugomi are rehydrated and simmered in soy-based dashi with carrot, taro, and fried tofu — said to have originated as a Buddhist vegetarian dish served at lodgings for Mount Tateyama pilgrims, named for the lidded lacquer bowl it was served in.
- Yakitsuke焼き付けmugwort mochi dough griddled and finished with misoMochi flour kneaded with mugwort is spread thin on a large iron griddle and finished with a sweet miso glaze — said to have used unmarketable broken rice flour during the food shortages of the early Showa era, a filling snack eaten between stretches of farm work.
- Yogoshiよごしgreens and vegetables chopped and simmered with misoBoiled greens such as daikon leaves or taro leaves are chopped fine, pan-fried in sesame oil, and seasoned with miso — its name said to come from being made the night before and eaten the next morning, with houonko versions using the tiny, caviar-like seeds of broom grass.
Prepared here3
- Kobumaki Kamaboko昆布巻きかまぼこToyama's kelp-wrapped fish cakeKobumaki kamaboko is Toyama fish cake wrapped in kelp. It's said to have grown out of a local diet shaped by the region's easy access to kelp as a relay point on the Kitamae-bune trade route.
- Kurozukuri黒づくりsquid fermented in its own inkSquid meat and liver are mixed with the squid's own ink and left to cure in the refrigerator — said to have once been presented to the shogunate by the Kaga domain's lord, and, compared with ordinary salted squid, milder in both fishiness and salt.
- Zaiku Kamaboko細工かまぼこToyama's sculpted celebration fish cakeZaiku kamaboko is Toyama fish paste sculpted and colored into auspicious shapes like sea bream, given at weddings and births. The largest craftsman-made pieces run close to 60cm long.
Known for it here4
- BuriブリBlue-backed fishyellowtail — a winter fish whose name changes as it growsA 'shusseuo' whose name changes with size. Winter's fat-laden 'kanburi' is prized raw, teriyaki-glazed, or simmered with daikon — bays where it fattens before wintering, then is taken in set nets, are valued for both fat quality and yield.Yellowtail fatten up in Toyama Bay along the Tsushima Current before wintering, and are taken in set nets as the branded 'Himi Kanburi'.
- Fufufu富富富Known sourceToyama's heat- and disease-resistant new brandSaid to have been bred by Toyama for heat and disease resistance and launched in 2018, with firm grains and sweetness that hold up when cooled. Its name is said to stack three 'fu' characters from Toyama, reflecting the prefecture's full commitment.Said to be Toyama's brand rice, developed with the latest breeding methods.
- Amaebi甘海老Shrimp and crabKnown sourcea cold-water shrimp sweet enough to eat rawFormally the northern shrimp, it lives in cold water 200-700m deep. Raw, it carries a pronounced sweetness and a melting texture, which gives it this everyday name. Sold year-round for sashimi and sushi.Toyama Bay's steep undersea slope lets this deep-water shrimp be caught close to shore.
- Hotaru IkaホタルイカSquid and octopusKnown sourcea squid whose light organs turn the shoreline blue at nightA small squid about 5cm long with light-producing organs. Its rise to shallow water to spawn each spring is a well-known seasonal sight. Eaten whole, guts included, boiled and dressed in vinegar-miso for a rich, faintly bitter taste.Toyama Bay's shelf-like undersea slope lets spawning squid rise close to shore, known for both net fishing and hand-scooping tours.