Takayama Local Custom Tips by tigerjapan Top 5 Page for this destination

Local Cuisine (Hida Soba)

Takayama¡¯s cuisine is very different from that of Tokyo, Kyoto and southern Japan. Takayama, being a land-locked area, had to depend on the mountains and rivers for its raw materials. Due to this reason the local people created a number of unique dishes ¨C unique in the ingredients they use and in the flavours of the dishes.

Like many of Japan's mountainous districts, Takayama also has its own¡¡variety of "soba". Soba are noodles made from buckwheat. These noodles are frequently hand -made at the restaurant where you eat them and served in various ways, hot or cold. Soba is often eaten as a light lunch or as part of an evening meal.

Local Cuisine

Takayama’s cuisine is very different from that of Tokyo, Kyoto and southern Japan. Takayama, being a land-locked area, had to depend on the mountains and rivers for its raw materials. Due to this reason the local people created a number of unique dishes – unique in the ingredients they use and in the flavours of the dishes.

One typical local cuisine of Takayama is “SAN-SAI”. San-sai means mountain vegetables such as edible ferns and other wild plants. Said to be both nourishing and delicious these mountains vegetables often have distinctive flavours. San-sai is said to be most delicious when cooked with the rich local miso. This miso is another local dish not to be missed.

“San-sai ryori” is a meal consisting of the mountain vegetables in miso with river fish grilled with salt or soy sauce. It’s a healthy meal and a typical meal of this region.

Hoba Miso (local cuisine) & use of Miso in Hida

Since Takayama is far from the ocean in mountain country, and with transportation difficult in earlier times, obtaining goods from the ocean, in particular, was difficult. On top of that, because of the severity of the hard conditions of the long winter, the eating habits of the people of Hida were “Miso with nothing, only pickled vegetables.” Therefore, housewives became especially skilled in using miso. Hida miso, developed under these circumstances is not only used as a condiment, but also as a side dish as an important source of protein; it is food with the unique flavor of Hida.

Hoba Miso is a famous dish from this region of Japan. Magnolia leaves roast over a charcaol brazier. These leaves are topped with miso, leeks ans shiitake mushrooms. Hida beef is also sometimes added. It cooks away and is a popular snack alongside sake or as a side dish.