A TASTE OF
TOHOKUYonezawa Beef,
Yamagata Prefecture
Kobe may be Japan’s most
famous wagyu, but up in
Tohoku it’s Yonezawa beef
that’s foremost in its field.
Cattle here are fattened
for as long as 32 months,
making for a marvellously
marbled meat. The city of
Yonezawa has no shortage
of places to try it — Tokiwa
is famous for its ‘sukiyaki’
menu: loin with rice, miso
and pickles; or else head
to Uesugi Hakushakutei,
a former earl’s residence,
where you can dine
amid the still ponds
of a Japanese garden.
hakusyakutei.jpKitakata Ramen,
Fukushima Prefecture
This hearty dish consists
of thick, tangled noodles
in a fragrant broth of
fish, chicken and pork.
While locals will argue
heatedly over where to
find the best version,
Genraiken is the no-frills
restaurant where it was
invented. Walk off your
lunch exploring the ‘kura’
of Kitakata — mud-walled
storehouses dating as far
back as the 18th century,
now used variously as sake
breweries, galleries and
private homes.Oma Tuna,
Aomori Prefecture
The cold fathoms of
Shimokita Peninsula make
for big, fatty fish, caught
the traditional way with
pole, line and elbow
grease, reeled into boats
only fractionally bigger
than the tuna themselves.
The town of Oma is the
place to try it fresh: you
can even see the tuna
being prepared outside
Omanzoku restaurant
during the season (from
July to December).
oomanzoku.comPARTNER CONTENT FOR EAST JAPAN RAILWAY COMPANY