In our exhibition Looks Delicious! Exploring Japan’s food replica culture, each of Japan’s 47 prefectures is represented with a specially commissioned food replica. Browse our interactive map of Japan to find out more about each prefecture’s dish.
Using the map
Zoom in to the map to see the prefectures more clearly, then click or tap on any prefecture to learn more about each dish.
Hokkaido
Ohaw soup
Ohaw, is an important dish of the Ainu, an indigenous people from northern Japan, today living mainly in Hokkaido. It is made by simmering local game or fish, with seasonal wild mountain vegetables. Popular ohaw variations include cepohaw (with salmon) and yukohaw (with venison). An essential dish for the Ainu, who hunted and fished in extremely cold regions, ohaw has been handed down and adapted to contemporary tastes with changes in ingredients and seasoning.
Aomori Prefecture
Kaiyaki-miso
Miso, a paste made from fermented soybeans, is widely used in Japanese cookery. Kaiyaki-miso (miso baked in a shell) is a dish where scallops and egg are grilled in a miso-seasoned broth, using a large scallop shell as a pot. It has been eaten since the Edo period (1603–1868) in the Mutsu Bay area of Aomori, known for its scallops. Characterized by an aroma of the sea and a slightly charred, miso flavour, it is often served over rice.
Iwate Prefecture
Wanko soba
Wanko means ‘wooden bowl’ in the Iwate dialect, and soba refers to Japanese noodles made from buckwheat flour. A small helping of soba is served in a small bowl which is continuously refilled until the customer places the lid on their bowl to signal they are satisfied. One theory suggests the custom originated because local landowners served small portions during festivals as their cooking pots could not make enough noodles for all guests.
Akita Prefecture
Kiritanpo nabe
Kiritanpo is a delicacy made from mashed rice wrapped around a cedar stick and baked. It is a key ingredient in kiritanpo nabe, where it is cooked with vegetables in chicken stock. The dish is said to have originated among charcoal-makers and woodcutters working in the mountains of Akita who toasted leftover rice on skewers. Passed down through generations, this dish is typically eaten to celebrate the new rice harvest, and at ceremonial occasions.
Miyagi Prefecture
Zunda mochi
In Miyagi Prefecture, one of Japan’s major rice-producing regions, rice cakes (mochi) are typically eaten at important events such as New Year, weddings and funerals. Zunda mochi, a local speciality, is made by combining mashed edamame (green soybeans) with sugar and salt to create a vibrant green paste which is then tossed with freshly pounded rice cakes. As edamame are harvested in summer, zunda mochi is often offered during the Obon festival in August.
Yamagata Prefecture
Edible chrysanthemum ohitashi
The custom of eating chrysanthemum petals became popular during the Edo period (1603–1868), and persists today in Yamagata Prefecture. Edible varieties of chrysanthemum are known for their crunchy texture and bittersweet taste. The fragrant purple mottenohoka variety is particularly prized, while yellow chrysanthemums are featured at the Chrysanthemum Festival on the ninth day of the ninth month. In this ohitashi dish, chrysanthemums are boiled, drained in cold water and eaten with soy sauce.
Fukushima Prefecture
Peaches
Originally cultivated for ornamental purposes, peaches have been popular in Japan since the Meiji period (1868–1912). Japan has many varieties of peaches, characterized by their round shape, sweetness and juicy flesh. High-quality peaches are also valued as gifts. Peaches from Fukushima have a darker colour due to the temperature difference between day and night characteristic of the region. As their growing period is longer than in other regions, they are sweeter with denser, firmer flesh.
Ibaraki
Nattō
Nattō is made by fermenting boiled or steamed soybeans. While similar foods exist globally, Japanese nattō is characterized by its stickiness and distinctive odour. Traditionally, nattō is fermented in bundles of rice straw where the nattō bacillus thrives. Rich in nutrients, nattō is often eaten over white rice for breakfast. Mito in Ibaraki Prefecture, a renowned producer of small-grain soybeans, is considered the birthplace of nattō and boasts the highest production in Japan.
Tochigi Prefecture
Grilled gyōza
Although Chinese in origin, dumplings (gyōza) are immensely popular in Japan, especially grilled dumplings. Made from a flour-based dough, they are often filled with minced pork, cabbage, garlic and chives. Serving them grilled side up on a plate is also particular to Japan. After World War II, Utsunomiya in Tochigi Prefecture became known for its gyōza when those returning to the city from Manchuria brought the knowledge to make gyōza with them.
Gunma Prefecture
Daruma-bentō
Daruma dolls, modelled after Bodhidharma, the founder of Zen Buddhism, are popular good-luck charms in Japan. Takasaki in Gunma Prefecture, is the largest producer of daruma dolls, and in 1960 a local company there created daruma-bentō, an ekiben (lunch box sold at train stations) using a daruma-shaped container. The box is typically filled with rice and local mountain vegetables such as bamboo shoots, chestnuts and burdock. Once the bentō is eaten, the container can be reused as a piggy bank.
Saitama Prefecture
Sōka senbei
Sōka-senbei (Sōka rice crackers) are a speciality of Sōka in Saitama Prefecture. Their history dates from the Edo period (1603–1868) when Sōka was a bustling post town on the Nikkō Kaidō, an important highway that linked the capital of Edo (now Tokyo) with provinces in the north. Hard-baked Sōka rice crackers are flattened with a special press called an oshigawara during the grilling process. Their appeal lies in their crunchy texture and aroma of burnt soy sauce.
Chiba Prefecture
Namerō
A local dish from the coastal areas of the Bōsō Peninsula in Chiba Prefecture, namerō was created by fisherman as a way to cook freshly caught fish on board their boats. The name namerō is said to come from the fact that ‘it tastes so good you will lick (nameru) the plate.’ Often made from horse mackerel, the fish is mixed with miso (soybean paste), spring onions and chopped ginger, then pounded until sticky.
Tokyo Prefecture
Nigiri-zushi
Nigiri-zushi is a type of sushi that developed during the Edo period (1603–1868). It consists of an oblong of vinegared rice topped with ingredients including kohada (yellowfin tuna), boiled eel, and omelette. Originally served at Edo-period yatai stalls, it is now enjoyed in various settings from high-class sushi restaurants where diners eat at the counter, to kaiten-zushi (conveyor belt sushi restaurants), supermarkets, and convenience stores.
Kanagawa Prefecture
Odawara kamaboko
Kamaboko is a fish cake made by grinding fish meat with salt, shaping it into a sausage and heating it. Kamaboko from Odawara, known for its fine, elastic texture, is made mainly from guchi (silver croaker). The fish paste is shaped into a fan on a wooden board and steamed. Odawara, a former post town with a thriving fishing industry, became famous for its steamed kamaboko, distinct from the grilled variety common in western Japan.
Yamanashi Prefecture
Kōshū wine
Surrounded by mountains, Yamanashi Prefecture boasts the highest production of grapes in the country, due to its low rainfall, ample sunshine and well-drained soil. Since 1877, when Japan’s first private winery was established, staffed by two young workers sent to study winemaking in France, the Kōshū region of Yamanashi Prefecture has become one of Japan’s leading wine-growing areas. Kōshū wines, primarily made from the Japanese grape varieties Kōshū and Muscat Baily A, now enjoy an international reputation.
Nagano Prefecture
Shinshū soba and wasabi
Soba is a Japanese noodle made from f buckwheat flour, a cereal well-suited to high-altitude cultivation. Mountainous Nagano Prefecture, formerly known as Shinshū, is renowned for its delicious soba. It is typically served with soba-tsuyu (a sauce made with dashi stock and soy sauce), spring onions and wasabi, Japanese horseradish. The city of Azumino in Nagano is a major producer of wasabi. Grown in melted snow, the wasabi adds spice and enhances the sweetness of the soba.
Niigata Prefecture
Noppe
Noppe is a typical dish from Niigata Prefecture. The main ingredient, taro, is simmered with other vegetables in a lightly flavoured broth. The dish is thickened, with pea pods providing a green accent. In winter, salmon roe (ikura), is often added instead of pea pods. Ingredients and preparation vary by household, with recipes often passed down as family traditions. Noppe is enjoyed year-round and is a popular dish at festivals and celebrations.
Toyama Prefecture
Masu-zushi
Masu-zushi (trout sushi) is prepared by lining a mage-wappa (round wooden box) with bamboo leaves, known for their distinctive flavour and antibacterial properties. A layer of sushi rice is placed inside, topped with vinegared trout and wrapped with the bamboo leaves. A long-standing speciality of Toyama, where trout return to the Jinzū River in spring, masu-zushi gained national recognition after being marketed as an eki-ben (railway station lunchbox) during the Taishō period (1912–1926).
Ishikawa
Jibu-ni
Jibu-ni is a dish associated with Kanazawa in Ishikawa Prefecture, once the centre of the prosperous Kaga domain, where samurai culture thrived during the Edo period (1603–1868). Originally reserved for samurai families, it gradually became more widely enjoyed. The dish features duck meat coated with flour simmered with seasonal vegetables and sudare-fu (wheat-gluten bread). Kanazawa is also renowned for its gold leaf, which is used to decorate various products, including food.
Fukui
Heshiko
Heshiko is a fermented fish dish. Fish that has had its entrails removed is first pickled in salt and then marinated in rice bran. In the coastal areas of Fukui Prefecture, heshiko has long been made by households as a valuable source of protein during winter when fishing is not possible. While mackerel is the most common fish used, heshiko can also be made from sardines, squid, and puffer fish.
Shizuoka Prefecture
Unagi
Unagi, Japanese freshwater eels, have been consumed in Japan since ancient times. Due to their high nutritional value, it is customary to eat eels to combat summer fatigue. The most common cooking method is kabayaki, where the eel is split open, deboned, skewered, and grilled with a sweet soy sauce-based marinade. By the late Edo period (1603-1868), Lake Hamana in Shizuoka Prefecture, was renowned for its natural eels. Today, eel farming also thrives in this region.
Gifu Prefecture
Hōba-miso
This dish is made by spreading miso — fermented soybean paste — onto hōba, the leaves of the Japanese bigleaf magnolia tree (Magnolia obovata), and grilling them over a fire. These leaves have antibacterial properties and are often used in local cuisine for preservation and aroma. Originally eaten by woodcutters in the Hida region with the leaf as a makeshift plate, hōba-miso is now a celebrated local delicacy, frequently served with Hida beef, mushrooms, and green onions.
Aichi Prefecture
Ogura toast
Ogura-toast consists of thick slices of shoku-pan (Japanese soft white bread) that are toasted, spread with butter, and topped with a generous serving of ogura, a sweet red bean paste. It was created in 1921 by the owner of a coffee shop in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, who observed some younger customers dipping their toast in zenzai (sweet red bean soup). Today, this dish is a staple of Aichi’s thriving coffee shop culture and is commonly featured in ‘morning service’ breakfast menus.
Mie Prefecture
Ise-ebi
Ise-ebi, Japanese spiny lobster, is a prized ingredient in high-end Japanese cuisine. The name Ise refers to Ise in Mie Prefecture, which is its primary source. Known for its sweet, rich flavour and smooth texture, it is enjoyed served raw as sashimi, fried, or in hot pots. It is also used in banquet dishes and in New Year decorations as a symbol of longevity and bravery.
Shiga Prefecture
Funa-zushi
Funa-zushi is a type of nare-zushi, a dish considered a predecessor to modern sushi, in which fish and rice are salted and fermented with lactic acid. Made from nigorobuna (crucian carp) caught in Lake Biwa, the fish softens during the fermentation process, making it edible down to the bones. This dish is served on festive occasions, including New Year, and is also commonly offered to kami (Shinto ‘spirits’ or ‘deities’) at local shrine festivals.
Kyoto Prefecture
Yu-dōfu
Yu-dōfu (lit. ‘hot-water tōfu’) is a simple yet flavourful dish where tōfu, water, and konbu (dried kelp) are gently heated in a pot, then enjoyed with a soy-sauce based dipping sauce and optional toppings including spring onions, grated radish, and katsuobushi (dried bonito shavings). The minimal cooking enhances the rich flavour of the tōfu. The dish is believed to have originated at a teahouse near Nanzenji Temple in Kyoto and is now enjoyed throughout Japan.
Osaka Prefecture
Takoyaki
Takoyaki is a popular street food made from a batter of flour, dashi (Japanese soup stock), and egg, filled with small pieces of octopus (tako) and cooked into round balls using a special moulded pan. It is typically topped with takoyaki sauce (similar to Worcestershire sauce) and mayonnaise, and sprinkled with ao-nori seaweed and katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes). First created in the 1930s at a restaurant in Osaka, takoyaki has since become an inexpensive and popular menu item all over Osaka, a city famed for its culinary culture.
Nara Prefecture
Kaki no ha-zushi
Kaki no ha-zushi is made by wrapping salted mackerel with vinegared rice in persimmon leaves (kaki no ha). It is associated with Nara, a leading persimmon-producing area. The persimmon leaves have antibacterial properties, help keep the rice moist, and impart a distinctive aroma. In the Gojō and Yoshino regions of Nara, kaki no ha-zushi is often enjoyed as a special treat during summer festivals. Today, it is widely sold across the prefecture as a regional specialty and is a popular ingredient in local eki-ben (lunchboxes sold at railway stations).
Wakayama Prefecture
Umeboshi
Umeboshi are dried and pickled ume (a type of Japanese plum or apricot). They are known for their intense sour and salty flavour and strong antibacterial properties. Wakayama Prefecture is a major producer of umeboshi. In particular, umeboshi made from the prefecture’s Nanko ume are renowned for their quality. A lunchbox with a single umeboshi placed in the centre of white rice is called a Hi no maru bentō, due to its resemblance to the Japanese national flag, the ‘Hi no maru’.
Hyogo Prefecture
Kōbe-gyū steak
Kōbe-gyū is beef from Tajima cattle, raised in Hyōgo Prefecture where Kōbe is located. It became well-known in the late 19th century after being shipped from Kōbe to Yokohama for visitors arriving from the USA and Europe. The meat is grilled on a hotplate, seasoned with salt and pepper, and served with steak sauce or mustard. Prized for its low-fat melting point, Kōbe-gyū is characterized by its tender texture and delicate sweetness.
Okayama Prefecture
Bara-zushi
Bara-zushi is a type of chirashi-zushi (lit. ‘scattered sushi’) made by combining various ingredients with vinegared rice. While chirashi-zushi is enjoyed across Japan, Okayama’s bara-zushi stands out for its extravagant use of ingredients including seafood from the Seto Inland Sea and seasonal vegetables. These are mixed into the vinegared rice, with some also used for colourful decoration. The dish is often prepared for festive occasions and when welcoming guests.
Tottori Prefecture
Zuwai-gani
In winter, Tottori Prefecture is known for its abundant catch of zuwai-gani (snow crabs), a highly prized seasonal delicacy from the Sea of Japan. The male crabs, known as matsuba-gani, have legs filled with tightly packed tender meat, soft in texture and delicately sweet. They are typically boiled and enjoyed with lightly seasoned vinegar. The female crabs contain eggs with a concentrated umami flavour which are often used in miso soup.
Hiroshima Prefecture
Grilled oysters
Hiroshima is Japan’s largest producer of oysters (kaki). The calm waters of Hiroshima Bay in the Seto Inland Sea provide a nurturing environment for oyster farming, with archaeological evidence showing that oysters have been eaten there since the Neolithic era. Hiroshima’s oysters are renowned for their large size and rich flavour. They can be enjoyed in various ways, included as yaki-gaki, grilled on a wire rack and served simply with lemon or grated radish and chilli pepper.
Shimane Prefecture
Izumo soba
Izumo-soba is one of Japan’s three major types of buckwheat soba noodles. The buckwheat seeds are ground with the husk giving the noodles a darker colour, chewy texture and aromatic flavour. A popular way to enjoy Izumo-soba is wariko-soba, where the noodles are served in three stacked lacquered bowls. Soup and condiments are added to the top bowl, with the remaining soup poured into the lower bowls as you eat.
Yamaguchi Prefecture
Fugu-sashi
Shiminoseki in Yamaguchi Prefecture is home to a wholesale market which specializes in fugu (pufferfish). As fugu is poisonous, it can only be prepared by licensed chefs. Fugu-sashi (pufferfish sashimi) is made by slicing the tough flesh so thinly that the pattern on the plate is visible through the raw slices, which are then artfully arranged in the shape of a chrysanthemum or crane. As a luxury dish, it is often enjoyed on special occasions.
Kagawa Prefecture
Sanuki udon
Udon is a Japanese noodle made from wheat flour. Sanuki udon is named after Sanuki Province, the former name of Kagawa Prefecture. Due to low rainfall in the area, stable rice cultivation was difficult, so udon became a local staple. Sanuki udon is known for its firm chewiness and smooth texture. It can be enjoyed in various ways, such as in a broth or dipped in soy sauce.
Tokushima Prefecture
Sudachi sōmen
Sudachi, a citrus fruit with a refreshing aroma and tartness similar to lemon, was cultivated in Tokushima as early as the Edo period (1603–1868) as a source of vinegar. Today, Tokushima accounts for nearly 100% of Japan’s sudachi production. A popular regional dish, sudachi-sōmen features slices of sudachi on top of sōmen, thin wheat flour noodles, served in a cold chicken broth. The Handa area of Tokushima, is particularly known for producing high-quality sōmen.
Ehime Prefecture
Japanese mandarin
Mikan is the Japanese name for the fruit Citris unshiu, the most popular variety of mandarin orange in Japan. These small, easy-to-peel, and mostly seedless fruits are an inexpensive treat. Ehime Prefecture is a leading centre for mikan cultivation. The region’s mild climate and mineral-rich soil, nourished by sea breezes from the Seto Inland Sea, provides an ideal environment for growing nutritious and sweet mikan.
Kōchi Prefecture
Katsuo no tataki
Kōchi Prefecture has the highest consumption of katsuo (bonito) in Japan. The fish are caught using the ipponzuri pole fishing method, a nearly 400-year-old technique that avoids damaging the fish. To make katsuo no tataki, thick fillets of freshly caught bonito are briefly seared over a straw fire, leaving the interior raw. The fish is then sliced and typically served with ponzu, a citrus-based sauce, and a sprinkle of salt.
Fukuoka Prefecture
Tonkotsu rāmen
Rāmen originated as a Chinese noodle dish but developed its own unique identity becoming one of Japan’s most popular dishes both domestically and internationally. Tonkotsu rāmen (pork bone rāmen) is said to have originated in Fukuoka Prefecture around 1950. While recipes vary by restaurant, it typically features a rich, cloudy broth made by boiling pork bones, served with thin noodles and toppings including red ginger, chāshū (sliced barbecued pork), spring onions, and often a seasoned boiled egg.
Saga Prefecture
Yobuko squid sashimi
Yobuko in Karatsu, Saga Prefecture, is reputed to have the finest squid (ika) in Japan. An island in Yobuko Bay acts as a natural breakwater, with tidal currents keeping the water clean, making the bay ideal for fishing. Among the various species of squid caught there, kensaki-ika (swordtip squid or Uroteuthis edulis) is the most famous. Prized for its translucent flesh, crunchy texture, and sweetness, it is often served raw as sashimi.
Nagasaki Prefecture
Chanpon
Chanpon is believed to have originated in 1899 when the owner of a Chinese restaurant in Nagasaki created a hearty, affordable dish for visiting Chinese students by stir-frying vegetables and meat, adding Chinese noodles, and simmering them in a thick soup stock. The dish typically includes pork, kamaboko fish cake, various vegetables, and seafood. A delicious and nutritious meal made in a single wok, chanpon is now served widely at restaurants in Nagasaki where it has become a staple of home cooking.
Ōita Prefecture
Jigoku-mushi
This dish, from the hot spring town of Beppu is made by steaming meat, seafood, eggs and vegetables using the steam from the hot springs. The name can be translated as ‘hell steamer’ with the word hell (jigoku) referring to the town’s bubbling hot springs. The steam imparts a soft, slightly salty taste enhancing the ingredients’ natural flavours. It is a popular meal for people recuperating at hot spring inns.
Kumamoto Prefecture
Karashi-renkon
Karashi-renkon (‘mustard lotus root’) is made by stuffing a miso and Japanese mustard mixture into the holes of a lotus root, coating it in batter, and deep frying it. Originating in 1632 as a health food for an ailing lord of the Kumamoto clan, the recipe remained secret until the Meiji period (1868-1912). Even today, it is only produced in Kumamoto, one of Japan’s largest lotus root producers. While eaten as an everyday food, it is also an essential New Year dish.
Miyazaki Prefecture
Chicken nanban
Chicken nanban originated in the 1950s at a restaurant in Nobeoka in Miyazaki Prefecture and is now a staple in local restaurants and home cooking. The dish is made by coating chicken in flour and egg, deep-frying it, then dipping it in sweet vinegar and serving it with tartar sauce. Nanban is a term for the Portuguese people who came to Japan in the 16th and 17th centuries who introduced the practice of marinating food in sweet vinegar.
Kagoshima Prefecture
Kibinago sashimi
Kibinago (Spratelloides gracilis), or silver-stripe herring, is a fish found in the warm waters of southern Japan. This fish can only be eaten raw as sashimi in areas where fresh kibinago is available. 20% of Japan’s total kibinago catch comes from the islands of Koshikijima located off the coast of mainland Kagoshima. Kibinago sashimi is a popular dish in Kagoshima where it is served with su-miso, a paste of vinegar and miso.
Okinawa Prefecture
Gōyā -chanpuru
Chanpuru is a popular stir-fry dish from Okinawa made using seasonal vegetables and firm, slightly salty Okinawan tōfu. The most well-known variation, gōyā chanpuru, is made from gōyā (bitter gourd), pork belly, tōfu and eggs. The dish has become a popular home-cooked dish in Okinawa and, in recent years, throughout Japan. Gōyā, characterized by its crunchy texture, bitter flavour, and high nutritional value, is mainly grown in the southern regions of Japan, including Okinawa and Kyushu.