Hyogo’s Finest: Gourmet in Japan

Paid Post:Hyogo Prefecture

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Published: 10:00am, 15 Nov 2024

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Hyogo Prefecture, nestled between verdant mountains and pristine seas, offers a culinary adventure that extends far beyond its famous Kobe beef. With premium seafood like Kasumi red snow crab, Akashi sea bream, and Awaji conger eel, it’s no wonder that food enthusiasts flock here for an unforgettable taste experience. Whether a seasoned gourmet or explorer of new flavours, Hyogo is a treasure trove of delights that are sure to impress.

The Luxury of Kobe Beef

Kobe beef is renowned worldwide for its rich flavour and melt-in-the-mouth texture, a result of generations of selective breeding and meticulous care. Only beef meeting strict standards earns the coveted Kobe beef label, and you’ll find it at specialty restaurants throughout Kobe City, Arima Onsen, and other locations in Hyogo.

The secret to its exquisite taste lies in its marbled fat, known as sashi, which gives it a beautiful shimofuri (“frosted”) appearance and a delicate, sweet umami. The lower melting point of Kobe beef fat means it dissolves on the tongue, creating a luxurious eating experience without any heaviness.

One of the best places to savour this delicacy is Misono Kobe Main Store, the birthplace of the famous teppanyaki cooking style. Founded in 1945, this iconic restaurant uses a technique of covering the steak while grilling to help retain the meat’s tenderness while preventing oil splatter. At Misono, the experience is as important as the taste—guests are treated to the sights and sounds of steak sizzling on the hotplate, accompanied by the staff’s expert explanations in English.

Tajima Cattle: The Origin of Kobe Beef

Kobe beef traces its roots to the Tajima region of Hyogo, where Tajima cattle have been carefully bred for centuries. Remarkably, almost all of Japan’s premium wagyu, including Matsusaka and Ohmi beef, descend from a single Tajima cow, Tajiri-go, born in 1939. These cattle graze freely on the scenic slopes of Tajima Pasture Park from June to October, where visitors can observe them up close.

The park also features the Tajima Cattle Museum, where you can learn about the history and significance of these cattle through interactive exhibits. For those interested in tasting the famed Tajima beef, the restaurant Furusato, located within the park, offers a delicious barbecue-style steak set, where you can grill your steak to your liking.

Kasumi Crab: The Jewel of the Kansai Coast

Hyogo is known as the birthplace of crab cuisine in Japan, and Kasumi is a must-visit destination for seafood lovers. Here, the Kasumi fishing port is the only place in Kansai where you can find the exquisite Kasumi red snow crab, available from September through May. The crab is prized for its succulent, sweet meat, making it a true delicacy.

At Kawai Kasumi Honten, a local seafood restaurant in Kami Town, you can enjoy a variety of Kasumi crab dishes, including sashimi, boiled crab, and crab hot pot, all prepared from crabs sourced directly from the fishing port. For a complete experience, consider extending your stay at Kasumi Onsen Village, or unwind in nearby hot springs like Kinosaki Onsen.

Akashi Sea Bream: A Prize Catch

The Akashi Strait, located between Akashi City and Awaji Island, is renowned for its swift currents that produce some of Japan’s finest sea bream. The fish, known for its beautiful pink body with blue spots, is caught using traditional methods that maintain its freshness, such as ikegoshi (minimizing stress) and shinkei-nuki (preserving meat quality). Only sea bream weighing over 800g, landed by specific fishing cooperatives, earn the name “Akashi sea bream.”

For a taste of this exceptional fish, visit Sakanaya Ebisui, a restaurant operated by chef Naoyoshi Ebisui, who draws on his fishing heritage to serve dishes like sashimi, tempura, and the popular tai-meshi (sea bream rice). This signature dish features sea bream heads and fillets cooked with rice over charcoal, infusing the dish with rich flavours and contrasting textures.

Awaji Island’s Hamo: A Seasonal Delicacy

Awaji Island is famed for its hamo (pike conger eel), a prized summer delicacy known for its delicate flavour and unique texture. Preparing hamo requires the skill of honegiri (bone cutting) to handle its numerous tiny bones, a technique perfected by Awaji’s chefs. The island’s long-standing tradition of hamo cuisine ensures that visitors enjoy the best of this exceptional fish.

At Ikoi Japanese Cuisine, chef Takahisa Sugamura offers a full course of hamo dishes, including sashimi, tempura, and the luxurious hamo hot pot. This dish is made with a rich broth simmered from grilled hamo bones, complemented by local Awaji onions for added sweetness. The meal concludes with hand-pulled somen noodles, a specialty of the region, cooked in the hot pot’s flavourful broth.

After indulging in Awaji Island’s culinary treasures, relax in one of the island’s hot springs, such as Sumoto Onsen or Minami Awaji Onsen, for a rejuvenating end to your journey.

Links:

The Originator of Teppanyaki Steak Misono Kobe Main Store
https://misono.org/en/shop/kobe/

Tajima Pasture Park
https://www.bokujyo.com/englishpage/index.html

Restaurant Furusato
https://www.bokujyo.com/furusato.html

Tajima Cattle Museum
http://global.yumura.gr.jp/attractions/tajima-cattle-museum/

Kawai Kasumi Honten
https://kawai-kami.kani-mrck.jp/

Sakanaya Ebisui
https://www.sakanaya-ebisui.jp/

Ikoi Japanese Cuisine
https://www.ikoi-sugamura.com/eng-home