is a Japanese term most often applied to regional specialties (also known as ).
can also be applied to specialized areas of interest, such as , where it refers to famous tea utensils, or Japanese swords, where it refers to specific named famous blades.
Definition
could be classified into the following five categories:According to a paper by Laura Nenzi cited by Jilly Traganou in The Tokaido Road: Traveling and Representation in Edo and Meiji Japan (Routledge, 2004), (72) , regional Japanese food specialties such as the roasted rice cakes () of Hodogaya, and the yam gruel, toro-jiru of Mariko; Japanese crafts as souvenirs such as the swords of Kamakura or the shell-decorated screens of Enoshima;
Historically, also included: Supernatural souvenirs and wonder-working panaceas, such as the bitter powders of Menoke that supposedly cured a large number of illnesses; Bizarre things that added a touch of the "exotic" to the aura of each location such as the fire-resistant salamanders of Hakone; and Prostitutes, who made localities such as Shinagawa, Fujisawa, Akasaka, Yoshida and Goyu famous. In some cases these people may have encouraged visits to otherwise impoverished and remote localities, contributing to the local economy and the exchange between people of different backgrounds.
Several prints in various versions of the ukiyo-e series The Fifty-Three Stations of the Tōkaidō depict . These include Arimatsu , various tie-dyed fabrics sold at Narumi (station 41), and (sliced gourd), a product of Minakuchi (station 51), as well as a famous teahouse at Mariko (station 21) and a famous (rest stop) selling a type of ricecake called at Kusatsu (station 51).
Another category are special tea tools that were historic and precious items of Japanese tea ceremony.
Usage Evelyn Adam gave the following account of in her 1910 book, Behind the Shoji:
Examples Prefecture Traditional crafts Agricultural products (specialities) Akazu ware, pottery
Hōraku ware, pottery – Nagoya , calligraphy brush – Toyohashi Kawana ware, blue and white transferware porcelain – Nagoya , folding fan – Nagoya , ogre-faced roof tile Seto ware, pottery , cloisonné – Ama, Aichi Tokoname ware, pottery – Nagoya , chicken Shrimp spaghetti Curry udon , intestines simmered in miso
, shrimp crackers
, flat udon udon, udon in a miso broth with vegetables
, daikon pickled in sake lees , sandwich of butter and red bean paste , steamed cake with cubes of mochi and sweet potato Taiwan ramen, local version of Tan Tsu Mien
, deep-fried chicken wings
, chicken sashimi , silver filigree , cedar buckets , lacquerware – Yurihonjō , woven maple wood baskets , cherry bark boxes and tea caddies – Kakunodate , lacquerware – Kawatsura – Kawatsura , bent wood cedar boxes – Ōdate , pottery – Daisen, Akita , lacquerware – Noshiro, Akita , pottery – Kakunodate, Akita , Japanese sandfish , chicken , water lily , fig – Nikaho , rice ball hotpot , smoked pickled daikon , taro stew udon
, painted kite , , lacquerware – Hirosaki , clay whistle shaped like a pigeon , carved wooden horse Apples Black garlic Cassis, blackcurrant – Ōma Owani onsen moyashi, soybean sprout – Ōwani Jusankosan yamato shijimi, clams – Goshogawara Shimizumori namba, red pepper – Hirosaki Steuben grape – Tsuruta Apple pie , grilled beef rib meat , roux with chicken and vegetables – Nanbu, Aomori Ichigo-ni, clear soup of thinly sliced sea urchin roe and abalone Ikamenchi, minced squid fritter Jappa-jiru, fish gut and vegetable soup, usually cod or salmon Kaiya or kayaki, scallop boiled with egg and miso in its own shell Keiran, red bean soup with dumplings Senbei jiru, senbei soup Bōshu uchiwa, flat fan – Minamibōsō and Tateyama Chiba koshogu, iron artisan's tools such as sickles, hoes, knives and western-style scissors – Bōsō Peninsula Biwa Hamaguri Ise ebi Peanuts Soy sauce Takenoko Aji no tataki, chopped horse mackerel Ise-ebi senbei, spiny lobster crackers Namerō Peanut monaka Suzumeyaki, broiled Crucian carp Tai senbei, Teppōzuke, pickles – Narita Cultured pearls Tobe ware Goishicha Iyokan Mikan Tai Botchan dango Goshiki somen (five-color somen) Imotaki Jakoten Satsuma jiru, miso and pork stew Uwajima Tai-meshi Echizen Uchihamono, kitchen knives and scissors – Echizen Echizen ware, pottery Echizen washi – Echizen Wakasa nuri, lacquerware – Wakasa Miyazaki takenoko, bamboo shoots Sakuradai, "cherry" seabream caught in early spring Yoshikawa nasu, eggplant – Sabae Zuwaigani, snow crab – Echizen Echizengani-nabe, nabe dish of Echizen snow crab Eihei-ji goma-dofu Funa sashimi Hamayaki saba, mackerel grilled seaside Kodai no sasazuke, preserved sea bream - Obama Oroshi soba Saba no heshiko, grilled rice bran pickled mackerel Satoimo no koroni, soy sauce stewed taro Sauce katsudon Sugo, pickled Yatsugashira taro stalks Volga rice – Echizen Agano ware, pottery – Fukuchi Amagi no bata-bata, painted pellet drum Hakata doll – Fukuoka City Hakata koma, iron spinning top Hakata-ori, woven fabric – Fukuoka City Hakata magemono, bent wood items Karume kasuri, woven fabric – Kurume Ki uso, carved wooden bird toy Koishiwara ware, pottery – Koshiwara Takatori ware, pottery Amaou strawberries – Itojima , chicken Mentaiko Yamecha Goma saba Hitokushi gyoza, "one-bite gyoza" Karashi mentaiko Meika Hiyoko, chick-shaped baked buns stuffed with yellow bean jam Menbei, mentaiko and other seafood senbei Mentaisenbei, mentaiko senbei Mizutaki, chicken soup Motsunabe Niwaka-senpei, cookie shaped like Hakata Niwaka mask Takana gohan, fried rice with pickled takana Tonkotsu ramen Aizuhongō ware, pottery – Aizu region Aizu shikki, lacquerware – Aizu region Akabeko, bobblehead red cow toy – Aizu region Kokeshi Miharu-goma, wooden horse – Miharu Ōborisōma ware, pottery Okiagari-koboshi, papier-mâché toy – Aizu region Fukushima beef Peaches Awa manjū, steamed millet buns stuffed with red bean paste Dobu-jiru, stewed ankimo and vegetables Ikaninjin, squid and carrot in soy-sauce Kitakata ramen Kozuyu, osechi soup made from dried scallops, mushrooms, and vegetables – Aizu Mamador Namie yakisoba Nishin no sanshouduke, dried Pacific herring pickled with sansho Shirakawa ramen – Shirakawa Enako bandori, straw raincoat – Takayama Hida-shunkei, lacquerware – Takayama Japanese kitchen knives – Seki Mino washi, traditional paper used in lanterns (岐阜提灯, Gifu Chōchin), umbrellas (岐阜和傘, Gifu Wagasa) and fans (岐阜うちわ, Gifu Uchiwa) Mino ware, pottery Oribe ware, pottery Shino ware, pottery Sarubobo, monkey amulet – Takayama Ayu, especially via Cormorant fishing on the Nagara River Fuyu Hida beef Hida beni kabu, red turnip Sayori-meshi, rice cooked with salted sanma – Kani and Mitake Akakabu-zuke, red turnip pickles – Hida Takayama Chūka soba, Takayama ramen Hoba miso, beef grilled with miso on top of a dried magnolia leaf – Takayama Keichan, sautéed chicken and cabbage Kurikinton Tatami iwashi Daruma – Takasaki, Gunma Kiryū ori, brocade – Kiryū, Gunma Takasaki maneki neko, papier-mâché Hoshi-imo, wind dried sweet potato Joshu beef Konnyaku Pork Rainbow trout Shimonita negi, green onions Isobe senbei Kamameshi Himokawa udon, extremely wide udon Miso pan Mizusawa udon, udon in sesame sauce Okkirikomi, hand cut noodles in a soy sauce and mirin broth Tōge no kamameshi, mountain pass kettle rice Torimeshi, chicken cooked in tea rice Yakimanju, grilled manjū Fude, calligraphy brush – Kumano Hariko, papier-mâché masks and dolls – Miyajima Kendama, cup and ball game – Hatsukaichi Otagawa glass Shakushi made from cherry wood – Miyajima Anago Hiroshimana, a variety of Chinese cabbage Lemons Oysters Calbee Dote-nabe, nabemono dish of oysters, tofu and vegetables stewed in a miso-based broth Momiji manjū Monaka Okonomiyaki Onomichi ramen Shakushi Senbei, senbei shaped like ladles Tsukemen Kibori kuma, carved wooden bear – Yakumo, Hokkaido Nibutani bark cloth Corn Dairy products Kombu Lavender Salmon Yubari King cantaloupe Butadon Chanchan-yaki, miso grilled salmon with vegetables Ikameshi Ika sōmen Ishikari-nabe, salmon and vegetables cooked in a miso broth Japanese wine Jingisukan Matsumaezuke Muroran curry ramen Sanpei-jiru, a winter vegetable and salmon miso soup Sapporo ramen Shiroi Koibito Rui-be Royce' Uni donburi Zangi, deep fried chicken marinated in soy sauce and ginger Awaji ware, pottery Banshū kebari, fly fishing ties – Nishiwaki, Hyōgo Incense Izushi ware, pottery – Izushi Tamba ware, pottery Ako salt Hamo Kobe beef Kuromame, black soybeans Sanda beef Tai Akashiyaki Botan nabe, wild boar hot pot Butaman – Kobe Castella Fugetsudo Himeji oden Ikanago no kukini, sand lance tsukudani Kakogawa katsumeshi, beef cutlet served on rice with demi-glace – Kakogawa Shiome manju – Akō Awano shunkei-nuri, lacquerware Kasama-yaki, pottery – Kasama Yūki-tsumugi – Yūki Anko Edosaki kabocha Hitachi wagyu Hoshi-imo, dried sweet potato Natto Okukuji Shamo chicken Ankoimo Anko nabe, anglerfish nabe Kenchin jiru Miso peanuts Namegata-don, seafood and vegetables over rice Shishi-nabe, wild boar hotpot Kaga mizuhaki Kutani ware, glazed porcelain – Kaga, Ishikawa Wajima-nuri – Wajima, Ishikawa Yamanaka-nuri – Kaga, Ishikawa Japanese amberjack Kaga yasai, traditional vegetables Kukicha, processed either as bancha or hōjicha Noto salt Snow crab Gori-karaage, deep-fried gori Gori-tsukudani, gori simmered in soy sauce, sometimes with walnuts Hasumushi, steamed lotus root egg dish Ishiru hotpot, hotpot cooked with fish sauce instead of soy sauce Jibu-ni Kaburazushi, turnip sushi Kamifūsen, balloon shaped sweet filled with kingyoku jelly – Kanazawa Kaisendon, seafood rice bowl Kintsuba, red beans and agar wagashi – Kanazawa Rakugan, pressed dry sweets – Kanazawa Hidehira-nuri, lacquerware Iwayadotansu (岩谷堂箪笥), wooden chests of drawers – Ōshū, Iwate Johoji lacquerware Kokeshi Tetsubin, cast iron kettle Abalone (farmed) Kashi gaki, persimmon – Kamaishi Wasabi Wakame (farmed) Mamebu, wheat dumplings filled with walnut Morioka jajamen Morioka reimen Nambu senbei Wanko soba Kagawa shikki, lacquerware – Takamatsu Marugame uchiwa, flat fan – Marugame Sanuki itto-bori, chisel woodcarving – Kotohira and Mannō Sanukite instruments Takamatsu hariko, papier-mâché dolls –Takamatsu Cochin chicken Cotton Kagawa mototaka pepper Olives Salt – Seto Inland Sea region Sanuki no yume wheat Sugar An-mochi zoni, zōni with red bean paste stuffed mochi in a white miso broth Honetsuki tori, fried chicken – Marugame Iriko meshi, iriko cooked with rice Mamba no kenchan, stirfried mustard leaf and tofu Oshinuki sushi, sushi made with spring sawara Sakana no sambai, grilled small fish marinated in vinegar, mirin and soy sauce Sanuki udon Shippoku Udon Shoyumame Teppai, cold dish of carp Teuchi udon Uchikomi jiru, noodle soup Wakagi-ae, Japanese scallion mixed with razor clams or asari clams Oshima tsumugi Satsuma kiriko, cut glass Satsuma ware, pottery Tai-guruma, toy red snapper on wheels Yoronjima bashōfu, banana fiber cloth Chiran tea Katsuobushi Kibinago Kurobuta, pork Kurozu, black vinegar Satsuma jidori, chicken Wasanbon Akumaki Kagoshima ramen Karukan Keihan rice Hakone yosegi-zaiku (箱根寄木細工), wooden marquetry – Hakone and Odawara Kamakura-bori, carved lacquerware – Kamakura Salt pickled cherry blossoms Shirasu Shōnan pork Botan nabe, wild boar hot pot Gyūnabe Hato Sabure, dove-shaped sablé Kaigun kare, Japanese curry Kenchin jiru Misaki maguro ramen, tuna ramen Namashirasu-don, raw shirasu over rice Odawara kamaboko Sanma-men, Yokohama ramen Shutō Tosa uchihamono, hammered cutlery Tosa washi Goishicha Ginger Skipjack tuna Yuzu Dorome Katsuo no Tataki Amakusa pottery