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The Taste of Hida

The Taste of Hida

Hida has plenty to offer when it comes to local cuisine. From the popular Hida beef to regional classics like Houba Miso or locally produced sake or snacks, Hida does not disappoint when it comes to dining.

Hida Beef

Hida Beef

Hida beef is one of the best types of Japanese wagyu beef one can find in Japan. Clean water and air along with nurturing care from local Hida farmers help maximise the quality of this tasty brand of beef. The texture of the beef is very fine and tender and almost melts inside the mouth. Many restaurants serve Hida beef in different styles. Enjoy an unforgettable culinary experience!

The excellent taste of Hida beef makes you want to take it back home. Packaged curry and beef jerky made from Hida beef are some choices. They are sold at souvenir shops and popular amongst travellers.

"Hida gyu shigure" is another recommended item made from Hida beef. Enjoy Hida beef cooked Japanese style, simmered with sake and soy sauce. Recommended with white rice.

Where to eat Hida Beef

  • Yamayu Ushi Ikkan

    Yamayu Ushi Ikkan

  • Kaoru: Hida Beef Yakiniku

    Kaoru: Hida Beef Yakiniku

  • Kiwami

    Kiwami

Houba Miso

Houba Miso

Houba Miso represents one of the most popular culinary dishes in the Hida area. Houba is a magnolia leaf and miso is, as one may already know, soybean paste which is often used to make miso soup. Miso mixed with mushroom and spring onions are placed on top of a magnolia leaf and then heated. The flavor and fragrance of the leaf gets into the miso for a distinct taste only available in Hida. The dish goes well with rice and is recommended with local sake.

Where to eat Houba Miso

  • Mirai Izakaya

    Mirai Izakaya

  • Ajidokoro Furukawa

    Ajidokoro Furukawa

Tsukemono steak

Tsukemono steak

Tsukemono Steak is a dish which can be best described as sauteed pickled vegetables. It is a common dish that appears at any family dinner table in Hida, and also a popular dish at local "izakaya", or Japanese taverns.

For centuries, the people of Hida have been pickling their vegetables as part of the winter food stock. These pickles are typically stored outdoors in subfreezing temperatures, and therefore they would often freeze. Not to waste them, the locals started heating up the frozen pickles on magnolia leaf to thaw and eat.

Nowadays, eggs and other seasonings are added to make it a tasty dish that all can enjoy!

Where to eat Tsukemono Steak

  • Mirai Izakaya

    Mirai Izakaya

  • Izakaya Gen

    Izakaya Gen

Mitarashi Dango and Hida beef croquette

Mitarashi Dango and Hida beef croquette

When feeling a bit hungry, one of the snacks we recommend is the "mitarashi dango" or rice dumplings. Made from rice flour, each dumpling is kneaded into a ball, roasted with soy sauce, and skewered into sets of 5 dumpling balls.

Another tasty snack is the Hida beef croquette. Croquette is deep-fried breadcrumbed mash potatoes mixed with meat and vegetables. In Hida, it contains Hida beef. It's sold near Hida no Takumi Bunkakan. Each croquette served here is a hearty 120g, big enough to fill the hunger in your stomach!

Where to eat these light bites

  • Hida Croquette Shop

    Hida Croquette Shop

  • Okadaya

    Okadaya

Local Fish Cuisines

Local Fish Cuisines

In the pristine rivers of Hida, freshwater fish called ayu swim about. They feed on algae on the river rocks. They are a delicacy in the Hida area with its sweet flavor when grilled by charcoal. They are in season during the summer months, and highly recommended for those that love to eat fish. In certain locations in Hida, a traditional fish trap called "yana" is used to catch the fish. The "yana" is a type of trap that has been used for centuries and consists of creating a temporary dam in the river which leads the fish directly into the trap. Furukawa Town has a restaurant which serves fresh ayu caught in the yana.

Where to eat local seafood

  • Bistro Chez Bois

    Bistro Chez Bois

  • Fukuzenji Soba

    Fukuzenji Soba

  • Kawajintei

    Kawajintei

Local noodles

Local noodles

Local soba noodle shops here use locally produced buckwheat flour. The unique combination of Hida's landscape and climate produce excellent buckwheat. Locals love eating soba with local sake. Another popular type of noodle in Hida is ramen. Ramen is known to locals as "Chuka soba" or Chinese noodle. It has a light broth with soy sauce flavor. This popular dish gets as much attention as traditional soba noodle.

Where to find Local noodles

  • Sakaeya Restaurant

    Sakaeya Restaurant

  • Rai Rai Ken

    Rai Rai Ken

  • Fukuzenji Soba

    Fukuzenji Soba

  • Sobasho Nakaya

    Sobasho Nakaya

Traditional sweets of Hida

Traditional sweets of Hida

"Miso senbei" or cookies made of miso are well-known sweets in Hida City. For over 100 years, miso senbei has been a popular long time best seller in Hida. The carefully selected ingredients from various parts of Japan are used to ensure top quality cookies. Miso, the most important ingredient in this snack, is carefully handmade at the store by the shop owner himself.

Mametsukage is another sweet which has been enjoyed by locals for many years. These are deep-fried soy beans mixed with wheat flour and seasoned with sugar and soy sauce. The aromatic taste of the soy beans is popular amongst the locals as it goes well with tea, beer, and sake.

Where to find Traditional Sweets

  • Inohiro Confectionery Store

    Inohiro Confectionery Store

  • Tanoshita Confectionery Store

    Tanoshita Confectionery Store

  • Patisserie Ohkubo

    Patisserie Ohkubo

Sake in Hida

Sake in Hida

The Hida area, blessed with pure spring water and excellent locally grown rice, has been producing great sake for decades. Once upon a time, ten sake breweries existed in Furukawa Town. Now there are only two left in the town and one in Kamioka Town.

Sake tasting is popular at the breweries. Another recommendation is to drink sake amongst the locals at the local "izakaya" or Japanese taverns.

Where to find Sake

  • Watanabe Sake Brewery

    Watanabe Sake Brewery

  • Goto Liquor Shop

    Goto Liquor Shop

  • Kaba Sake Brewery

    Kaba Sake Brewery