What to Eat
Here are introductions to the must-eat specialty foods in Yamagata Prefecture. They range from cherries and other superb fruits to the nationally renowned Yonezawa beef, as well as regional dishes and local delicacies that will add flavor to your trip. Savor Yamagata's delicious food and alcoholic beverages during your trip.
Fruit
Yamagata Prefecture is known for its cherries above all. Many other fruits are also cultivated in abundance in Yamagata, such as La France pears (western pears), grapes, watermelons, and persimmons. Please enjoy the freshly picked juicy fruits of the "fruit kingdom" of Yamagata as much as you like.
Regional dishes
One autumn tradition in Yamagata is holding imonikai parties in which imoni stew is cooked and eaten by the riverside. The Dongara-jiru soup, dashi, and tama-konnyaku (konnyaku balls on a stick) have nostalgic, rustically simple flavors. You should also take notice of the local ramen noodles, which are said to be the most eaten in Japan, as well as the soba noodle restaurants that line the Sandai Soba Kaido road.
Alcoholic beverages
Yamagata excels at the production of choice alcoholic beverages nurtured by nature, including its pure waters, cold winters, hot summers, and extreme temperature differences between day and night. There are also fruit wines and beers that could only be made in this "fruit kingdom." Why don't you take a look at some of the unique wineries, sake breweries, and other breweries?
Meat
Yonezawa beef, a top-grade brand of irresistible marbled meat that melts in your mouth, is one of Yamagata's best gourmet foods. You can enjoy it as a steak, sukiyaki, charcoal-grilled, or simply as a snack to eat while walking. Eating meat at authentic restaurants with expertise in cooking Yonezawa beef is a truly mouthwatering experience.
