What to Eat Around Yamaguchi Prefecture

Suzushi Toshiro

A trip to Yamaguchi Prefecture wouldn’t be complete without stepping inside one of the prefecture’s Suzushi Toshiro stores. Specialists in Japanese sweets, Suzushi Toshiro is the place to pick up meticulously prepared and sophisticatedly packaged wagashi which come in iconic Japanese flavours including matcha and anko (sweet azuki beans). Both the spacious flagship store found in Yamaguchi City and the smaller shop in Yuda Onsen are good spots for buying souvenirs and experiencing a good dose of the Japanese omotenashi - high quality service.

If you’re a sweet tooth, keep an eye out for Yamaguchi’s other speciality sweet treat: sugar-coated mandarins, or mikan in Japanese. Mikan flavoured snacks fill the shelves in autumn and winter, so be sure to check out the whole sweetened mandarins or candied chunks.

Puffer fish

When it comes to pushing your food boundaries, there are many that draw the line at puffer fish. Fugu, puffer fish or blowfish in English, has attracted global interest as one of the weird and wonderful delicacies of Japan for the fact that the fish is extremely poisonous unless prepared by professionals. Luckily the fugu chefs of Yamaguchi have mastered this skill with the flavourful fish found in restaurants and gift shops around the prefecture both in its raw form and cooked up in hot pot. For the best puffer fish around, visit Karato Market in Shimonoseki where you can get your hands on circular platters which are most commonly offered as souvenirs.

Kawara soba

If you’ve eaten at enough Japanese restaurants you’ll already be familiar with the national go-to soba noodles. Yamaguchi Prefecture has its own version of the usually plain noodle dish which originates from the northwestern part of the prefecture. Kawara soba has an original flavour that is perfected by mixing the noodles with green tea and topping it with meat, veggies, nori seaweed, and lemon before serving it up sizzling on a roof tile. Choshuya Yuda shop in Yuda Onsen prepares appetising two-person servings for around 2,500 yen.

Renkon chips

For a taste of a salty snack that you can’t find at home, renkon chips are a must-try. The wheel-shaped lotus root is most commonly eaten as a pickle but crisps up nicely into salted chips. Sasakiya Kojiro store is located right next to Kintai Bridge in Iwakuni and stocks not only renkon chips but also renkon croquet, a filling fried snack sure to keep you going for a day of exploring.

Kintaro fish

Native to the Sea of Japan, kintaro is a flavour-packed white fish that has gained popularity in recent years along the northern coast of Yamaguchi. Port town Hagi is renowned for its kintaro whether you’re looking for a satisfying fried or baked dish or some wholesome fresh sashimi. Friendly, local izakaya Fumi prides itself on its local tapas-style dishes with its kintaro a big hit on the menu served up simply with a slice of lemon.

Yamaguchi(Yamaguchi)

Yamaguchi Pref

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mamekoro yuda

Yamaguchi Pref. Yamaguchishi Yudaonsen 2-1-26

0839242505

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Karato Market

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Yamaguchi Pref. Shimonosekishi Karatochou 5-50

0832310001

[Monday-Saturday]5:00-15:00(…

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長州屋 湯田店

山口県山口市湯田温泉4-1-7

0839023939

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