Local Specialties

As an ancient transport hub close to the Japan Sea, Nagahama developed a unique local cuisine featuring a lot of saba, or horse mackerel. Dishes such as “yakisaba somen,” where grilled mackerel and somen noodles are cooked together, and sushi topped with grilled mackerel, became a longstanding tradition in the local culinary scene.

Of course there are other unique culinary highlights showcasing the true flavors of the region, such as “noppei udon,” a hearty noodle dish with a starch-thickened broth, and “kamo suki,” an exquisite hot pot made with wild duck from Lake Biwa, as well as various other lake fish specialties. The region also has a deep rich culture of fermented foods, including the delicacy, “funazushi,” which is crucian carp fermented in rice; funazushi is a form of “narezushi,” which is said to be the precursor to modern-day sushi.