Iwate cuisine is rich in pastoral charm; chicken and dough dumplings warm the heart

▲ Iyokan Local Cuisine Set Meal

Text and photos by Kyuu-go Akutai (Nine-Five Evil Wife)

In many regions of Japan, there are distinctive local dishes. Some are quite refined, while others showcase the down-to-earth appeal of rural cooking. The Ryokan restaurant in Ishioka Town, Iwate Prefecture, serves a series of traditional dishes made with local ingredients that highlight regional flavors.

Since Ishioka is not located near the sea, the set meal does not include familiar dishes such as sashimi or seafood hotpot. Instead, it features dishes like Iwate beef and asparagus rolls, fried natto spring rolls, southern free-range chicken eggs, stir-fried wild mountain vegetables, as well as pickled and simmered red trout in sweet soy broth, stewed vegetable dishes, and spinach simmered in broth—offering a unique rural flavor.

▲ In the soup called “hittsumi,” you can enjoy the taste of southern free-range chicken along with the dough.

The asparagus rolls are made by wrapping asparagus with slices of Iwate beef, then pan-frying them. They have a sweet, moist texture, while simple soy sauce and salt help preserve the original flavor of the beef. The fried platter includes crispy seasonal vegetables as well as unique black Senboku natto spring rolls.

Black Senboku soybeans are characterized by their black skin, rich aroma, and sweetness. Natto made from these beans, wrapped with shiso leaves and cheese in spring roll wrappers and then deep-fried, doesn’t have the usual fermented smell of natto. Instead, it has a rich aroma like fresh, hot soy milk. Even those who don’t usually eat natto can easily try it.

▲ (Arranged clockwise from the top right) Black Senboku natto spring rolls, stewed vegetable dish, red trout in sweet soy broth, and Iwate beef and asparagus rolls.

What impressed Kyuu-go Akutai the most was the southern free-range chicken tea eggs, made by simmering the eggs with black tea. Ryokan uses eggs laid by free-range southern chickens raised in the mountains. These eggs have a firm, bouncy texture, and after being simmered in black tea, they take on a fragrant tea aroma and slight sweetness. Especially the yolk is delicate yet rich, leaving a lingering aftertaste.

Besides these local dishes, the most iconic Iwate specialty is the soup called “hittsumi.” This dish is made by simmering a soup stock from southern free-range chicken and adding vegetables such as carrots, burdock, and mushrooms, along with small handmade dough balls. It’s similar to a dough dumpling soup. On a slightly cool day, sipping this rich broth with various vegetables, the dough balls, and tender, flavorful southern free-range chicken warms you up from the inside out—it’s truly comforting.

Information about Ryokan
Address: 19-19 Kamimachi Minami, Ishioka Town
Phone: 019-692-6282
Business Hours: 9:00–19:00
Price: Set meal 2,500 yen (approx. NT$668)