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Foods and drinks
Chinese noodle in Hida
 This
Chinese noodle is unique to Takayama with a plain soy source taste,
which is nostalgic but new to visitors. This is the taste of Takayama.
Sweet dumplings (balls of rice-flour dough)
 These
are balls of kneaded rice flour on a bamboo skewer which are basted
with soy sauce while cooking, scorched until they are ‘fox
red’, then eaten.
Local buckwheat noodles
 The
buckwheat from fields in cool highlands, Hida’s mountain region,
is of truly high quality. Handmade noodles made by grinding this
buckwheat on a millstone have exceptional flavor.
Food grilled with fermented soybean paste and magnolia
leaves
 A
magnolia leave is laid over a charcoal brazier or stove for roasting
on it miso, onions, shiitake mushrooms, etc., with some oil. Eat
it while it’s hot! It’s great as a snack with sake or
a side dish.
Fermented soybean paste
Since the Hida region is far from the ocean in mountain country,
and with transportation difficult in earlier times, obtaining goods
from the ocean, in particular, was difficult. On top of that, because
of the severity of the hard conditions of the long winter, the eating
habits of the people of Hida were ‘Miso with nothing, only
pickled vegetables.’ Therefore, housewives became especially
skilled in making miso. Hida miso, developed under these circumstances
is not only used as a condiment, but also as a side dish as an important
source of protein; it is food with the unique flavor of Hida.
Hida Beef (top-quality beef)
 Because
of the excellent quality and flavor of the beef from Hida steers,
raised in the meadows of Hida’s plateau, it is the best beef
for meat dishes such as steak and sukiyaki. Dairy products are also
known for their high quality.
Brewed Japanese liquor
 Takayama’s
local sake has been brewed since around the middle of the Edo period
(about 300 years ago). Truly blessed with perfect conditions for
brewing sake - the mountains’ pure water, Hida-grown rice,
and the climate - this local sake has excellent flavor and body.
There are 8 breweries in the city, each selling its own unique varieties.
Pickled Vegetables (Japanese pickles)
 Simple
and honest flavor of Hida’s specialties such as red turnips,
vegetables, and wild mountain vegetables is the selling point of
Hida pickles.
Vegetables grown at cool, high altitudes (tomatoes, spinach)
 This
area is an active producer of vegetables grown at cool, high altitudes,
taking advantage of its geographical features. The tomatoes grown
in summer and fall are particularly noteworthy. Temperature differences
between the morning and night allow the growth of tomatoes with
solid fruit, high sugar levels, and high quality.
Fruits
  Because
of the great diurnal temperature variation, Hida produces delicious
fruits, including the Hida Apple and the Hida Peach.
Mugwort udon (Noodles with mugwort, a wild herb)
 These
noodles contain boiled and mashed buds of mugwort collected in early
spring and are seasoned with natural sea salt, which is said to
be well suited to noodle making, without adding any food additives.
These delicious noodles are a shiny green and are chewy yet smooth,
having the delicious taste of genuine udon. |