Which one are you? Yamagata: Imoni comparison!

  • Yamagata
  • Eating

Let's compare the taste of Imoni!

Imoni" is the soul food of Yamagata Prefecture. It is basically taro and beef seasoned with soy sauce, but did you know that the seasoning differs depending on the area (region) within Yamagata Prefecture? Let's compare the Inland and Shonai styles of imoni!

Nairiku-style stewed taro: beef + taro + soy sauce

Nairiku-style stewed taro with a simple and refreshing taste

Inland areas such as Yamagata City and Kaminoyama City, taro stew is made with beef and taro, seasoned with soy sauce and sugar. Other ingredients include green onions, burdock root, konnyaku, and mushrooms of your choice. The burdock root adds depth to the flavor. To finish the taro stew, add curry powder or curry roux and udon noodles! It is best to eat it as curry udon!

Shonai-style taro stew: Pork + taro + miso

Shonai-style stewed taro with lots of ingredients and a deep miso flavor

In the Shonai area located on the Sea of Japan side, pork and taro are used. The seasoning is miso (soybean paste), soup stock made from dried sardines, and sake lees, which gives the dish a completely different taste from Nairi style taro stew. The characteristic ingredient is thick fried bean curd! In addition, carrots, green onions, and mushrooms are also included, giving the impression of a lot of ingredients. The sake lees gives it a rich flavor and warms you up.

Same prefecture, same dish. Why are they so different?

The culture of using beef as a meat in inland areas was established in the Meiji Era (1868-1912). At the beginning of the Meiji Era, Charles Henry Douglas, an Englishman who taught at Kojokan (currently Yonezawa Kojokan High School), a school established by Lord Uesugi Takayama, served Yonezawa beef to his friends at a settlement in Yokohama, and it was very popular. Since that time, the culture of eating beef has taken root in the inland areas of Yamagata Prefecture (Murayama and Okitama), and beef is also used in imoni.
On the other hand, pig farming techniques were introduced to the Shonai area during the Meiji Era (1868-1912). In the Showa period (1926-1989), due to the policy of reducing rice acreage, the region began to focus on pig farming. With the growth of pig production in Shonai, the meat processing industry also flourished and a culture of using pork as meat was created. It is now known as "Shonai pork," which is highly regarded for its taste and quality.

The reason for the differences in the same cuisine within the same prefecture is due to the formation of the food culture in each region, depending on the climate and historical background of each region. In addition to the Inland style and Shonai style, the Yonezawa area (soy sauce flavor with tofu) and the Shinjo area (a mix of Inland and Shonai styles) also have their own unique taro stew cultures. It is interesting to try local imoni when you visit each area.

Try Yamagata's taro stew at home!

Recommended as a souvenir! Retort Imoni (Marui Foods Co., Ltd.)
Want to taste Yamagata's imoni easily at home? I want to compare them! Here is some good news for you. Retort pouch products, ideal as souvenirs, are sold at souvenir shops around JR Yamagata Station. (Information as of September 2022.) There are two types: Inland-style and Shonai-style, and they are easy to heat up, so you can easily compare them at home.
A restaurant where you can eat Imoni near Yamagata Station! Yamagata Nagaya Sake Shop
For train + lodging "Yamagata Area" reservations, please visit [ JR East View Dynamic Rail Package ]
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