In Kochi there are a lot of mountains, very clear rivers, rice field and terraced fields. And it faces the Pacific Ocean. So, people can get and make various kinds of products. Furthermore, individual regions have developed unique and deep-rooted food cultures as a result. It's a great experience to travel to Kochi to sample the local food. As a local guide who knows Kochi very well, I’ll introduce various local foods and dishes in this series of Kochi must-eat things. And this post is the first of this series.
Katsuo-no-tataki, Seared Bonito
I am searing Katsuo, bonito.
Sawachi, The Well-Known Local Cuisine Of Kochi
The word “Sawachi” originally means large plates, which are about 40 cm in diameter. And also this word means the famous and traditional food. We put various kinds of food such as live sea bream, sashimi raw fish, vegetables from the sea and mountains, fruits and pieces of azuki bean jelly called Yokan on large plates. There are various kinds of foods on the plate, so Sawachi looks very beautiful and colorful. Usually, Kochi people eat this dish on a special occasion. During my tour, I’ll explain the occasion and tell you some Japanese restaurants where you can enjoy real Sawachi.
Inaka-zush, Sushi Peculiar To Kochi
Inaka-zushi is very popular cuisine in Kochi. Inaka means rural area and zushi means sushi. Each rural area has its own Inaka-zushi. It is said that Inaka-zushi is very healthy sushi. It consists of vinegared rice with yuzu citrus juice and various ingredients. Typical ingredients are bamboo shoots, shiitake mushroom, konnyaku, a jelly-like food made from the starch of konjac potato and various kinds of mountain vegetables such as Itadori, Myouga, and Ryukyu. There are no beef, pork, chicken and fish in Inaka-zushi, so vegetarians and even vegans can enjoy eating Inaka-zushi.
Conclusion
There are a lot of foods and dishes I want you to taste in Kochi. After watching these photos, I’m sure that you feel like eating these foods. But, these are only a few foods of all the specialty of Kochi. Please wait for me to write the next post of this series.
