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At the rugged northern end of Honshu, largest of Japan’s four main islands, lies the region known as Tohoku. And within the southernmost of Tohoku’s six prefectures, Fukushima,
is located the historic town of Kitakata. With its wealth of traditional buildings called kura, thick-walled structures originally used as storehouses, Kitakata has a character unlike that of any other town in the region. And it is to enjoy the old-world atmosphere of this distinctive spot — as well as to savor the popular Kitakata ramen (Chinese-style noodles) — that visitors descend in such numbers to this part of Fukushima
Though Kitakata’s ramen is famed countrywide, the history of these noodles here dates back less than a century. One kind of noodle that has been enjoyed in this region for considerably longer goes by the name of soba. Soba is made from buckwheat, a plant
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that is able to thrive rather well in such cool mountainous areas of the country as Fukushima, and in the Kitakata area soba is particularly enjoyed with duck. Another use for buckwheat
is with its husks lending their flavor in the smoking of horse meat — also a specialty of this region.
As well as being known for the quality of its soybeans and, thus, its tofu, Kitakata is a producer of fine rice, a vital ingredient in the sake for which Fukushima has established quite a reputation. Here, the name to watch for is Yamatogawa, which has been produced in Kitakata since 1790, using the excellent local water from the mountains
north of the town. Within the Yamatogawa range are such choice finds as dry Inochi, a junmai daiginjo made from organic rice, fragrant Rashiku, a ginjo-shu that has won fans overseas, and slightly sweet Yamatogawa, a daiginjo made from highest grade of rice. |
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