As everyone knows, in Japan there is a cult of food. And this is no coincidence - Japanese cuisine is an intangible heritage recognized by UNESCO. Dishes can vary not only by season, but also by region. The Japanese word for this is "meibutsu" (名物). It means local food (郷土料理 ー kyoudo ryouri) or something typical and popular in a particular region.

If you decide to visit Hokkaido, you can try one of the traditional dishes Ishikari Nabe (石狩鍋). Nabemono is a special type of Japanese food. A large cast-iron pot, nabe, is placed on a small stove on the dining table, then the broth is poured into it and various ingredients are added. After you put the food from the pot on your plate, the pot will keep the dish hot for a very long time. That is why nabemono are so popular during the cold season and especially in Hokkaido, which is the northernmost part of Japan.

Ishikari Nabe got its name thanks to the city of the same name. The city of Ishikari is located on the coast of the Sea of Japan, therefore it is famous for its fish. At first, Ishikari Nabe was mainly fishermen's food, because the main ingredient is salmon caught in the sea of Japan, but then it became popular throughout Hokkaido. Salmon is stewed in broth with miso paste and various vegetables such as daikon, tofu, Chinese cabbage, potatoes, shiitake mushrooms and others.

Another local dish is called Genghis Khan (ジンギスカン ー jingisukan) ー this is tender beef with the addition of special seasonings, cooked on a convex grill pan. This name is by no means accidental. According to Japanese legends, this dish is named this way because in Japan in the pre-war period, lamb was considered the favorite food of the Mongol soldiers, and the domed skillet reminded the Japanese of the helmets of these soldiers, in which they also cooked food. At the moment, in Japan, sheep breeding is common only in Hokkaido, so even the Japanese themselves believe that only in this region you can try the dish of Genghis Khan, prepared according to a traditional recipe. Not a single holiday in Hokkaido passes without this dish.

And by the way, the traditional Japanese noodle soup ー Ramen (ラーメン) was also originally invented in Hokkaido, despite the fact that the ingredients and taste of this soup depended on the city. And only then it spread throughout Japan and became an integral part of Japanese cuisine in general.

Have you tried nabemono dishes in Japan?