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.

One of the most popular dishes in the central city of the Chubu region, ー Nagoya ー, is Kishimen noodles (きしめん). Flat noodles are often served in broth with miso or soy sauce. This dish can be found in any Nagoya cafe and even in the shops at the temple. In fact, Kishimen is not much different from the usual Japanese noodle soups, but, nevertheless, is a traditional local dish.

The next local dish may seem a bit unusual - fried chicken wings ー Tebasaki (手羽先). They can be prepared according to different recipes, and ordered in almost every bar or izakaya. The Japanese usually eat them with beer.

Another traditional Nagoya dish is miso soup. One popular type of this soup is called miso nikomi udon (味噌煮込みうどん). Miso is very popular in Nagoya and there is even a miso paste factory near Nagoya, which is open to tourists.

And, of course, the Nagoya dessert ー Uiro (外郎) is worth mentioning. It is a steamed cake made from rice flour and sugar. It stretches like mochi, another traditional Japanese sweet, but less sticky. Sweet beans - adzuki, green tea - matcha, chestnut and yuzu (Japanese lemon) are added to it.

In Yamanashi Prefecture, you can try hoto soup (ほうとう). It also has miso paste and kishimen in its base, but in addition to this, pumpkin is added to it. Depending on the institution, you can ask to cook hoto with potatoes, mushrooms and chicken or pork. There is a legend that if you eat pumpkin on December 22 (the day of the winter solstice), you will be healthy all winter.

Shizuoka Prefecture is known for its eel (鰻ーunagi) dishes. Eel meat is usually grilled using a special technique called Kabayaki (蒲焼). In any restaurant near Lake Hamana, where eels live, you will be offered eel meat on a bed of rice.

You will be lucky enough to find another interesting dish in Toyama. Toyama Bay is home to a special species of squid called "fireflies" ー Hotaru Ika (蛍烏賊). In the spring, they move closer to the shore, so you can see their luminescent pale blue glow in the water. They are made into sashimi, marinated, boiled or fried. Their pleasant aroma and taste goes best with sake.

As for the Japanese rice wine ー Nihonshu (日本酒), it is also native to Niigata Prefecture in the Chubu region. It is there that the best sake makers live, who know everything about this Japanese drink and can offer a good selection of rice wine.

What would you like to try? Tebasaki or Hotaru ika? - Write in the comments!