Echizen Oroshi Soba Noodle
Outline	This dish is made from a unique soup, into which is first put grated daikon radish (daikon oroshi), (unlike most dishes, which get served soup and daikon oroshi separately) and firm dark brown soba noodles. The combination of the sweet taste of delicious fragrant soba noodles and the sharpness of grated daikon radish make this meal exquisite. The name ‘Echizen Oroshi Soba’ is believed to come from the Showa emperor who called it ‘That Echizen Soba’ after he visited the town of Takefu in this region and tasted the dish.
Note	Harvest period: October and November
Contact Info	Fukui Noodles Trade Association for Environmental Hygiene 0776-21-3142
Echizen Gani (Crab)
Outline	It is often said that this is the king of winter food. The male crab is called ‘Zuwai’ and female is called ‘Seiko’, and they inhabit the coast of the Sea of Japan. Fishermen catch them using a dragnet and take them back fresh without freezing. These crab are sold at auction fish markets and shipped to Fukui, Kanazawa and even to the Osaka area. This very tasty crab is often eaten boiled with a vinegar and soy sauce mixture, but it can be eaten in a variety of other ways, such as ‘arai’ (raw), ‘yakigani’ (grilled), ‘kanisuki’ (nabe stew), ‘kanimeshi’ (rice mixture), or ‘kourayaki’ (stuffed and baked). The Echizen Gani brings many people to the area around Mikuni and the Echizen coast during the winter season.
Note	Fishing period: November to March
Contact Info	Fukui Fishermen's Cooperative Association Sales Division 0776-24-1203
Wakasa Fugu (Blowfish) Outline　 At a fish farm in the bay of Wakasa where the tidal flows are good, blowfish are raised in conditions closest to their natural environment. The fish is now one of the winter delicacies in Wakasa. Note Fishing period: November to February Contact Info Fukui Fishermen's Cooperative Association Sales Division 0776-24-1203 Grilled Mackerel Sushi Outline　 Grilled Mackerel Sushi is made from grilled fresh fatty mackerels. Once it is grilled, it has neither any excess fat nor fishy taste. They are very tasty, do not leave an aftertaste, and create a delicate flavor with sushi rice. Contact Info Fukui Prefectural Products Association 0776-41-3357 Habutae Rice Cake Outline　 The Echizen Fukui area flourished because of the silk textile industry. In particular, the satiny textile, called Habutae, was favored as a high-quality textile. A Habutae Rice Cake represents the elegant texture of Habutae and has a very silky texture and a delicate sweetness. Contact Info Fukui Prefectural Products Association 0776-41-3357 Heshiko Outline　 Heshiko is preserved fish with soybean paste and is Fukui’s essential nonperishable food during the winter season. Heshiko can be made from many kinds of fish, but mackerel is the most popular ingredient since it is the specialty of the Wakasa area. Other than mackerels, Heshiko can be made from sardines, herrings, and globefish. It is said that Heshiko was originally made in the mid-Edo Period. To make Heshiko, fresh fish is washed, salted, and pickled in rice-bran paste for a year. During the pickling process, Heshiko is pressed with a heavy stone and ripened with salt and rice-bran. The savory taste is reminiscent of Wakasa’s winter. Contact Info Fukui Prefectural Products Association 0776-41-3357 Sauce Katsu-Don Outline　 Typical Japanese Katsu-Don (pork cutlet rice bowl) is made from a deep-fried cutlet bounded together with egg. In Fukui, however, the most popular Katsu-Don is the one with a deep fried cutlet flavored with sauce. A piping hot fried cutlet is quickly dipped with Worcester sauce-based secret seasoning and put on a seasoned rice bowl. Contact Info Fukui Prefectural Tourism Federation 0776-20-0741 Wakasa Garei (Flatfish) Outline　 The correct name for the fish commonly known as ‘Wakasa Garei’ is ‘Yanagimushi Garei’. This fish is considered one of the treasures among small types of flatfish and is incredibly tasty as a dried product. The clear fish meat is delicious, making it easily understandable why this fish is given to the imperial court every year. Note Fishing period: September to June Contact Info Fukui Fishermen's Cooperative Association Sales Division 0776-24-1203 Fukui Rice Outline　 The rice called ‘Koshihikari’ which is harvested in the beginning of September was first cultivated by the Fukui agricultural experiment station in 1956 after more than ten years of great effort. Koshihikari, which was created in Fukui prefecture but is now not only grown in Fukui but throughout Japan, is the most popular and regarded as one of most delicious kinds of rice. A new kind of rice called ‘Hana Echizen’, which is equal in quality to ‘Koshihikari’, was also cultivated in 1991. This white ‘cream of the crop’ rice gets harvested earliest in the Hokuriku region and is also delicious. Note Harvest period: August to October Contact Info Fukui Economic Agricultural Cooperative Association Rice and Wheat Division 0776-27-8257 Fukui Rice Ltd 0776-36-0294 Fukui Pearl Rice Ltd 0776-54-0202 Fukui Ume (Plums) Outline　 One of the main selling points of a Fukui plum is its hearty fruit with a small seed, the best kind of plum to process into ‘Umeboshi’ (pickled plums) or ‘Umeshu’ (plum liquor). The taste is wonderful, as it is grown in a land with gentle sunshine and a sea breeze from the Sea of Japan. Note Harvest period: June and July Contact Info Fukui Economic Agricultural Cooperative Association Horticultural Speciality Division 0776-27-8258 Mikata Goko Agricultural Cooperative Association, Ume no Sato Kaikan 0770-46-1501 Previous Page Home 1　2 　3 Fukui Prefectural Tourism Federation