Toyohashi is a city with a strong Udon culture. Among the many Udon restaurants, handmade Udon is common. Toyohashi curry Udon debuted in spring 2010 and is currently sold at over 40 establishments. Each restaurant offers their own variety, so you can enjoy visiting and trying them all! Menu Characteristics Home made noodles are used as a top layer hiding a surprise serving of Tororo Gohan underneath the Curry Udon. Toyohashi quail eggs, sliced soy pickled vegetables or daikon radish, and red pickled ginger are a must. The final, most important requirement is… to make it with love!

Nishiura fishing port was once used as a wintertime movie location. Local fishermen presented the crew with a large amount of clams, which led to the creation of Gamagori Udon, which won the Grand Prix in the following years’ Udon Summit. Over 30 restaurants across Gamagori serve the dish, with numbers increasing. Menu Features Over five clams in their shells are included in the soy-flavored soup. To be considered authentic, at least one of five Gamagori ingredients, such as seasame oil, smelt, fish paste, mexicali, wakame seaweed and the like, must be added.

In the footsteps of Toyokawa Inarizushi comes Inari Udon, developed in 2010, and using Inari-mochi, sticky rice wrapped in fried bean curd as a main ingredient. The unique dish is salty-sweet and most addictive. It is similar to, but different from Kitsune Udon, being udon with fried bean curd, and Chikara Udon, with its sticky rice cake. Inari Udon is currently sold at four locations in Toyohashi. Menu Characteristics Inari-mochi is sticky rice served in an envelope of fried bean curd, and then further cooked. The delicious aroma is enhanced by each shop’s original serving style. There are three types of soup, the standard, curry and the thick, starchy Ankake type.

Tahara City ranked number 1 in national gross agricultural production in 2006. Additionally, it is a seafood treasure trove surrounded on three sides by the sea. The ‘Atsumi Peninsula Donburi (rice bowl) Road,’ takes advantage of these strengths, with 41 participating restaurants. Each restaurant uses various local ingredients to appeal to customers. The large clam donburi is the representative local dish. Menu Characteristics Approximately 25% of the restaurants on the ‘Atsumi Peninsula Donburi Road’ serve the large local clams on rice. Each restaurant uses diverse preparation methods like frying, tempura battering, broiling etc., to bring out the best of the ingredients.

This local soba uses Hekinan’s original white soy sauce produced mainly in Nishi-mikawa as a seasoning. It debuted in 2010 and began to gain momentum after a volunteer team entered it in an event. Around 15 restaurants now serve Hekinan Yakisoba. Menu Characteristics White soy sauce is the main seasoning, with Hekinan’s prefectural production leading carrots and onions included. Ebi Senbei (shrimp rice crackers), which are also said to have originated in Hekinan, are characterized by its refined, mellow taste.

This local delicacy, chicken rice, was created by the local poultry industry when chickens which no longer laid eggs were culled and eaten. In 2010 the Takahama Tori-meshi (chicken rice) Society was inaugurated and began to enter Tori-meshi in food competitions. Currently over 17 specialty restaurants serve the dish. Menu Characteristics Thinly cut chicken, flavored with soy sauce and sugar, is mixed in with rice. Using older chickens provides a firmer texture than younger birds. Deep friend bean curd and carrot is also added in some areas.

Shimonoseki in Japan’s southwest was long considered the home of the Fugu, blowfish, industry, however, since 2000, Aichi Prefecture claims the largest haul of blowfish, and now exports it to Shimonoseki! Recently, local consumption has increased, and so traditional inns and restaurants are training their staff in the preparation and serving of the fish. Around 150 fugu fishing vessels now ply the clear Minami Chita waters bringing home the prized delicacy. Menu Characteristics Gyosho-yaki is fish grilled in a delicious fish sauce, the secret ingredient being anchovy caught in Minami Chita’s Toyohama Port. The fish is slowly grilled over hot coals and delivers a soft, juicy texture and a unique aroma.