Tennen Kamo (wild duck) Sukiyaki,
a delicacy of Kohoku (Northern part of Lake Biwa)

One of famous Nagahama local delicacies is sukiyaki using mallard.  Wild duck is known for its minimum odor and good firmness.  In the Kohoku area, people enjoy this wild duck in sukiyaki style.  The season for this dish is limited to the middle of November to March.

A Masterpiece of Beef, a work of art

Ohmi beef has been known as first class Japanese beef with not only its tenderness but also its profound taste since the Edo period.  The secret of Ohmi beef is only good stock cattle is allowed to be bred in natural environment of Ohmi with painstaking care.  Ohmi beef is good with any kind of dish: be it a steak, shabushabu (sliced beef boiled with vegetables), sukiyaki, etc.  It has become nation wide popular beef.

Delicacy of Biwako (Lake Biwa) with Rich and Mellow Taste

Funazushi, loved by Lord Hideyoshi, is one of the outstanding local delicacies with a charming unique scent and sourness.  It has been known as one of the origins of Japanese sushi. Carassius buergeri grandoculis (a family of Crucian carps) with eggs are wrapped in boiled rice and are fermented in a barrel for one year.  It is the best accompaniment for sake (Japanese rice wine). The taste of funazushi is exceptionally good if taken together with local sake from Kohoku.  Funazushi can be enjoyed in many restaurants in the city or can be purchased in souvenir shops.

Blessings from Lake Biwa: a popular dish, tsukudani, simmered fish in a broth of soy sauce, sugar, sweet sake

Lake Biwa's rich environment provides various gifts unique to lake’s ecosystem: such as sweet fish, crucian, roach, etc. To encounter delicacies using these fish is a real pleasure when taking a journey.  For example, sashimi (sliced raw fish) of crucian carp covered with its eggs is a unique way of eating crucian carp.  In addition, tsukudani made from lake fish cooked in the traditional way is very popular as a souvenir from this area. It may be interesting to compare the taste of tsukudani from different shops since all shops have their own particular recipes.

Local dish with the culture of Kohoku

In the Kohoku area, there has been a local tradition called “satsuki mimai (May visiting)”. In this visit, a family home of a daughter married to an agricultural family sends grilled mackerel in May which is the busy season in agriculture. Grilled mackerel from the family home of the daughter-in-law is cooked together with soumen and this is a typical local dish prepared during the busiest agricultural season.  In Nagahama, this dish is always served on important days for a family: like the Hikiyama Matsuri (Float festival) when this dish is served to family guests. The dish is loved by many people even today.  Many restaurants in Nagahama have their own styles for this dish.