We made it to Toyama! Let’s explore their famous foods. Credit to @Xanderobe for the local insight.
Toyama Prefecture
Firefly Squid ホタルイカ
This amazing little squid is famous for having light emitters all over its body, and lighting up the sea at night. They are beautiful and relaxing to look at, especially in areas where there are no other light sources. They can be eaten in a variety of ways, such as on sushi and pickled, but the most common way of eating them is raw as they are, with a little wasabi, lemon and onion.
Black Ramen ブラックラーメン
This deep-flavoured ramen gets its black colour from the soy sauce base. It generally contains char siu and menma, along with a generous helping of pepper for that spicy taste, and of course a big slice of juicy pork. For those with a big appetite, it is said that this delicious ramen goes well with rice. I don’t know about you, but my appetite is never big enough to fit in all that starch from noodles and rice, but many people still go with it!
Sea Trout Sushi ますの寿司
Often described as the first thing you think about when Toyama Prefecture is mentioned in conversation, sea trout sushi is a unique kind of sweet, pressed sushi wrapped in bamboo leaves and sliced into triangles. The fish is salted by master chefs, depending on the conditions of the day. It is said that it takes around five years to master this art, even if you do it every day. Many restaurants make it in slightly different forms depending on taste; for example, amount of vinegar, thickness and softness of the rice.
