The coldest wave of the winter has hit the Japanese archipelago, but Tottori Prefecture’s “Matsuba crab” and other brand red snow crabs are gems that can only be enjoyed in winter. The cold Japan Sea side of the island offers a variety of ingredients and travel attractions that can only be enjoyed in the cold. For this issue, we have selected two souvenirs that are a perfect fusion of such traditional Tottori techniques and new ideas.
Karoya Shoten “Tofu bamboo ring
Tofu Takewa is a unique processed food that has long been produced mainly in the middle eastern region of Tottori Prefecture. It is neither the so-called “chikuwa” made of fish meat, nor the “chikuwabu” that is said to have originated in the Kanto region.
It is made by mixing cotton (momen) tofu and white fish paste in the ratio of 7 to 3 and steaming it. In Tottori, it is versatile enough to be used in every aspect of cooking, from daily dining to weddings and funerals. It has also been selected as a “hometown certified food” by the prefecture.
Karoya Shoten is a paste shop that manufactures and sells such traditional tofu bamboo rings. The aroma of soft tofu and the traditional taste of fish spreading in your mouth as you bite into them are well-received, and the two major products, “steamed” and “baked,” have become standard souvenirs.
It is a healthy, low-sugar and high-protein food comparable to the “protein bars” of white meat and fish cakes often sold in convenience stores.
© Source travel watch