, kun upotin ja sekoitin ohutta viipaletta naudanlihaa potissa, aloin ymmärtää, kuinka todella aliarvioitu Tottorin ruokapaikka on. Tällainen herääminen ei olisi voinut tulla paremmassa ympäristössä. Istuimme lattialla kuuman potin ympärillä Japanin ensimmäisessä Shabu-Shabu-ravintolassa. Suurten välissä uusi kaverimme Kodani jakoi lisätietoja tämän ikonisen ruoan historiasta, siitä, kuinka Tottori paikallinen toi Japaniin ja kuinka se levisi lähellä Kansai -alueelle ja lopulta pyyhkäisi kansakuntaa.

Kun ajattelemme japanilaista ruokaa, Osaka on luultavasti ensimmäinen kohde, joka ponnahtaa päämme. Osaka on tyypillisesti nimeltään Japanin ruokapääoma. Mutta Tottori on valmis sieppaamaan, että peruukki, kun paikalliset matkailuviranomaiset alkavat keskittyä valokeilaan siihen, mitä prefektuuri voi tuoda ruokapöydälle.

Monilla Japanin tunnetuimmista kulinaarisista herkkuista juuret ovat Tottorissa. Siellä syntyi ajatus Shabu-Shabusta, missä maukkaita rapuja ja katkarapuja on kiinni ja missä 1900-luvun päärynät korjataan. Se on myös koti Gyukotsu Ramenille, harvinaiselle tyypille, joka käyttää karjan luuta liemelleen (ja se on paras ramen, mitä meillä on koskaan ollut)! Tottori tuottaa myös huippulaatuista suuhun, mutta taloudellista Wagyu-naudanlihaa, Tottori-naudanlihaa, jonka uskotaan olevan edeltäjä muille erittäin arvostetuille, mutta hulluille kalleille Kobe-naudanlihaa, Matsusaka-naudanlihaa ja Omi-naudanlihaa.

Ja voin vain tehdä samaa mieltä. Olen toistaiseksi käynyt 21 prefektuurissa Japanissa, mutta en voi ajatella mitään määränpäätä, joka antoi minulle herkullisemman ajan kuin Tottorilla. Tottori-kaupungista Kurayoshiin Daiseniin Yonagoon Sakaiminatoon, Tottori-prefektuuri tarjoaa unohtumattoman gastronomisen kokemuksen paljon budjettiystävällisellä hinnalla. Kaikki Tottori tarvitsee loistavan markkinoinnin ja se voi vakavasti antaa Osakalle vakavan juoksun ”Food Capital” -otsikelle.

Jos määränpääsi on Yonago, Daisen tai Sakaiminato, meillä on erillinen viesti sille. Lue: Missä syödä Länsi -Tottorissa.

Mutta jos löydät itsesi Tottori Cityssä ja Kurayoshi Cityssä, tässä on mitä ja missä sinun pitäisi syödä!

Mitä tässä oppaassa on katettu?

Hamashita Seafood Shop & Restaurant
Sasa sushi
Sumibi no Jujuan (hiilen grilliravintola)
Turudaya-kahvi (Tsuruta-Ya)
Takumi Kappoten Shabu-Shabu
Beniya -kahvila
Coco Garden Oenosato Natural Farmissa
Hachibee gyukotsu ramen
Takaauna ramen
Kurayoshin verkkovierailukissa
Lisää vinkkejä YouTube -sivustossa ⬇mastit

Hamashita Seafood Shop & Restaurant

Erikoisuus: Matsuba -rapu
Aukioloajat: 8.30–14.00

Tottori on kuuluisa monista erittäin halutuista merenelävistä, mukaan lukien mosa-katkarapu (mosa-ebi), Iwagaki-osterit, valkoinen kalmari ja Matsuba-rapu. Matsuba -rapu (uros lumirapu) on Tottorin arvostetuin talviruoka. Sillä voi olla hoikka jalat, mutta niiden tiedetään pakatavan pehmeän mehevän lihan, jolla on ainutlaatuinen luonnollinen makeus.

Tottorin sijainti ja veden laatu tekevät siitä optimaalisen ympäristön rapuille. Siksi Tottori on Japanin rapujen paras toimittaja, joka tarttuu enemmän kuin mikään muu prefektuuri ja jopa kolme kertaa enemmän kuin Hokkaido, joka tunnetaan myös rapuistaan. Vaikka Tottori toimittaa palkkionsa muille prefektuureille, monet Japanista tulevat ruokailijat tulevat mausta tuoreimmasta saalista. Tottori Cityssä, OS Karo Port -paikka, Tottori -prefektuurin toiseksi suurin kalasatama ja markkinat. Mutta seisoo Karo -sataman vieressä Hamashita -kalastus ja ravintola.

Hamashita Seafood Shop & -ravintolassa on pieni sisätilojen markkinat, joilla voit valita haluamasi rapuja, ja he valmistavat sen sinulle paikan päällä. Heillä on ruokailutila, jossa voit nauttia naulaamisesta näillä rapuilla. Useimmat ruokailijat haluavat rapujensa keitetyt, mutta jos haluat maistaa siitä, mikä tekee Matsuba-rapuista yhden Japanin halutuimmista, ole se sashimi-tyylistä. Jopa ilman mausteita Matsuban rapulla on ihana makeus siihen.

Crab -kausi Tottorilla on marraskuusta maaliskuuhun.

Hinnat:

Ravut: ¥ 2000 ylös, riippuen siitä, mitä ostot

Crab Bowl: ¥ 980

Valikoima sashimi: ¥ 980

Uni (merisiilit) riisissä: ¥ 1880

Kuinka päästä sinne: Tottori-asemalla ota Karo-Yuki Hinomaru -bussi ja valaise Karo Kaiganissa tai Kanikokan Maessa. Se on lyhyen kävelymatkan päässä sieltä.

Sasa sushi

Erikoisuus: sushi
Osoite: 104, Suehiroonsen-cho, Tottori City
Aukioloajat: klo 17–12

Rannikkokaupungina Tottorilla on jatkuva merenelävien tarjonta, joka takaa kaupungin sushi -ravintoloissa tarjoiltujen ainesosien tuoreuden. Yksi niistä on Sasa Sushi.

Sasa Sushi ei ole budjettivaihtoehto. Se on spektrin hyväpalkkaisemmassa päässä, mutta jokainen pala on sen arvoinen. Jokainen riisipallo on käsinmuotoinen, sen päällä on valtameren tuoretta lisäys tilaamasi ja tarjoillaan huolellisesti valitulla Kurayoshi-esteellä. Lisäykset muuttuvat ainesosien saatavuudesta riippuen, mutta jos ajoitus on oikea, voit odottaa Uni (meri-urilla), rasvaton tonnikalaa (otoro), bonito, matsuba-rapu ja mosa-ebi. Kaksi viimeistä ovat Tottori -herkkuja. Älä missaa myös katkarapujen maustettua tamagoa!

Tämä 40-vuotias sushi bar only has 8 seats, allowing the chef to devote enough time perfecting each piece. reservation is required.

Hinnat:

10-piece sushi set: ¥4,300

Beer: ¥600

Nearest Station: Tottori Station.

How to get there: Sasa Sushi is only a 7-minute walk from Tottori Station.

Sumibi no Jujuan (hiilen grilliravintola)

Specialty: Tottori Beef
Address: 751, Suehiroonsen-cho, Tottori City
Hours open: 5pm-11pm

Japanese wagyu is one of the most celebrated beefs in the world. In particular, Kobe beef, Matsusaka beef, and Ohmi beef are all globally revered. A piece of any of these melt-in-your-mouth meat wonders will send you to gastronomic heaven and back. but they come with a price, a very high one. Fortunately, there are other less famous but still extremely delicious types.

There are four breeds of wagyu in Japan, the most common of which, making up almost 90%, is the Japanese black cattle (Kuroge wagyu). This wagyu has four strains, named after a place in Japan that produces it: Tajima, Shimane, Okayama, and Tottori. Kobe beef, Matsusaka beef, and Ohmi beef all come from Tajima strain. The Tottori pedigree is a different strain but just as worthy.

In Tottori, one of the places to go for Tottori beef is Sumibi no Jujuan, a yakiniku-type restaurant that features charcoal grills. It has a diverse menu that also boasts matsuba crabs, but most patrons come here for Tottori beef. just like Kobe beef, it is characterized by its tender texture and, although not as intense, beautifully marbled appearance. It’s fatty, almost buttery, and the juice burst in your mouth like an explosion of flavor. the best part, it is way, way cheaper than the Kobe variety.

Hinnat:

Tottori wagyu sirloin steak set meal (with appetizer, salad, rice, dessert, grilled vegetables): ¥10,000

Tottoti beef sukiyaki set meal (with appetizer, noodle, dessert): ¥4800

Jujuan set (with beef & vegetables for grilling): ¥6480/person (minimum 2 pax)

Nearest Station: Tottori Station.

How to get there: Sumibi no Jujuan is just two blocks away from Tottori Station. You can reach it on foot in only 5 minutes.

Turudaya-kahvi (Tsuruta-Ya)

Address: 21, Shokuninmachi, Tottori City
Hours open: I wasn’t able to get its full operating days and hours, but it closes at 9:30pm.

Another place to score low-cost Tottori wagyu is Turudaya Coffee. This cafe used to be Marufuku Coffee Shop, which was extremely popular among locals and had loyal patrons but for some reason closed down. The Marufuku signage was still up above the bar during our visit.

It is now Turudaya Coffee, a cafe that also serves heavier dinners including a plate of Tottori beef steak for only ¥3000. If you’re on a budget and you want to just have a taste of Tottori beef, this is a good place to start.

Hinnat:

Tottori beef steak: ¥3000

Chicken steak: ¥1000

Pork steak: ¥1300

Nearest Station: Tottori Station.

Takumi Kappoten Shabu-Shabu

Specialty: Tottori Beef shabu-shabu
Address: 652, Sakaemachi, Tottori City
Hours open: 11:30am-2pm, 5pm-9pm
Closed: every 3rd Monday of the month

Most people think that shabu-shabu was invented in Osaka. In truth, Osaka can only take credit in giving it its name and maybe its popularity. but its origins can be traced back to Tottori, and if you dig deeper, to China. In 1938, a Tottori otolaryngologist (ENT surgeon) named Shoya Yoshida traveled to China as an army doctor. There he was able to try a dish called shuàn yángròu or instant-boiled mutton. It uses a hot pot with a chimney, where thin slices of mutton are “rinsed” in hot water before being dipped in sauce.

When he returned to Japan, he changed the main protein from mutton to beef because of availability issues. He then shared the recipe to restaurants in Kyoto and Osaka, and it was in the latter that it got its name shabu-shabu, an onomatopoeic term referring to the sound that it makes.

In 1962, Yoshida opened his own restaurant called Takumi Kappo in his hometown Tottori. It remains standing to this day. Takumi Kappoten uses local ingredients including thin slices of Tottori beef that are dipped in gyusuji soup and eaten with sesame sauce. A plateful of vegetables and mushrooms also come with an order.

Price: ¥3990 up.

Nearest Station: Tottori Station.

How to get there: Takumi Kappo is just 2 blocks away (5-minute walk) from Tottori Station.

Beniya -kahvila

Specialty: Japanese curry rice
Address: 151 Suehironsencho, Tottori City
Hours open: Thursday-Tuesday 8am-7pm
Closed: Wednesday

It was the British that brought curry to Japan from India during the Meiji era in the late 19th century. since then, the Japanese have taken liberties with the ingredients. Their version of curry is made from less spices and has a more subtle taste, but the umami flavor is still there. It’s usually served on top of rice. Today, it is one of the most popular dishes in the country.

Tottori beats all the other prefectures when it comes to consumption of curry. It’s evident in the number of curry places in the area, one of which is Beniya.

Beniya is a small cafe that is well-known for its chicken cutlet curry. I’m not a fan of curry in general so I wasn’t really that excited about this lunch stop. The unusually dark roux was not helping, either. Reluctantly, I had a taste of it and it was surprisingly delightful. The curry itself is bursting with flavor but not too overpowering, and complements the crispy chicken.

Hinta:

Curry rice: ¥600

Chicken katsu curry: ¥800

Croquette curry: ¥700

Nearest Station: Tottori Station.

How to get there: From Tottori Station, you can just walk. It’s situated just 3 blocks away.

Coco Garden Oenosato Natural Farmissa

Specialty: fluffy Pancakes
Address: 877 Hashimoto, Ohenosato Shizen Bokujou, Yazu-cho, Yazu-gun
Hours open: daily 10am-6pm

Oenosato natural farm is famous in Tottori for their all-natural ways of poultry farming, especially their free range chickens. located at the foot of the mountains of Yazu, it can be reached after a 40-minute train and bus journey from Tottori Station. Yet, customers go out of their way to enjoy what they have to offer.

Here you’ll find Oenosato Village, a complex of small restaurants and stores serving dishes made from natural ingredients. but we came here for breakfast at Coco Garden, a cafe next to Oenosato Village. We had a wonderful first impression of the place. Every corner was Instagram-worthy. Every pastry on display was eye-catching. but its crowd-magnet is its fluffy pancakes. Their pancakes are made from free-range eggs that the farm is proud of. It is the most unforgettable pancake I’ve had in my life.

Nearest Station: JR Koge Station.

How to get there: From Tottori Station, take the JR Imbi Line or Wakasa railway to Koge Station. Fare: ¥240. travel time: 14-18 minutes. From Koge Station, board the San-san Bus bound for Oe and alight at Oenosato Shizen Bokujo-mae. travel time: 15 minutes.

Hachibee gyukotsu ramen

Specialty: Gyukotsu Ramen
Address: 1-101 Fukubacho, Kurayoshi City
Hours open: Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays 1130am-2:30pm, 6pm-08:30pm;
Friday, Saturday, Holidays, 1130am-2:30pm, 6pm-10pm
Closed: Tuesdays

Almost every prefecture puts their own twist to the quintessential Japanese comfort food, ramen. two of the most popular are Fukuoka’s tonkotsu ramen (Hakata ramen) and Hokkaido’s miso ramen. even small cities have their own version. some of the most unforgettable for me are Onomichi’s fatty shoyu ramen and Kumamoto’s rich garlic-overloaded ramen. but if you ask me to rank all the types of ramens that I have slurped, I’m pretty sure that Tottori’s gyukotsu ramen sits comfortably on top of the list.

While the rest of the world is in love with tonkotsu ramen, whose broth is made from pork bones, Tottori uses cattle bones in their gyukotsu ramen. I’ve been to 21 prefectures so far and only Tottori uses this ingredient as base for their broth. It’s rare, yes, but not exactly surprising, given the prefecture’s affinity with beef.

Hachibee is one of the few ramen spots in the world that serve this type of ramen. It is also our guide’s favorite ramen place. He had been raving about it since our first day in Tottori. located in Kurayoshi City, Hachibee isn’t well-known among tourists but is popular among locals. It was pretty packed when we arrived, but thankfully a table became open immediately.

Hachibee’s gyukotsu ramen captivates instantly. We were sold even before we could even take a look at it. The aroma coming from the hot soup filled the air. and when it was finally on our table, we just had to take photos. It looked pretty with thick cuts of pork neatly and beautifully arranged on top of the noodles and bamboo shoots. and the taste was heavenly. The beef bone flavor is undeniable but gentle, not overpowering but blending well with white shoyu. Although I still prefer Takauna’s broth (another ramen shop in neighboring Kotoura), the big chunks of pork