Taste cuisine from the Yokohama City began

Photos and Original Japan Article: Gurutabi

The predecessor to Sukiyaki! Yokohama City's beef Nabe (hot pot) is the "flavor of cultural enlightenment"

Beef Nabe (hot pot), the predecessor to "Sukiyaki" originated in Yokohama City during Japan's Meiji Era (approximately 1868~1912), at a time of cultural enlightenment. Due to the city's seaport, the city was influenced by Western culture, and many shops started to imitate Westerners by opening shops to serve beef near locations where Westerners stayed. Initially, beef was grilled on skewers, however, to better suit the Japanese palate, "beef Nabe (hot pot)" was invented. In some regions, Sukiyaki is prepared by cooking the meat first before adding in the Sukiyaki sauce, while other regions cook the beef in the Sukiyaki sauce. The "beef Nabe (hot pot)" was prepared using the later method, and in some restaurants serving "beef Nabe (hot pot)" since the Meiji Era, beef is not thinly sliced, but cut into large pieces.

Photos and Original Japan Article: Gurutabi

Kanagawa prefecture's specialty ramen, prepared with generous portions of fresh bean sprouts and pork

"Sanmamen (Bean sprout ramen)" is a regional specialty ramen served in Kanagawa prefecture. "Sanma" refers to three fresh food ingredients: "bean sprouts," "pork," and "Chinese cabbage," lead to it's naming. The noodles are thin, and the soup is prepared as salt or soy sauce flavor, topped with a starch sauce prepared with bean sprouts, cabbage, wood-ear mushrooms, fish cake, and thinly-sliced pork etc. The various food ingredients provides a nutritiously-balanced, satisfying volume. "Sanmamen (Been sprout ramen)" is especially commonly enjoyed in regions south of Tama River, and east of Oigawa River, long-established as a regional dish representative of Kanagawa prefecture.

Photos and Original Japan Article: Gurutabi

Homemade flavor enjoyed in "Yokohama City," where Japanese beer originated

In Yokohama City, where Japanese beer originated in 1995, local homemade beer was prepared with select water, hops, and malt. Lead by the internationally recognized beer brand that won various awards, the white beer "Weizen," a total of 7 beer selections, including a fruit beer prepared with local peaches grown in Yokohama City, limited edition beer using malt from Seya Ward in Yokohama City, and other beers of various flavors are offered. These original beer brands can be enjoyed as draft beer together with cuisine prepared with locally-grown vegetables, served at restaurant "Umaya no Shokutaku," attached to and directly-managed by the brewery.

Photos and Original Japan Article: Gurutabi

Birthplace of "Yoshimuraya" in Yokohama City, opened in 1974

Successor to "Yoshimuraya" that opened in Yokohama City in 1974, Yokohama-style Ramen is a major group of ramen shops that originated in Kanagawa prefecture, and expanded throughout the prefecture and nationwide. The soup is prepared with pork bones boiled over a long period of time, combined with soy sauce flavor (including chicken parts), and with a generous portion of chicken oil floating on top, a unique style of ramen. The flavor is rich, slightly generous in oil, and harder noodles, unique for accommodating customization according to order. The basic food ingredients consist of three pieces of dried seaweed, spinach, and char-siu (Chinese roasted pork slices). The noodles generally used are thick, wavy-noodles produced by "Sakai Noodle Factory," along with other noodles commonly used from "Ohashi Noodle Factory," "Maruyama Noodle Factory," "Marutomi Noodle Factory," etc. Currently, the "Yoshimuraya" owner Minoru Yoshimura's flavors are succeeded by his immediate disciples and their disciples exceeding 300. The main "Yoshimuraya" shop that heads the group of ramen chain is highly successful, lined daily by an average of 1,500 customers. Eight ramen shops are certified as official member ramen shops under the "Yoshimura Group" - "Sugitaya," "Hajimeya," "Kanniya," "Oudouya," "Matsuriya," "Yokoyokoya," "Takamatsuya," and "Atsugiya."