8 Japanese dishes you must try outside Tokyo: Yamagata Edition
- 1) Yonezawa beef
- 2) Basashi (Horse sashimi)
- 3) Imoni (meat soup)
- 4) Hacchan-yaki (Red bean pancake)
- 5) Traditional siphoned coffee
- 6) Salmon bento
- 7) Onsen eggs
- BONUS: Gyu-tan (牛タン) – Beef tongue
- Traveling around Yamagata
#FoodForThought: Not all things were created equal — my insatiable appetite, and my finite physical capacity for food.

About 2 hours North of Tokyo, Yamagata prefecture’s mountainous region is the perfect backdrop to enjoy Japan’s nature and savour some of the best foods that Japan has to offer. Yamagata home to Kobe beef’s top rival — Yonezawa beef, Japan’s sweetest Delaware grapes and cherries, and even has an old township cafe that serves up traditional siphoned coffee.
If you get the chance to visit this winter wonderland here are 7 things to eat in Yamagata that are sure to whet your appetite.
1) Yonezawa beef

Photo credit: Gurunavi
My mum always told me to “cow-nt” my blessings. This trip I heeded her advice and sampled one of the top 3 most celebrated beefs in Japan — The Yonezawa beef. The melt-in-your-mouth marbled slices definitely gave the moos of Kobes and Matsusakas a run for their money.

Photo credit: Timeout
You can enjoy it sukiyaki style, swish it in a shabu-shabu, or, my personal fave, grilled with the fats slightly melted off leaving a slight crisp to the moist meat.

There are many restaurants that serve up their own take on Yonezawa beef, but the name the locals swear by is Yonezawa Beef Dining Bekoya. Be it raw, shabu-ed, or grilled, they’re your go to Beef-bae.
Yonezawa Beef Dining Bekoya
Address: 3-2-34 Higashi, Yonezawa-shi, Yamagata Prefecture, Japan
2) Basashi (Horse sashimi)

If you’ve had beef tartare, you’d love horse sashimi. Not only is it a rare delicacy, it is also a healthier choice. It is known for being low in cholesterol, fat, calories, and much higher in protein compared to pork, beef and chicken.
Best place to try it is at Hottnaru (warming heart) izakaya street. If you’re not used to the taste, you can drown it out with the wide variety of sakes and other snacks such as squid roe and tamago for your late-night snack.
Hottnaru Izakaya street
Address: 2-1-14-6, Nanoka-machi, Yamagata-shi, Yamagata Prefecture, Japan 990-0042
3) Imoni (meat soup)

There is nothing more comforting than a warm bowl of soup on a cold winter’s day. With the combination of taro and meat broth, Imoni is a staple for those who live in Yamagata. While miso-based Imoni can be found in other regions, Yamagata’s Imoni differentiates itself with it’s light shoyu-base which is enhanced by the freshest Yonezawa beef, giving it the right balance of sweet and savoury.

Obakoya Opening hours: 9.00am – 7pm (or till sold out)
Address: Obakoya, No. 17, Syowa Main Street, Takahata, Yamagata Prefecture, Japan
4) Hacchan-yaki (Red bean pancake)


*Pro-tip: Be sure to head there before 3pm to make sure you get yourself a piece!
Address: No. 17, Syowa Main Street, Takahata, Yamagata Prefecture, Japan
5) Traditional siphoned coffee

The lady boss has passed on her skills to her son who is the current barista. The siphon is split into two chambers where the coffee is brewed in a vacuum with the vapour pressure accumulated from the burner below. Once done, the coffee flows from the top chamber to the bottom chamber, much like how sand flows through an hourglass, therapeutic to watch and really fragrant to drink.
6) Salmon bento

First thing I noticed was how generous the serving was! I couldn’t decide whether it was the thick firm slices of salmon, crunchy roe jewels, slightly soy-seasoned pearl rice, or just the combination of everything that captivated my tummy. The chef was on a “roe-ll” with this one.
For about SGD12, this is a steal for the quality ingredients you’re getting. You can get them along the JR-East Tohoku line between the Miyagi and Tokyo stations.
7) Onsen eggs


BONUS: Gyu-tan (牛タン) – Beef tongue
On the way back to Tokyo, we stopped by at Sendai for lunch.

It is normally charcoal grilled and served with mugi gohan (steamed white rice with barley), and a side of oxtail soup. I had mine with a ponzu dipping sauce which was amazing! The light citrus flavour with a tinge of spiciness pairs perfectly with the crisp succulent meat.
A must-try when you’re in Sendai! The city has almost 100 beef tongue restaurants that you can choose from. We had ours at the Aji no Gyutan Kisuke, which was conveniently located at the food haven located in the basement floor of S-PAL Sendai shopping mall.
Aji no Gyutan Kisuke Opening hours: 11am – 11pm
Address: S-PAL Sendai, 1-1-1, Chuo, Aoba-ku, Sendai-shi, Miyagi, 980-8477
Traveling around Yamagata
With so much good food in Yamagata, it can really take days to savour the taste of Tohoku. Having the flexibility of a five-day JR EAST PASS (Tohoku area) and not having to worry about costly travel between places really helps (especially when the train comes with an onboard footbath) Check out the list of valid train routes and train timetable to help you plan your foodie journey.
You can purchase the pass at the JR EAST Travel Service Center at Narita or Haneda airport at ¥20,000. But if you purchase your ticket online, or at the instore ticket counter at JAPAN RAIL CAFE in Singapore, you can get it for ¥19,000, and save that ¥1,000 to fund your Shinkansen snack packs!
This post was brought to you by JR East.