Shimabara Peninsula Geopark Leaflet: Local Foods
Shimabara Guzōni
This light soup is made using soft, round mochi and a wide variety of other fresh ingredients from across the peninsula. Zōni soups are quite common in Japan, but this version packs many ingredients into one bowl.
Sōmen noodles
Sōmen are exceptionally thin noodles that are often served cold with a dipping sauce in the summer. One of the most delightful ways to eat them is as nagashi sōmen, or “flowing noodles,” where the cooked noodles are placed in a bamboo chute with water running down it. Diners catch them with their chopsticks as they go sliding by. Many of the nagashi sōmen restaurants in Shimabara use spring water to power the noodles along.
Kanzarashi
These small, soft mochi rice cakes are made with local spring water and served in a bowl with a light syrup. This is a refreshing conclusion to a meal, especially during the summer.
Potatoes
The hundreds of thousands of years of volcanic eruptions on the Shimabara Peninsula have created many unique types of fertile soil. Of the many crops grown on Shimabara, potatoes are one of the most famous—in fact, the loose volcanic soil found in the southern half of the peninsula is perfect for growing potatoes. Southern Shimabara is one of the most productive potato-growing regions in the country.