Shiro no Murasaki (Purple Rice)
One local food that visitors are encouraged to try is Shiro no Murasaki, an ancient variety of rice cultivated by only one farmer in rice paddies near the site of Tagajo Castle.
The short grains are smooth and have a deep purple/black color, which lightens to a festive pinkish tone when cooked. This purple rice is also packed with antioxidants and minerals.
Visitors can purchase small packages of Shiro no Murasaki rice at the tourism information center at Tagajo Station or sample sake, sweets, bread, or noodles made with the colorful rice at select shops around the city. One shop serving this Nara-period grain is the café on the first floor of the Tohoku History Museum, on the way to the Tagajo Castle ruins.