Suttate
Suttate soup is a Shirakawa-go specialty with origins in vegetarian Buddhist cuisine. A thick mixture of freshly ground soybeans and broth made with miso and soy sauce, the dish was originally served mainly on religious occasions associated with the Jodo Shinshu (True Pure Land) school of Buddhism, which has been the dominant faith in the area for centuries. The soup gradually became a part of everyday culinary culture, but remained unfamiliar beyond Shirakawa-go until recently. Its popularity burgeoned after some enterprising local residents invented suttate nabe, a hot pot dish in which suttate is combined with ingredients such as mushrooms, long onions, and brand-name Hida beef raised in the area south of Shirakawa-go. Suttate nabe, which is creamy, aromatic, and has a mild taste somewhat similar to hot pot dishes cooked with soy milk, is available at select restaurants in and around the village of Ogimachi.