Food tour in Yamagata! Exclusive local delicacies with great time efficiency and value

A specialty store that will change your perception of konjac: "Tanno Konjac Yamagata Zao Interchange Front Store"

Konnyaku is healthy and good for beauty and health, and Yamagata Prefecture has the highest consumption of it in Japan. It is an indispensable part of daily life.

Tanno Konnyaku is a long-established konnyaku specialty store that represents Yamagata Prefecture, founded in 1959. They have five stores in the prefecture, and continue to propose new ways to eat konnyaku, including restaurants where you can enjoy konnyaku kaiseki and konnyaku sweets, and shops where you can purchase souvenirs.

At "Tanno Konnyaku Yamagata Zao Interchange Front Store," you can not only buy souvenirs, but also enjoy konnyaku in the eat-in space. The delicious aroma of soy sauce wafts from the counter, whet your appetite!

It's surprising that there are so many ways to eat it, including "tama konnyaku (120 yen)," "miso dengaku (108 yen)," "mochi konnyaku" made by steaming and grilling half glutinous rice and half konnyaku, and the yakitori-flavored "konnikuyaki (160 yen)."

If you simmer the ball konnyaku for too long it will harden, so the key to making it delicious is to simmer it quickly for about 5 minutes. The simple flavor of the thoroughly soy sauce, the moderate elasticity, and the moist and smooth texture are delicious. You won't be able to stop eating it.

The "Walnut Miso Mochi Konnyaku (220 yen)" is served with an original sweet and salty miso, while the "Soy Sauce Mochi Konnyaku (150 yen)" is roasted until fragrant with soy sauce and wrapped in seaweed, giving it an addictive chewy texture.

"Konnikuyaki," which looks just like the onion-filled part of yakitori, is made using hand-rolled konnyaku that is simmered together with meat to create a texture and flavor that is just like meat. A true professional technique!

There are about 100 kinds of konnyaku products lined up in the store, and you can sample anything that catches your eye. You'll be amazed at all the different things you see, wondering if they're really konnyaku!

With new and innovative dishes, sweets, and snacks, your perception of konnyaku is sure to change. If you visit Yamagata, be sure to try the delicious konnyaku before heading home.

Tanno Konnyaku Yamagata Zao Interchange Front Store

Aji no Mise Suzuran is a famous restaurant where you can enjoy Yamagata's local cuisine with local sake.

Suzuran-gai, located on the east side of Yamagata Station, is lined with traditional izakayas and restaurants and is a bustling area on weekends.

Aji no Mise Suzuran, located in Suzuran Street, is a popular local restaurant. If you come here, you can enjoy delicious Yamagata cuisine and local dishes.

The interior of the restaurant, where the lively voices of the chefs fill the air, has a spacious space with seating for 300, ranging from a counter perfect for one person, small private rooms for a cozy meal, to a large room suitable for large parties. Paintings of flowers, wild vegetables, fish, and more are displayed throughout the restaurant, adding to the excitement of what kind of food you'll be able to enjoy!

Dashiyakko (638 yen) is a dish of chopped cucumber, eggplant, and other vegetables topped with a generous scoop of dashi made from kelp and myoga ginger, then poured over tofu. The balance of the crunchy texture and smooth tofu is just right, making it the perfect accompaniment to local sake.

If you visit here, you must try the "Assorted Sashimi (1,650 yen per person)." This luxurious platter includes nine types of seasonal fish, including flounder, sea bream, and rockfish, all shipped directly from the Sea of Japan, as well as tuna. The white fish is seasoned with natural coarse salt from the Sea of Japan and moromi miso paste.

The sashimi platter comes with gunkanmaki, so you can enjoy your favorite sashimi in gunkan style. When you put the beautifully marbled tuna on top and take a bite, your happiness will spread.

And when talking about Yamagata's local cuisine, we can't forget the "Imoni Nabe (1,100 yen per person)." The sticky, creamy taro is so soft that it melts in your mouth the moment you bite into it. The flavor of the soy sauce-based broth and meat permeates every corner of the taro and vegetables, creating a simple yet comforting taste.

There are many nostalgic and heart-warming local dishes from Yamagata. Why not try them with some delicious local sake from Yamagata?

Aji no Mise Suzuran