Recently, on a ride from Osaka to Fukuoka on the Shinkansen (“bullet train”), I was surprised to find a new, limited-time bento (meal comprising various small portions arranged in a box) on the menu. In order to commemorate the completion of the Kyushu Shinkansen route, as well as the start of service between Osaka and Kagoshima via the Sanyo Shinkansen, a new bento was created that features signature foods from all nine prefectures the route passes through. The following is a list of items in the bento (by prefecture):
- Osaka: Naniwa-style fried pork skewer, Naniwa-style fried renkon (lotus root) skewer, takoyaki (octopus dumpling)
- Hyogo: candied Tamba black beans
- Okayama: barazushi-style chirashizushi (pieces of raw fish over rice)
- Hiroshima: Hiroshima-style picked vegetables (using Hiroshima vegetables)
- Yamaguchi: Ube kamaboko (fish loaf) (using Yamaguchi ingredients)
- Fukuoka: mentaiko (marinated pollack roe) inside squid
- Saga: Fumoto teriyaki chicken (using Saga chicken)
- Kumamoto: karashi-renkon tsutsumiage (lotus root and spicy mustard wrap), ikinari manju (confection filled with sweet been paste and sweet potato)
- Kagoshima: “black pork” (Berkshire pork) prepared with Saikyo white miso
For the price of 1,000 yen, you can sample all of these foods from across Japan in one meal. Don’t miss your chance to try it!
Advertisements
Hi! I’ve enjoyed reading Osaka Insider. Looking forward to this one! I was happy to read this post about the Shinkansen because I just finished reading some manga where it was mentioned. Which makes it all so real to me and makes me more determined than ever to see it for myself in the future! =)