Goldmine of Food! 5 Must-Try Local Dishes in Nature-Rich Shikoku Region

Sanuki udon, characterized by the firm and chewy texture of the noodles, is a type of udon (thick wheat noodles) from Kagawa. There are many shops dedicated to this kind of udon in Kagawa, and in recent years, the region has witnessed a boom in eating tours wherein diners go around a number of restaurants. The shops have various unique traits, with some shops adopting a self-service style, while other shops setting up a dining space next to a noodle factory. There are also many different ways to eat the noodles.
For instance, the noodles can come as Kake Udon that is eaten by pouring hot dashi (soup stock) over boiled noodles, Kamaage Udon that is made by taking out the boiled noodles from the pot and then putting them straight into the dipping sauce without immersing them in water, and Kamatama Udon wherein the boiled noodles are removed from the pot and then mixed with raw egg and a strong sauce or soy sauce while they are hot. Many shops offer a wide selection of toppings, too, so try to find your preferred way of eating udon.

The next must-try specialty is Uwajima taimeshi (rice with minced sea bream), a local dish that has been passed on to Uwajima in the Nanyo area of Ehime. With this dish, the meat of fresh sea bream is cut into thin slices, soaked in a seasoned sauce made from soy sauce, mirin (sweet rice liquor for cooking), dashi and white sesame seeds, mixed with beaten egg, and then poured on top of piping hot rice. After that, it is sprinkled with the peel of the Ehime specialty mikan (orange) or yuzu (citrus), and chopped nori (dried edible seaweed).
Many regions call the dish in which sea bream meat is cooked together with the dashi and other ingredients as taimeshi, but Uwajima is the only place in Japan where this dish uses fresh sea bream. So, you have to try the taimeshi in Uwajima.

Next on the list is a local dish of Ehime, jakoten. It is made by mincing fresh small fish (the young of horse mackerel, etc.) caught in Uwa Sea, including the skin and bones, and then the resulting fish paste is formed into oval patties and fried in oil. This dish is characterized by fish patties that are fried as is, without batter coating similar to the batter often used when cooking tempura.
Jakoten’s appeal lies in its robust taste that comes from the condensed flavors of fish, and the rich variety of nutrients found inside it, such as calcium, DHA and EPA. There are many ways to enjoy eating this dish: as is, grilled and served with grated radish on the side, or as an udon topping.