Iwate Travel / Iwate Tour

Did you know that Ichinoseki in Iwate is known as the "holy land of mochi" because the food culture of mochi is so deeply rooted there? Long ago, there was something called the "mochi calendar" in Ichinoseki, and it was customary to eat mochi on more than 60 days a year. In the desire to enjoy these precious mochi, people invented new ways to season and mix them, such as with soybean flour, red bean paste, daikon radish, pickles, walnuts, and perilla seeds. It is said that there are now more than 300 different variations.
In Ichinoseki, mochi can be found on the menu not only at Japanese restaurants but also at Western restaurants and coffee shops.
You may come across some interesting ideas, such as lasagna with mochi and milk tea topped with mochi. It's fun to visit the shops and experience the culture of mochi.

Have you all heard of Miyako's "Bin Don"?
The coast of eastern Iwate is a treasure trove of seafood, known as Sanriku. When you think of the bounty of Sanriku, sea urchins, abalone, seaweed, and many other things come to mind. Some of you may have seen raw sea urchins packed into milk bottles, and taking inspiration from this, a new specialty called "Bin Don," which is fresh seafood packed into a bottle, is gaining popularity.
Bin-don, a colorful seafood dish packed in a jar, is visually stunning, accented by the sparkling red salmon roe.
You can eat Bin Don at 10 Meals in Miyako, but the way the seafood is packed and the seasoning differs depending on the restaurant. The menu also changes depending on the season, so you'll probably want to come back again and again.