Ishiyaki Nabe, the famous local cuisine of Oga peninsula, Akita prefecture, is a stone-roasted hot pot. The key is to watch, listen then eat the boiling pot ingredients and taste the seafood's savory juices in your mouth-- a delicious local fish and vegetable dish, indeed.
Introducing the Oga Peninsula
“Nakuko wa inee gaa (Are there any crybabies around?” “Warui ko wa inee ga (Are there any naughty children around?)” Hearing these voices, scared children run away and hide behind their parents—this is your typical New Year Eve’s scene in Oga peninsula, Akita prefecture.
The children are running away from Namahage, (in some theories) a visiting Shinto god who looks like a demon and admonishes naughty and lazy children. Men dress up in their Namahage costumes and make door-to-door visits to warn children to listen to their parents. Before they leave though, they pray for the family’s safety, big fish catch and good harvest. The Namahage ritual can be traced back to the early 1800’s, the oldest record of Namahage being a book by a travel-writer, Masui Sugae (1754-1829) called, “Oga no Samukaze.”
This tradition has been passed on for generations and is designated as an Important Intangible Cultural Asset. In my opinion, their concept of scaring children to behave properly is quite similar to the German Christmas icon, Krampus.
The children are running away from Namahage, (in some theories) a visiting Shinto god who looks like a demon and admonishes naughty and lazy children. Men dress up in their Namahage costumes and make door-to-door visits to warn children to listen to their parents. Before they leave though, they pray for the family’s safety, big fish catch and good harvest. The Namahage ritual can be traced back to the early 1800’s, the oldest record of Namahage being a book by a travel-writer, Masui Sugae (1754-1829) called, “Oga no Samukaze.”
This tradition has been passed on for generations and is designated as an Important Intangible Cultural Asset. In my opinion, their concept of scaring children to behave properly is quite similar to the German Christmas icon, Krampus.
Oga peninsula in northwestern Akita prefecture protrudes in the Sea of Japan. Other than the Namahage, they are famous for their beautiful coastline and their Shugendo mountain ascents. Shugendo translates to “the path of training,” and since ancient times, Oga peninsula’s Honzan and Shinzan mountains were used for training.
And how’s the food there? You can definitely expect some amazing seafood, like raw sea urchin on rice, in this area. But what you really don’t want to miss is their Ishiyaki Nabe (hot pot with rocks). Not only is it delicious, but it’s also a fun experience.
And how’s the food there? You can definitely expect some amazing seafood, like raw sea urchin on rice, in this area. But what you really don’t want to miss is their Ishiyaki Nabe (hot pot with rocks). Not only is it delicious, but it’s also a fun experience.
What is Ishiyaki Nabe
Topping the list of the most satisfying local dishes in Akita, the Ishiyaki Nabe is a stone-roasted hot pot simmered with plenty of fresh seafood and seasonal vegetables in a miso-based soup.
Not only is it flavorful, but it’s also exciting to watch. After putting soup and ingredients in a pot made from Akita cedar, they put a roasted stone in the pot (they say the heated stone is about 400-degree celsius!) to instantly boil the food. This sudden change in temperature brings out the seafood’s savory juices, deepening the flavor of the soup.
This local dish is pleasing on many levels-- you can see, hear, and taste the effects of the heated stone in the hot pot right in front of you. Enjoy the sight of your dish changing as the stone magically transforms your food into something tasty. Listen to the red stone boiling the seafood and vegetables in the pot. Afterward, devour the fresh seafood and vegetables as you slurp the flavorful miso-based soup. Repeat this over and over (which you will have no trouble doing) until your pot is empty. It’s a truly delicious (and exciting to watch and listen) local Oga peninsula cuisine that has you coming back for more.
Not only is it flavorful, but it’s also exciting to watch. After putting soup and ingredients in a pot made from Akita cedar, they put a roasted stone in the pot (they say the heated stone is about 400-degree celsius!) to instantly boil the food. This sudden change in temperature brings out the seafood’s savory juices, deepening the flavor of the soup.
This local dish is pleasing on many levels-- you can see, hear, and taste the effects of the heated stone in the hot pot right in front of you. Enjoy the sight of your dish changing as the stone magically transforms your food into something tasty. Listen to the red stone boiling the seafood and vegetables in the pot. Afterward, devour the fresh seafood and vegetables as you slurp the flavorful miso-based soup. Repeat this over and over (which you will have no trouble doing) until your pot is empty. It’s a truly delicious (and exciting to watch and listen) local Oga peninsula cuisine that has you coming back for more.
Ishiyaki Nabe was first developed and eaten by Oga peninsula fishermen. The fishermen would chop up some freshly caught white-fleshed fish, place them in a bucket full of water and then throw a stone heated with charcoal fire into the bucket. Thinking this might be a great way to entertain customers, the Seiko Grand Hotel in Oga peninsula started to serve this dish, eventually turning it into famous local cuisine. Now many hotels and restaurants in Oga serve this dish as Ishiyaki Nabe, but Seiko Grand Hotel still sticks to calling it the “Isoyaki Cuisine.”
Close to ten hotels in the Oga hot spring area exist, and most of them offer this dish to their guests. What better way to have it then after your long dip in the Oga hot spring. What makes Oga hot spring special is that it contains salt compounds similar to that of seawater and prevents sweat from evaporating. This is known to have great effects on the skin. Since the temperature of the water from the hot spring source is very high, usually water is mixed into the bath.
Close to ten hotels in the Oga hot spring area exist, and most of them offer this dish to their guests. What better way to have it then after your long dip in the Oga hot spring. What makes Oga hot spring special is that it contains salt compounds similar to that of seawater and prevents sweat from evaporating. This is known to have great effects on the skin. Since the temperature of the water from the hot spring source is very high, usually water is mixed into the bath.
An Amazing Eating Experience
Experience Ishiyaki Nabe, the flavorful fishermen’s dish at Oga peninsula, Akita prefecture and go into their hot spring to nurture both body and soul. And if your children don’t listen to you, take them to Oga on New Year’s Eve and have Namahage visit you. Your children will be so scared they won’t misbehave again (well, for a few hours)
How to Visit
Take a 65 minute plane ride from Tokyo Haneda airport to Akita airport. From the airport, take the airport liner, “Oga Onsenkyo Go” that departs from Akita airport (about 80 minutes). You can also go on the limousine bus from the airport to JR Akita station (about 30 minutes), then ride the train to JR Oga station (about 55 minutes). Some visitors have mentioned that the airport liner is more expensive but faster and stress free option.
Oga Tourist Information Address:
1 Shinhamacho Funakawaminato, Oga-shi, Akita, 010-0511
Tel: +81 (0)185-24-4700
Oga Tourist Information Address:
1 Shinhamacho Funakawaminato, Oga-shi, Akita, 010-0511
Tel: +81 (0)185-24-4700
