Introducing "Gokayama Tofu", which boasts a hardness so high that you can tie it with a rope and carry it around!
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The local dish "Gokayama Tofu" is characterized by its firm tofu, which has little moisture and is so densely packed that it will not fall apart even when tied with rope.
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We are promoting the charm of Nanto City, Toyama Prefecture, both in Japan and overseas. Nanto City, located in the southwest of Toyama Prefecture, is blessed with abundant nature in all four seasons, and is a place where the original Japanese landscape and good old traditional Japanese culture remain strong to this day. Gokayama, known for its Gassho-style villages, is a "living World Heritage Site" where people live with their own unique culture. The scattered villages spread across the countryside are also one of the special landscapes unique to this region. Johana, which flourished in silk weaving from the Middle Ages to the early modern period, and Inami, known for woodcarving, are filled with fragrant history and culture. Fukumitsu, where Munakata Shiko lived, Fukuno, which flourished as a market town, Iguchi, the village of camellias, and Toga, a town of theater and urban exchange, are always full of travel attractions, and the people welcome you with warm smiles.
Gokayama tofu is an indispensable ingredient in dishes for festivals and Buddhist ceremonies, as well as in everyday meals. The method of making this tofu was passed down from a temple in Kyoto. It is a food culture unique to Gokayama, where the prayers of Jodo Shinshu have been deeply rooted in daily life since ancient times. Gokayama tofu is an essential ingredient in the vegetarian cuisine of the important Buddhist event, Hoonko, and was almost the only processed food on the table, where vegetables, wild plants, and other bounty from the mountains were the main focus. Tofu's white color also made it considered a noble ingredient.
The ingredients are large Enrei soybeans from Toyama Prefecture and natural water that springs from the mountain behind the house at an altitude of 1000m. Melted snow and rainwater that soaks into the ground is filtered through the earth and emerges at the surface of the valley as soft water. The soybeans are soaked in this water overnight and then swell up, after which they are crushed. It is said that crushing the soybeans before heating results in a flavor that is free of impurities. The soybeans are then heated and separated into soy pulp and soy milk. The freshly squeezed soy milk has a clean taste that allows you to taste the sweetness of the soybeans.
The nigari is added to the soy milk, which has reached a temperature of about 70 degrees in the tub, and the mixture is stirred while the water is slowly separated. Once a certain amount of water has separated, the floppy tofu is placed into a tofu mold. This tofu mold is called a "Kanazawa box," and is a traditional mold that has been used since the Edo period. It is a unique size that remains in Gokayama, which was once under the control of the Kaga domain. A stone weight is placed on top of the mold to slowly remove the water even more.
When the finished Gokayama tofu is removed from the mold in water, it sinks into the water. This is proof that it is packed with soy ingredients. In the past, tofu was tied with straw rope and handed over to people who came to buy it.
We are promoting the charm of Nanto City, Toyama Prefecture, both in Japan and overseas. Nanto City, located in the southwest of Toyama Prefecture, is blessed with abundant nature in all four seasons, and is a place where the original Japanese landscape and good old traditional Japanese culture remain strong to this day. Gokayama, known for its Gassho-style villages, is a "living World Heritage Site" where people live with their own unique culture. The scattered villages spread across the countryside are also one of the special landscapes unique to this region. Johana, which flourished in silk weaving from the Middle Ages to the early modern period, and Inami, known for woodcarving, are filled with fragrant history and culture. Fukumitsu, where Munakata Shiko lived, Fukuno, which flourished as a market town, Iguchi, the village of camellias, and Toga, a town of theater and urban exchange, are always full of travel attractions, and the people welcome you with warm smiles.
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