Must try! Nagasaki gourmet special

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The culinary culture in Nagasaki Prefecture is one of a kind in Japan. Here is the list for your fulfilling gourmet travel in Nagasaki prefecture.

更新日 : 2024.09.25

Taste top-quality seafood in Nagasaki, fish wonderland

Nagasaki is a Treasure-Chest of Seafood. The coastline of Nagasaki is long and intricate with remote islands, coves and bays. This coastline, along with the sea current, creates one of the best locations for fishing in Japan. Nagasaki hauls in the second largest fish catch in Japan, but it is ranked No.1 for having the most variety of fish, with over 250 species!

Some of the most common types of seafood that you can enjoy year-round include Japanese Horse Mackerel (Aji), Chub Mackerel (Saba), Red Sea Bream (Tai), Grunt (Isaki), Pufferfish (Fugu), Yellowtail Amberjack (Buri), Pike Conger Eels (Anago), and Marble Rockfish (Arakabu). Other seasonal specialities include Japanese Spiny Lobster (Ise-ebi), Flounder (Hirame), Flying Fish (Ago), Cutlassfish (Tachiuo) and many more! Throughout the prefecture, you can easily enjoy fresh and delicious seafood in various ways including sashimi, sushi, seafood rice bowl, hotpot, and even steaming it over natural hot spring! There are also numerous gourmet events throughout the year for seafood lovers!

Juicy and tender Nagasaki Wagyu (Japanese beef)

Every five years, the National Japanese Beef Quality Competition (also referred to as the "Wagyu Olympics") is held in Japan. In 2012, the "Nagasaki Wagyu" beef won the Prime Minister's Award, earning recognition as the best Wagyu in Japan.

Today, Nagasaki Prefecture continues to be one of the leading producers of premium Wagyu. In particular, Iki Island and the Goto Islands are renowned for breeding high quality cattle, and those cattle are then shipped to other prefectures to be raised and sold under their own branded name.

There are many restaurants throughout the prefecture that offers exceptional Nagasaki Wagyu at an affordable price.

Nagasaki's famed Champon and Sara-udon

At the mention of Nagasaki, many people in Japan immediately think of Champon. This dish is loved not only by tourists, but also the locals as well.

Champon is a noodle dish packed with vegetables, pork and seafood in a rich creamy broth made from pork and chicken bones. The dish was created in the Meiji Period by a local Chinese restaurant that wanted to provide a low-cost yet highly nutritious meal for the local Chinese students. Since then, it has become one of the well-loved and famous gourmet in Nagasaki Prefecture. Sara-udon, another local specialty dish, has vegetables and seafood mixed in a thick creamy sauce that is covered on top of either thin crispy noodles, or on regular champon noodles.

Local delicacies of Nagasaki

Toruko Rice（Turkish Rice）

"Toruko Rice", also known as Turkish Rice, is a Western-inspired dish created in Nagasaki City. This dish consists of pilaf rice, spaghetti, and pork cutlets that are generously covered in sauce such as demi-glace sauce, curry and etc. Each restaurant uses a slightly different mix of ingredients, toppings and sauce, creating many variations of this dish.While known as Turkish Rice, this dish was actually not inspired by Turkish cuisine.

Sasebo Burger

Introduced by American sailors in the 1950s, this American-Japanese fusion burger is famous across Japan. The people of Sasebo adapted the recipe to create their own style of burger, and nowadays there are many registered Sasebo Burger restaurants in the region that offers their own unique taste.

Lemon Steak

Lemon steak, a dish originating in Sasebo, consists of thinly-sliced beef seared on a hotplate, then served with a soy sauce-based lemon sauce. It emerged as a way of serving steak, which became popular uynder the influence of the US Navy, which suited the Japanese palate.

Shimabara Somen（Japanese thin wheat noodles）

Shimabara Somen is a hand-stretched, very thin noodle made with high-quality wheat and spring water from Minami-Shimabara. Although the noodle is quite thin, it has a strong body and a smooth texture. There are approximately 300 local somen manufacturers that produce and contribute to about 30% of all somen production in Japan.

Guzoni

Guzoni is a Shimabara specialty dish made with mochi rice cakes and approximately ten kinds of fresh local ingredients cooked together in a light yet flavorful broth. This dish was said to be created during the Shimabara Rebellion in 1637, and because of its nutritious value, it was able to support and feed the warriors for three months.Today, this dish is loved by the locals, and recipes may vary from household to household. For visitors, you can try guzoni at many restaurants in the Shimabara region!

Goto Udon (thick wheat noodles)

Goto Udon is one of the top three famous udon noodles in Japan. This speciality noodle is unique to the islands of Goto (literally meaning five islands), and it is only produced on the Goto. Skinny yet firm, these udon noodles are known for their nice, smooth texture. The recommended serving method is straight from the pot, then eaten with broth and egg. The delicious flavor is so moreish, you want to come back for seconds again and again.

Nagasaki liquor to go with the local delicacies

The liquor that represents Nagasaki is the shochu fermented on Iki and Goto islands (distilled from wheat, sweet potatoes, etc.). The shochu made on Iki Island, which is said to be the birthplace of barley shochu, is characterized by its barley aroma and sophisticated sweetness. Seven distilleries are found on the island, where tours and tastings are available. The Goto islands are the place to enjoy the ample aroma and deep flavor of sweet potato shochu. Shochu made exclusively from the high-quality sweet potatoes grown on the islands is a passion of its producers and a sought-after product.Nagasaki Prefecture is also dotted with long-established sake breweries with over 100 years of history. Pure water, quality rice and masterful skill are the ingredients of the unique sake of the region. Enjoy.

Much-loved local sweets

Castella

Castella is a sweet and moist sponge cake that was first introduced by the Portugese missionaries in the mid 1600s. The recipe was customized by the people in Nagasaki, and it is now a famous sweet known throughout Japan.

Kanzarashi

Kanzarashi is a specialty dish in the Shimabara region. This dish consists of cooked small mochi-balls made from rice flour, and it is eaten with a light syrup.