Taste Kagoshima Cuisine

Kagoshima‘s cuisine, also called Satsuma Cuisine by the former name of Kagoshima Prefecture. It is one of the most distinct Japanese local cuisines since Kagoshima is well isolated at the southern end of Kyushu. You might notice some influences of Okinawa cuisine, as Okinawa was controlled by Satsuma for a few hundred years in the past. A large variety of restaurants can be found in downtown Kagoshima, for example along Gourmet-dori (“Gourmet Street”).

Torisashi
Torisashi is raw chicken (in Japanese “tori” is chicken and “sashi” will remind you of sashimi which is raw fish). The dish is usually accompanied by ground ginger and soy sauce, which is used as a dipping sauce.

Kibinago
Kibinago is a small herring fish that is typically served raw as sashimi with a vinegar-soybean paste. Sometimes called “silver sprat” in English, kibinago are about 10 centimeters long and are often used as bait for tuna.

Satsumaage
It mostly consists of a paste of minced fish that is then deep fried. The type of fish used in the paste can vary, but is often bonito, mackerel or sardines. Some other ingredients are also included in small quantities to add a bit of flavor, such as pickled ginger and vegetables. Popular across the country, satsumaage is one of the most famous dishes of Kagoshima.

Tonkotsu
Tonkotsu is a stew made with pork and miso that is served with vegetables, such as daikon and konnyaku. The pork is cooked very slowly so that it becomes very soft and the bones can also be eaten. A large amount of shochu (Japanese Spirit) is added into the broth as well, which gives tonkotsu a slightly sweet flavor in addition to the savory taste of the meat and miso.

Satsuma Shochu
Shochu is a clear, distilled liquor with an alcohol content of about 25%, that is popular across Japan, but especially in Kyushu. In the Kagoshima region, shochu is made from local sweet potatoes (satsumaimo). Restaurants in Kagoshima will often have a variety of Satsuma Shochu on offer. It can be enjoyed straight, on the rocks (with ice) or mixed with hot water.

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