[For Seniors] Akita Prefecture Local Quiz: Brain Training to Deepen Knowledge with Famous Fireworks Festivals, Traditional Crafts, and Local Cuisine

sixth

Akita Prefecture covers about 11,637 square kilometers, making it the sixth largest in Japan after Hokkaido, Iwate, Fukushima, Nagano, and Niigata. It is very expansive within the Tohoku region and blessed with abundant nature, featuring diverse landscapes such as the beautiful Ou Mountains, the World Heritage–listed Shirakami-Sanchi, and a long coastline along the Sea of Japan. Agriculture and forestry have flourished since long ago, and the delicious Akita Komachi rice and pristine water are thanks to this vast, nature-rich land.

water depth

Lake Tazawa, located in Semboku City, Akita Prefecture, has a maximum depth of 423.4 meters and is known as the deepest lake in Japan. Thanks to its depth, the surface never freezes even in midwinter, allowing visitors to enjoy its beautiful lapis-blue waters year-round.

sugar

In parts of the Tohoku region including Akita Prefecture, as well as some areas of Hokkaido, there is a unique custom of adding sugar to natto. Adding sugar makes the strands stretch beautifully and gives it a plump, smooth texture. It’s also said that because sugar used to be very precious, it began to be used as a way to show hospitality to guests. The sweet-and-salty flavor pairs well with rice, so if you have the chance, why not try it at home at least once?

Akita Komachi

Akitakomachi is a rice variety representing Akita Prefecture, descended from Koshihikari and introduced in 1984. Its name was inspired by Ono no Komachi, a legendary beauty said to have been born in Ono, Yuzawa City, Akita. Known for its chewy texture and sweetness, it remains delicious even when cold, making it well-suited for bento and rice balls. Nurtured by Akita’s rich natural environment and pure waters, it is widely recognized as one of the most popular rice varieties in Japan.

Yokote Yakisoba

Yokote yakisoba is a local specialty of Yokote City in Akita Prefecture. It features thick, straight square noodles, ingredients like cabbage and ground pork, and a slightly sweet sauce. It is typically topped with a soft-cooked sunny-side-up egg and served with fukujinzuke pickles. Along with Fujinomiya yakisoba from Shizuoka Prefecture and Joshu Ota yakisoba from Gunma Prefecture, it is widely known nationwide as one of Japan’s “Three Great Yakisoba,” beloved by locals and visitors alike. Its nostalgic, homey flavor is part of its charm.

Kanto Festival

The Akita Kanto Festival is counted among the three great festivals of Tohoku, alongside Aomori’s Nebuta Festival and Sendai’s Tanabata Festival. Held in early August each year, it features spectacular displays in which performers balance enormous kanto poles—adorned with dozens of lanterns and likened to ears of rice—on their palms, foreheads, shoulders, and hips. This traditional event prays for bountiful harvests and good health, and the sight of countless golden lanterns swaying against the night sky is highly dreamlike, captivating many visitors who come from all over Japan every year.

heel

“Agudo” is a dialect word in the Tohoku region, including Akita, that means “heel.” Because people have long used their feet a lot for farm work and the like, it’s a very familiar term even among the elderly. It’s often used in everyday conversation, as in “step on the heel of your shoe.”