[For Seniors] Yamagata Prefecture Local Quiz: Enjoy Brain Training with Local Cuisine, Autumn Traditions, and Hard-to-Read Place Names

tama konnyaku (konjac balls)

Tama-konnyaku is beloved as the soul food of Yamagata Prefecture. Round konnyaku is slowly simmered in a soy sauce–based broth, then skewered and served with Japanese mustard—this is the standard style. It’s cherished not only as a festival or sightseeing street snack, but also as an everyday treat or side dish by the locals.

cherry (sweet cherry; cherry fruit)

Yamagata Prefecture proudly boasts the highest cherry production in Japan, accounting for about 70% of the nation’s total. The Satonishiki variety is especially famous and is loved nationwide as an early-summer delicacy. Known for its vibrant red color and sweet-tart flavor, it is so beautiful it’s called the “jewel of the orchard.” During the peak season, many tourists visit for cherry picking, making it a quintessential early-summer tradition that brightens Yamagata’s season.

Yobarazu

One of the very rare and hard-to-read place names in Yamagata Prefecture is written with the characters for “silence” (無音) but pronounced “Yobarazu.” There are several theories about the origin of this curious name, including that it was such a bountiful land that there was no need to call for people, and that it was a sacred place where no sound should be made. Because the reading cannot be guessed at all from the kanji “無” and “音,” it is known as a place name that is difficult to read for anyone outside the local community.

high-rise apartment building

Sky Tower 41 is a 41-story high-rise condominium that stands alone amid the rural landscape of Yamagata Prefecture. At approximately 134 meters tall, it is known as the tallest building in the prefecture. With no tall structures around it, its sudden, towering presence in the tranquil rice fields makes a striking impression, and this unusual sight is frequently featured on television programs and online.

cod

Dongara-jiru is a traditional winter dish that represents the Shonai region of Yamagata Prefecture. It is a soup that makes full use of winter-caught Pacific cod (madai/kandara), simmering not only the flesh but also the head, bones, innards, and even milt (shirako), then seasoning it with miso and adding ingredients like green onions and tofu.

Natto

Hippare Udon is a traditional local dish that has long been loved mainly in the inland areas of Yamagata Prefecture. Freshly boiled udon noodles are lifted straight from the pot and enjoyed by coating them in a special sauce made by mixing natto, canned mackerel, green onions, soy sauce, and the like. It was devised as a way to have a warm, highly nutritious meal without much effort during the severe winter cold.

candied locusts (tsukudani)

In some areas of Yamagata Prefecture, school lunches in autumn sometimes include locust tsukudani as a local dish. Locusts have long been appreciated as a valuable source of protein and calcium, and the sweet-and-salty tsukudani simmered with soy sauce and sugar goes well with rice.