Now that autumn is
coming, here’s a fun and interesting cultural note to share with your students
and/or any others who want to learn more about Japan, especially those who may
be interested in its various regions.
Have you heard of the Imoni Wars 芋煮戦争?
In the Tohoku region of Japan, there is a popular dish that
one can try during the autumn. This dish
is imoni, a delicious soup consisting of locally grown potato, meat, and taro. In Yamagata’s popular Autumn Imoni Festival,
you can even find a giant pot of imoni being stirred by a building crane! There are also smaller imoni-kai
(get-togethers) that people go to with friends, family, and coworkers. You might have an imoni-kai picnic outdoors, overlooking the beautiful mountain ranges along the rolling
fields. Or have it served in one of the
exceptional, intimate traditional-style restaurants around town. Wherever you have it, these
imoni-kai will surely bring you closer to each other…
However!
Depending on the region you are in, there are actually
different ways to make imoni. In the
areas around Yamagata City, for instance, the meat used in imoni is beef, while
in Sendai, which is in neighboring Miyagi Prefecture, many people use pork. Even within Yamagata, the northwest Shonai
area uses pork as the meat. Meanwhile, further
up north in Akita and Aomori, you may find dishes using chicken.
Check this map for easier visualization:
Although most people generally enjoy their imoni regardless of what it uses, there are also a number of passionate folks who (playfully) admonish other
regions for using a different type of meat or soup base. It’s a “battle” for the best way of making
imoni! This is the Imoni War. You can even follow it on Twitter by searching #芋煮戦争2017 (You can also try searching different years going
back to 2013) and seeing what people are actually tweeting. Check it out - it’s quite amusing, and a
great insight to “live” Japanese voices!
Which side are you on?
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