Take a Gastronomic Journey Through Niigata’s Rich Food Culture

Murakami City in Niigata Prefecture is famously known as the “City of Salmon.” Its history with the fish stretches back to the Heian Period, when salmon was presented as tax to the imperial court. During the Edo Period, the local domain cultivated salmon as an economic resource, and in the Meiji Period, Murakami became the first place in Japan to successfully hatch salmon eggs artificially. This long history centered around salmon has given rise to a distinctive food culture, with over a hundred unique salmon dishes enjoyed throughout the year and family recipes that use the fish carefully passed down through the generations.

Murakami’s signature dish is shiobiki-zake, prepared with nothing but salmon and salt. After rubbing the salmon with salt and leaving it to cure for several days, it is rinsed off. The fish is then hung outdoors and matured slowly for three to four weeks, exposed to the cold, northwestern winds. This activates the enzymes that transform protein into umami-rich amino acids, producing its distinctive deep flavor. In winter, the rows of shiobiki-zake hanging under the eaves of homes and restaurants have become a classic scene of Murakami.

Ready to try out this local specialty? Visit Sennenzake Kikkawa Izutsuya, Murakami City’s first salmon-specialty establishment. Its famous “11-Dish Salmon Course” allows patrons to enjoy every part of the delicious fish, so nothing goes to waste. Highlights include sake-bitashi (thin slices of salmon aged for a year and soaked in sake) and charcoal-grilled shiobiki-zake, all served with carefully selected rice cooked in an earthen pot. The course concludes with ochazuke - a preparation of shiobiki-zake over rice with Murakami tea poured over it.

The restaurant has staff who can speak English and welcomes visitors from all over the world. The building it is housed in was built over 100 years ago and is a designated National Tangible Cultural Property that sets the perfect traditional Japanese ambiance for guests.

Sennenzake Kikkawa Izutsuya

• Address: 1-12, Komachi, Murakami-shi, Niigata
• Access: A 6-minute drive from Murakami Station on the JR Uetsu Line
• Phone: 0254-53-7700
• Hours: 11:00 am - 3:00 pm（Last order 2:00 pm）
• Closed:
  January - February: Tuesdays and Fridays
  March – September: Tuesdays (Subject to irregular closures)
  Year-end holidays and New Year’s
  *Open every day during peak salmon catching season from October to November
• Parking: 3 spaces

In snowy Niigata, where harsh winters made farming impossible, locals developed a rich tradition of preserving foods. One of the methods they established was fermenting foods using rice koji, sake lees, rice bran, and so on. Today, these fermented products are celebrated not only for their taste but also for their health benefits. They are true culinary treasures born from the region’s natural environment and the wisdom of its people.

One of Niigata’s most famous fermented specialties is kanzuri, a traditional chili paste from Myoko City. Locally grown chili peppers are first salted and then spread over snow for three to four days. After that, they’re blended with rice koji, yuzu citrus, and salt, and the resulting paste is left to ferment and mature for three years. The result is a chili paste with a mellow, rounded flavor and a pleasant kick. It earned the Grand Prize in the Local Specialties category at the 2024 Niigata Gastronomy Awards.

Kanzuri Co., Ltd. in Myoko City has a gift shop where visitors can purchase jars of this chili paste. Add it to ramen, “yakitori” chicken skewers, steak, pizza, and other dishes or mix it with other condiments like mayonnaise and soy sauce for a spicy twist. Kanzuri is a versatile condiment that can enhance any dish - Japanese or not - and makes for an excellent souvenir.

Kanzuri Co., Ltd. Gift Shop

• Address: 437-1, Nishi-jo, Myoko-shi, Niigata
• Access: A 5-minute drive from Arai Station on the Echigo TOKImeki Railway Myoko Haneuma Line
• Phone: 0255-72-3813
• Hours: 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
• Closed: Sundays and public holidays (Closed irregularly on Saturdays)
• Parking: Available

While sasazushi can be found throughout Japan, the version from Niigata’s Joetsu region is unique. It’s often called “mizushi,” named for its unique shape resembling a traditional winnowing basket called “mi.” The sushi is prepared by placing vinegared rice on a basket-shaped bamboo leaf and topping it with a colorful array of ingredients like fish, mountain vegetables, and shredded egg. With its vibrant colors and the refreshing scent of bamboo leaves, this beautiful dish is a staple at special occasions and festivals, such as Obon, a special period to honor ancestors.

Curious how it’s made? Try making it yourself at the Fujimi-so inn in Myoko City. With a variety of ingredients from both the mountains and the sea, you can create your very own, original sasazushi.

Fujimi-so

• Address: 2462, Suginosawa, Myoko-shi, Niigata
• Access: From Myoko-Kogen Station on the Echigo TOKImeki Railway, take the City Bus Suginosawa Line to Suginosawa Kanko Kyokai (Visitor Center) bus stop. The inn is about a one-minute walk away.
• Phone: 0255-86-6113
• Open year-round (Advance booking required)
• Price: 2,500 JPY (tax included) *Served with miso soup / Dine-in only: 2,000 JPY (tax included)
• Parking: 15 spaces

Noppe is one of Niigata’s signature local dishes. It’s a type of vegetable stew found throughout the prefecture, with the broth, ingredients, cutting style (of the ingredients), and consistency varying by region. Common ingredients include satoimo (taro root), mushrooms, and other vegetables. In winter, it may be topped with “totomame” salted salmon roe. While noppe is traditionally served at feasts for New Year’s, festivals, memorial services, and weddings, more casual versions can be found at local restaurants. If you spot it on the menu, be sure to give it a try!


With its abundant blessings from the Sea of Japan, majestic mountains, and rivers, as well as its heavy snowfall, Niigata Prefecture truly is a treasure trove of culinary delights. Indulge in Niigata's one-of-a-kind food culture and the stories within it through the prefecture’s regional cuisine and delicacies, which are a beautiful reflection of its land, history, culture, and people!