Miyagi's Nature Nurtures Food
Surrounded by nature with a rich variety of food produced from the sea, mountains and land
The climate of Miyagi is mild, not too cold or hot compared to other areas in the Tohoku (Northeastern Japan) region, and has less snow, with the exception of the foothills of the Ou mountains.
The terrain is ratherMiyagi’s Tradition Nurtures Food
Tradition passed down from the era of the feudal lord Date Masamune to the present
The feudal lord Date Masamune, famous for his taste in gourmet, made various efforts for food in this area that is blessed with rich food resources.
From early on, the Sendai clan dedicated itself to the development of new fields and flood control projects to develop the broad area of the Sendai plains for rice cultivation. The fiefs of the feudal lord in the Sendai clan grew year by year, and in the end it is said that the fields were actually more than one million "koku" (quantity of rice and unit of measurement to assess clan’s wealth) although the official number was said to be 620,000 "koku."
The Date family served conventional and suitable menus at events, with each of the dishes adding an elegant touch to the occasion. We can see how much they felt blessed with their surrounding nature and seasons through the traditional foods prepared during Doll and Boy's Day festivals, moon-viewing, and the last working day of the year. simple; the Ou mountains run vertically along the border of Yamagata Prefecture border in the west - the entire range forms mountain villages while many rivers in the east form the plains. The Kitakami hills are located to the northeast, Abukuma hills in the south, and the Ria coast in the north and sandy coastline in the south run along the Pacific Ocean.
These natural conditions allow for rice and many other agricultural products to grow plentifully and for an abundant amount of seafood to be caught, contributing to the growth of the Date family's food culture.