All over the prefecture

Flour, seasonal vegetables and condiments

Gunma has a rich source of water flowing from the Tone River and long hours of sunlight, one of the longest in Japan. The area is also blessed with a rich natural environment, with elevations ranging from 10 to 1,400 meters above sea level, and the benefits of this abundance of nature have resulted in an abundance of delicious agricultural and livestock products. In the plains of Gunma Prefecture, a double cropping of rice and wheat has been widely practiced since ancient times. In many areas, rice is harvested in the fall, followed by wheat cultivation through the spring. As a result, people often eat wheat-based dishes as staple foods and snacks, and udon, mochi, and manju, which are made from wheat flour, are popular. Yakimochi," which is made from wheat flour and baked, is one of the local dishes that grew out of Gunma's flour-based food culture. Yakimochi is made with soy sauce or miso paste prepared in each household and seasonal vegetables, and baked over an open hearth. In addition to yakimochi, it is also called "oyaki" or "jiriyaki" in some areas.

In addition to using flour, which is abundantly produced in the prefecture, ingredients, seasonings, and condiments found in the home are used as ingredients. Yakimochi is a snack that is easy to make and easy on the stomach. It is often eaten as a snack or as a tea set. Originally, yakimochi was popular as a "koju-han" (snack) to be eaten between farm work, and it was also sometimes taken as a simple lunch for mountain work.

Yakimochi is cooked in a variety of ways depending on the region, with no rules other than to bake the dough into a round shape. For example, the dough is made by mixing flour, baking soda, and chopped seasonal vegetables, condiments, and wild vegetables, then dividing the dough into bite-size pieces, rolling them up, and slowly baking them on a roasting pan or hot plate. In some cases, the dough is made of flour and baking soda only. In other cases, the dough is first steamed and then baked, or rice flour or glutinous rice flour is used instead of wheat flour. The fact that yakimochi can be made freely in each region and at home is one of the main attractions of yakimochi.

Yakimochi is made and eaten at home as a snack or light meal. In addition, a recipe for yakimochi is available on Gunma Agri Net, a website that introduces Gunma's agricultural and livestock products. Information is provided so that anyone in and outside of Gunma can easily make yakimochi.