Biggest Imoni Festival” is held, and people santhemum, the light purple motte-no- A Little Side Dish enjoy Imoni in a massive six meter pot. All hoka (which is officially called “enmeiraku”) sorts of different flavors are used to com- stands out with a reputation for being the plement Imoni depending on the region. “Yokozuna of edible chrysanthemum” due Okuyama Shinichiro （Editorial Board） For example, in Yamagata Prefecture’s to its pleasant, unique flavor. It is said its Murayama region a base name comes from people saying, “It’s abso- with beef is used, but in the Shonai region lutely unthinkable to eat chrysanthemum, t would be a waste to come all the way they use a soup base with pork. They the symbol on the emperor’s crest!” or, Ito Yamagata and only see the films! You say the festival started in the Edo period, “This is unthinkably delicious!” One of its have to try Yamagata’s “Nmai mono,” and at the time, since they didn’t eat much characteristics is its crisp texture, thanks to meaning “delicious food” in Yamagata meat, they ate it with bodara, a dried cod the cylindrical valves in its petals. If you dialect, too! So here is a guide to Yamagata’s fillet. boil it up and add soy sauce, you can enjoy gourmet treats! On October 13th (Sunday), at 12:00 its faint fragrance and slightly bitter flavor. P.M. the second “Imoni Party at the Dead The secret to it is to drizzle a little bit of Akebi — Center of Town” will be held in front of vinegar in when you boil it, and it will Akebi is one of Yamagata’s many autumn Yamagata Yatai Village Hottonaru-Yoko- come out with a nice vivid color. It’s also tastes. The main regions that produce cho. 800 cups of Imoni will be provided delicious as a vinegared dish or tempura. Akebi are Murayama and Okitama, making free of charge. (Presented by: The Associ- Yamagata Prefecture the producer of most ation for the Promotion of Nanokamachi During the film festival, on October 13th of Japan’s 150 ton yield in recent years. First Avenue, and Nigiwai Club) (Sunday), various events will be held in When it ripens the skin splits and you can conjunction with the vehicle free prome- eat the fruit inside, but in Yamagata people Dashi — nade at Nanokamachi Odori, like “Mogami primarily eat the peel instead of the fruit. Dashi is a simple dish which consists of Yoshiaki’s 400th Anniversary — Yoshiaki (I, myself, have never eaten the fruit ever chopping up summer vegetables like egg- Festa, Rakuichi Rakuza,” and “Machi- since I was born.) The skin is bittersweet, plant, cucumber, myoga ginger, naka Nigiwai Festival 2013.” Events such and we usually stuff it with minced meat radish, and oba leaf into small pieces, as, “The Gourmet of the Land,” “Product and deep-fry it, or chop it up and fry it mixing gooey things like natto konbu or Market,” and “The Battle of the Sengoku with miso. It’s the perfect snack to have okra to taste, and then adding some soy Period Warlord’s Pots,” are sure to leave with Yamagata’s spicy local brew. sauce. We throw it on some rice or cold an impression. You are certain to encoun- . Dashi is one of the must have summer ter all sorts of “nmai mono.” Yamagata is Imoni (Potato stew) — dishes for families in Yamagata. a treasure house of foods. It is “motte-no- Needless to say, Imoni is the local cuisine hoka” never to taste the “nmai mono” of for which Yamagata is best known. It is a Motte-no-hoka (Japanese for “Absolutely Yamagata. tradition that when autumn starts families Unthinkable,” this is an edible chrysanthe- and friends gather together at the riverside mum) — (Translated by Devin T. Recchio / Wata- for an “imoni party.” Every year at the Yamagata Prefecture is Japan’s biggest nabe Kazutaka ) beginning of September along the Mami- producer of edible chrysanthemum. Even gasaki riverbed in Yamagata City “Japan’s amongst the many varieties of edible chry-

Meat-stuffed Akebi Imoni Dashi Boiled Motte-no-hoka

Illustration: Ito Daisuke SPUTNIK YIDFF Reader 2013