A Treasure Trove of Ingredients: Kochi’s Food Culture

   Kochi Prefecture is full of nature with mountains, rivers, and the sea. As a result, it is one of the few prefectures blessed with abundant seasonal foods. Utilizing a vast range of high quality ingredients available within the prefecture, Kochi’s unique food culture has been passed down from generation to generation. “Sawachi Ryouri”, where sushi, sashimi and an aray of foods are served together on large plates, has brought life to dinner parties since long before, and is very representative of Tosa local cuisine. The grandeur achieved by maximizing the beauty of fresh ingredients is said to be one of the defining aspects of Tosa cuisine. Also, as eating vegetables has become more popular among Japanese recently, Kochi vegetables are held in high regard outside of the prefecture and are gaining popularity. Even certain celebrity chefs have taken a liking to Kochi produce, featured the ingredients in cookbooks and endorsed them on media platforms. Kochi’s unique food culture is likely to spread and be passed onto future generations.