Taking advantage of the high-quality rice that is suitable for sake brewing, the underground water from the deep mountains on the west side of the lake, and the cool winter climate, many unique and delicious local sakes are produced. These include "Takeshima" from Makino, "Biwa no Choju" from Imazu, "Hagino Tsuyu" from Takashima, "Matsu no Hana" and "Furoisen" from Shinasahi.
Using only locally grown soybeans, this traditional handmade soy sauce is aged in cedar barrels for over two years, giving it a nostalgic flavor with the aroma of the original soybean flavor.
This naturally brewed vinegar is made by letting nature ferment it slowly in a barrel using a method that has been reproduced based on ancient documents from the Edo period. Its natural sweetness and simple flavor go well with any dish. Takashima City is home to the only vinegar brewery in Shiga Prefecture.
The miso is made using high-quality soybeans, which are fermented patiently and diligently, and the natural environment and climate of Takashima produce delicious miso. You can feel the love of the maker in the miso, which is made with great care and effort.
The famous "funa-zushi" is a traditional preserved food of Lake Biwa, made by salting the Nigorobu carp, a species endemic to Lake Biwa, and soaking it with rice for a long time. It is popular as a sake snack or tea snack. There is also the "kanro-zuke" version, where funazushi is soaked twice in sake lees.
Chicken meat covered in homemade sauce is called "tonchan" and has been loved by locals as a familiar soul food. It has now become a representative of Takashima's local cuisine and is an indispensable ingredient, especially for BBQs.
Omi beef, one of the three major types of wagyu beef, has been protected and raised with high-quality rice and water, abundant nature, and the skills of artisans. In Takashima City, you can eat high-quality Omi beef that has been raised with great care.
Mackerel sushi, one of the famous Kyoto dishes, is still a delicacy eaten at festivals and seasonal events, especially in the Kutsuki area of Takashima City. Kyoto is far from the sea, so mackerel caught off the coast of Wakasa on the Sea of Japan side were salted and transported by cart along the "Mackerel Highway". Various methods were used to preserve the mackerel, such as keeping the bamboo skin humid. Kutsuki, where the Mackerel Highway passes, has a unique food culture, including mackerel sushi, mackerel narezushi, and mackerel nuta.
Fish from Lake Biwa is slowly cooked with secret seasonings. Perfect as a snack with tea or as a souvenir from Lake Biwa.
This mochi rice cake is made from horse chestnuts and high-quality glutinous rice, and has a nostalgic taste of home. Originally it was a famine food in mountain villages where rice production was scarce, but the unique aroma and mellow flavor of horse chestnuts made it popular and it has become a standard souvenir item.
Adberries are grown in specific farms in Takashima City. They are harvested in June. Please try their sweetness, subtle sourness, and unique aroma in the limited-edition fresh fruit. You can also enjoy sweets, desserts, soft serve ice cream, drinks, and other items made with adberries in any season. They are sold at the Fujiki no Sato Adogawa Roadside Station, the Takashima Marugoto Department Store Tourist Product Exhibition and Direct Sales Center, and other locations around the city.
The Fukashimizu area of Imazu Town is the prefecture's top persimmon producing area. The alluvial fan of the Momose River has good drainage, and persimmon cultivation began about 100 years ago (in the Taisho era). Persimmons are harvested every year from the end of October to December. With perfect moisture and sugar content, many are shipped to the Keihanshin area, but they are also sold in various places within the city.
From the end of August to the end of October, the brightly colored, fully ripe, and sweet fruits are harvested. The sugar content is about 8 degrees. This is one of the leading producing areas in the prefecture.
