Local Food in Nagano, Oyaki
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Local Food in Nagano, Oyaki

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food

Three weeks ago, my husband went skiing in Nagano Prefecture with two of his friends and returned with some local food in the area.

The picture below shows his souvenirs, and they're all my favorites. When my family and I l had lived there, we often enjoyed these food. While Nagano is famous for soba (noodles), there’s so much more to discover.

For example, the second picture shows oyaki (a type of dumpling). Although sweet oyaki filled with anko (red bean paste) is popular, I personally prefer vegetable filled ones. If you visit Nagano, I highly recommend you trying one. They're easy to find at supermarkets.

Oyaki always reminds me of my friends in Nagano. I used to take acrylic and water color painting classes with them. They introduced me to some great oyaki shops, and I often stopped by to buy some.

One of the oyaki had nozawana inside, a vegetable commonly used in Japanese pickles. Winters in Nagano can be extremely harsh, yet I’ve seen housewives washing nozawana in freezing cold water. When I saw the scene, I was very admired by them.

The last picture shows nozawana pickles, another one of my favorites!

If you'd like to learn how to make oyaki, check it out: here

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