Taste of Japan: Secret to Longevity? Local Food from Nagano

Written by Stephanie Lin | 5 min read | June 6, 2022 | News & Culture

5 Local Foods from Nagano

• Bioca Organic Walnut Dressing - Old fashioned sweet & salty walnut sauce made with 100% organic ingredients.
• Yawataya Isogoro Shichimi Chili Powder Seasoning - Long beloved restaurant style 7 spice seasoning. A secret blend of spices designed to bring an accent of aromatic heat to any dish.
• Farm Kawakami Sun Fuji 100％ Apple Juice - 100%  natural apple juice so sweet and delicious, each sip is like biting into a fresh crisp apple. Tenderly and organically grown and ripened.
• Shinshu Shizen Okoku Apple Ginger BBQ Sauce - Spicy garlic and black pepper apple ginger barbeque sauce. Great for grilling, stir-fry, chow mien, and meat & rice bowl dishes!
• Ogihara Yohoen Japanese Cherry Blossom Honey - Cherry blossom honey which naturally gives off the floral and sweet aroma of Sakura cherry blossoms.

When it comes to longevity and health in Japan, Nagano Prefecture has tried and true methods for leading a healthy lifestyle. Prior to 2010, Nagano Prefecture, also known as Shinshu before the Meiji era, experienced high mortality rates from stroke and heart disease.

Community leaders hosted cooking demonstrations to promote eating more local produce for a healthier life in hopes of improving the health of people living in Nagano. These campaigns are said to be so effective that now people all over the world visit Nagano Prefecture for fresh, healthy foods. Nowadays, people in Nagano Prefecture have the longest life expectancy in Japan and many experts credit the tasty and high-quality food grown in Nagano’s diverse climate and altitude.

This month Tokyo Central’s seasonal fair will be importing foods straight from the healthiest prefecture in Japan, Nagano! From Thursday, June 16 to Wednesday, July 13, you can explore the specially curated selection of products from Nagano.

Enjoy this old fashioned sweet and salty walnut sauce with some tsuyu and Obinata soba noodles for a taste of Nagano. If you ask someone where the best soba in Japan is, a lot of times people will tell you to visit Nagano Prefecture since the mountainous terrain is perfect for growing buckwheat. However, most people don’t know that one of the most popular ways to eat soba in Nagano is “Kurumi soba”, or in English walnut soba.

This superfood combo (walnuts and buckwheat noodles) contains healthy fats, polyphenols, and antioxidants to fight oxidative damage, decrease inflammation, and reduce disease risk. In addition, the Bioca Walnut Dressing is made with 100% organic ingredients and its creamy rich flavor makes it a perfect addition for not only soba, but also tofu, hot pot, vegetables, and tonkatsu sauce!

Have you ever eaten at a Japanese restaurant and wondered what their special chili powder blend is? It’s likely to be shichimi togarashi, or “seven spice blend” typically made with sansho powder, orange peel, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, hemp seeds, seaweed, and shiso. What’s special is that these 7 ingredients will vary from region to region. For example, this carefully chosen blend from Yawataya Isogoro contains ginger, which can aid with digestion, may lower cholesterol levels, and improve brain function.

For an extra special twist, you can also try the Yuzu Shichimi for a bright, floral aroma. Sprinkle shichimi on top of any dish for a spicy kick and fragrant aroma to help boost your appetite during the hot months to come.

This 100% natural apple juice is so sweet and delicious, each sip is like biting into a fresh crisp Sun Fuji apple! Sun Fuji apples are the most popular varieties in Japan, with Nagano’s natural climate making them an ideal fruit producer in Japan. These apples are organically grown, yet large with a crisp exterior and juicy, sweet flesh. Let’s not forget that apples are incredibly nutritious, rich in antioxidants linked to lower risks of chronic conditions like diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. The sweet and mildly tart flavor of this juice will make the perfect beverage at any summer party.

Just a taste of this premium cherry blossom honey will transport you to springtime in Japan. Made with local cherry blossoms in Nagano Prefecture, the delicate taste along with the sweet and floral aroma of the cherry blossom is truly something out of this world. Honey is also rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties and the pinky red color will surely captivate the heart of anyone who tries this honey. Enjoy this special honey as a topping for pancakes and ice cream or mixed into sparkling water or cocktails for the quintessential spring treat!

Spicy garlic, black pepper, apple, and ginger give this BBQ sauce a unique flavor that makes it perfect for grilling, stir-fry, chow mein, meat, and rice bowl dishes! Pair your favorite summer foods with this delicious and healthy twist on Western BBQ Sauce. The combination of apple and ginger gives any meal a refreshing, delicious zing in addition to being nutritious.