Aomori

A local hot pot to enjoy the rich flavours of tazu

Tara no Tazu Nabe

Tazu refers to the soft roe of fish in Aomori dialect. When the meat and soft roe of codfish are simmered in soy sauce-based soup, it turns into the prefecture’s specialty hot pot, Tara no Tazu Nabe. It is typically made between winter and early spring, which is the breeding season for codfish. The soft roe adding rich and creamy flavours to the soup, the locals enjoy the full taste of the seasonal fish in this hot pot. Soft roe is commonly eaten raw, grilled and seasoned with miso, vinegared, or deep-fried, so it may strike visitors as unusual, but this rare cuisine is worth trying if you are in the area.