【Iwakuni, Japan】Lotus root noodles, Iwakuni Sushi. Traditional Japanese food near Kintai Bridge.

Iwakuni Sushi, a preserved food
About 380 years ago, the first lord of Iwakuni "Yoshikawa Hiroya" told the people to use locally harvested rice, lotus root, vegetables and fishes to make preserved sushi to prepare for the battle.
Many layers are pressed in a wooden pressure frame, and stone weights are used to pressure them. The picture below is the model of Iwakuni sushi in a restaurant. After making many layers of rice and toppings, the sushi will be cut into proper size.

Lotus Root Noodles/ "RenKon" noodles in Japanese, a kind of chewy noodles.

This is lotus:

(pictures from Wikipedia)

This is lotus rhizomes.

(pictures from Wikipedia)

What is lotus rhizomes?

The lotus root (or rhizome) is a long, woody object that attaches to the bottom of the pad and can stretch up to 4 feet. The rhizomes of the lotus are called ǒu (藕) in Mandarin, renkon (レンコン, 蓮根) in Japanese. They are consumed as a vegetable in Asian countries, extensively in China and Japan: sold whole or in cut pieces, fresh, frozen, or canned. They are fried or cooked mostly in soups, soaked in syrup or pickled in vinegar (with sugar, chilli and garlic). Lotus rhizomes have a crunchy texture with sweet-tangy flavours and are a classic dish at many banquets where they are deep-fried, stir-fried, or stuffed with meats or preserved fruits. Salads with prawns, sesame oil or coriander leaves are also popular.

Japan is one of the primary users of the rhizomes, representing about 1% of all vegetables consumed. Japan grows its own lotus but still must import 18,000 tons of lotus rhizome each year, of which China provides 15,000 tons yearly.

(information from Wikipedia)

The nutrients contained in lotus rhizomes.

Rhizomes contain high amounts of starch (31.2%) without characteristic taste or odour. The health benefits of lotus root can be attributed to its unique mix of vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients, including potassium, phosphorous, copper, iron, and manganese, as well as thiamin, pantothenic acid, zinc, vitamin B6, and vitamin C. It is also a very significant source of dietary fibre and a decent source of protein. 

(information from Wikipedia)

Lotus root noodles/ RenKon noodles

Lotus root noodles are one of the local gourmets in Iwakuni. It is made of Japanese flour, lotus root powder, Hiroshima oyster and salt. The lotus root noodles look like "soba", but it tastes a lot different. It is very chewy. However, taking it without dipping the sauce is a little bit plain. They provide leek, wasabi and soybean sauce to dip with. The springy texture of the noodle is unforgettable. 

Shiratame Hotel and its Restaurant

There are a lot of restaurants selling Iwakuni sushi and lotus root noodles near Kintai bridge. We chose the restaurant right in front of the Kintai bridge. They have a set that can taste Iwakuni sushi and lotus root noodles at one time. The collection is 1500 yen. 

Iwakuni sushi in this restaurant is a little bit plain. I expect it to be saltier. I am not sure whether this is how the original Iwakuni sushi tastes or not. Maybe you can try other restaurants and tell me how you feel.
The lotus root noodles are really great. As I mentioned above, it is very chewy. The springy texture is unlike many kinds of noodle I have tasted before. I really recommend tourists to try the lotus root noodles. 

This is the view from the restaurant. The restaurant is right in front of the Kintai bridge.




This is the poster in the restaurant, introducing the famous sights in Hiroshima, Miyajima and Iwakuni. It also mentioned some delicacies in these place, such and oysters, Iwakuni sushi, Hiroshimayaki etc.

- Shiratame Ryokan(hotel) -
1-5-16 Iwakuni-shi, Iwakuni, Yamaguchi, Japan
TEL 0827-41-0074