A FOOD TRADITION

Ainu Cuisine

Ainu cuisine is the Indigenous food tradition of Hokkaido and nearby northern regions, rooted in hunting, fishing, gathering, and cultivation adapted to cold environments. Salmon, other river and coastal fish, venison, bear in historical contexts, wild plants, millet, beans, and root vegetables have important places, with food practices varying among communities. Characteristic methods include roasting, smoking, drying, boiling, and preserving fish or meat for later use. Examples include ohaw, a nourishing soup made with fish or meat and vegetables; rataskep, a mixed preparation of beans, grains, and vegetables; and salmon dishes prepared through drying or smoking. It should be represented as an Indigenous tradition, not merely folded into generic Hokkaido cuisine.

Catalogue preview Cuisine connections may be unreviewed. Regional comparisons include their food references and do not establish the ingredients of a particular meal.