🍲 Yamagata’s autumn tradition: Imoni! Try both the inland style and the Shōnai style—with recipes included!

In autumn, Yamagata is all about the *Imoni-kai* (taro stew party).
The sight of people gathered around a huge pot cooking taro by the riverside is a true symbol of Yamagata’s fall season.

In fact, this *Imoni* comes in two regional styles even within Yamagata: **Inland style (beef with soy sauce)** and **Shonai style (pork with miso)**. Here, we’ll share detailed recipes so that tourists, beginners in cooking, and even international visitors can easily make and enjoy them.

🐄 Inland Style Recipe (Beef & Soy Sauce Base)

Ingredients (4 servings)

Taro (satoimo): 500g (peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces)
Beef (thinly sliced): 250g
Beef (thinly sliced): 250g
Leeks (naganegi): 2 stalks (cut diagonally)
Water: 1 liter

Seasonings

Soy sauce: 4 tbsp (60 ml) 👉 Japanese soy sauce
Mirin: 2 tbsp (30 ml) 👉 sweet rice wine seasoning
Sugar: 1 tbsp 👉 granulated sugar
Sake: 2 tbsp (30 ml) 👉 Japanese sake (rice wine)

way of making

Put the water and taro into a pot and bring to a boil (the key is to start cooking the taro from cold water).
Add the beef and konnyaku, and simmer while skimming off any scum.
Add the soy sauce, mirin, sugar, and sake, and adjust the flavor.
Finally, add the leeks and bring it to a quick boil.

👉 To finish, drop in some curry roux and udon noodles, and enjoy it as *curry udon*!

🐖 Shonai-style Recipe (Pork & Miso Base)

Ingredients (4 servings)

Taro (satoimo): 500g
Pork belly: 250g
Konnyaku: 1 block
Leek (naganegi): 1 stalk
Mushrooms (maitake, nameko, etc.): 200g
Tofu: 1 block (cut into cubes)
Water: 1 liter

Seasonings

Japanese miso paste (red miso or blended miso recommended)
soy sauce
sweet rice wine seasoning
Japanese sake

way of making

Put the water and taro into a pot and bring to a boil.
Add the pork, konnyaku, and mushrooms, and simmer.
Add the sake, soy sauce, and mirin.
Add the tofu, dissolve in the miso, and finish by adding the leek.

👉 For the finale, add Chinese noodles to enjoy it *miso ramen style*!

🍠 Mini Guide to Seasonings (for Beginners & International Visitors)

Soy sauce:A foundation of Japanese cuisine. Adds saltiness and aroma.
Miso paste:A fermented soybean paste. Red miso has a rich, deep flavor, while white miso is milder and slightly sweet.
Mirin:A sweet seasoning made from rice. Adds gloss and depth of flavor. If unavailable, you can substitute with sugar + sake.
Sake:Cooking rice wine. Removes unwanted odors from meat or fish and enhances umami. Can be substituted with a small amount of white wine.

🌊 Imoni is best enjoyed by the riverside.

It’s fun to make *Imoni* easily in the Watausagi kitchen, but the real charm is by the riverside!
Lining up stones to build a hearth, preparing firewood and water, and simmering in a big pot — this riverside cooking style is a quintessential autumn scene of Yamagata.
Local children even experience *Imoni-kai* as part of school events, enjoying it every year from a young age.

🛒 For a casual way to enjoy it, go with an Imoni Set

In autumn, local supermarkets sell ready-made *Imoni Sets*.

They include everything you need — taro, meat, konnyaku, seasonings, and more.
Large pots and gas stoves are also available for rent.

Even tourists can easily experience an *Imoni-kai*.

🏡 With Watausagi as your base

Things you can do at **Guesthouse Watausagi** in Tsuruoka

Cook *Imoni* in the kitchen and enjoy it with friends.
Head to the Akagawa riverside for an authentic *Imoni-kai* experience.
Enjoy *Imoni* indoors even on rainy days.

Both experiences are possible — perfect for making travel memories.
And since both the Yamagata inland style and the Shonai style have their own unique charm, we’d love for you to try making both and enjoy the difference in flavors 🥰

We also convey the charms of Yamagata, Tsuruoka and Shonai.

The latest updates are posted on our Instagram Stories.

I'm glad you like/share 💕