[For Elementary School Students] Ishikawa Prefecture Local Quiz! A Question Collection That Both Kids and Adults Can Enjoy

black soybeans

Mitama, a local dish from Ishikawa Prefecture, is an okowa (sticky rice dish) cooked with glutinous rice and black soybeans. It has long been commonly served at Buddhist memorial services. Because black soybeans also symbolize health, the dish is used for celebratory occasions and meals after recovery. This traditional Ishikawa specialty lets you enjoy the chewy rice and the sweetness of the black soybeans.

Tsuchōzu

The area called “Tsuchōzu” in Kanazawa City is read as ‘Tsuchōzu.’ It’s said that the name comes from the abundance of clear spring water that used to be found around there. It’s also sometimes pronounced ‘Tsuchishōzu.’ As a town with spring water, it’s a community that has cherished nature’s blessings. You can see that place names reflect the history and characteristics of their locales.

female snow crab (Kobako-gani)

There are two famous branded crabs in Kanazawa City: “Kanō-gani” and “Kōbako-gani.” When the fishing season opens on November 6 each year, many people come from within and outside the prefecture to buy them. Among the Kanō-gani, the especially high-end ones are called “Kagayaki,” and a single crab can sometimes be auctioned for 5 million yen. Kanazawa’s crabs are known for being very high-end and delicious.

gold leaf

Kanazawa City in Ishikawa Prefecture has ideal weather and water for making gold leaf, and many artisans have been producing it there since long ago. Even today, most of the gold leaf used in Japan is made in Ishikawa. The ultra-thin gold leaf is not only used to decorate tableware and buildings, but can also be placed on soft-serve ice cream to eat—it’s beautiful and very popular.

Nonoichi City

The city with the smallest area in Ishikawa Prefecture is Nonoichi. It’s located in the central part of the prefecture. Although it’s small in size, it has a fairly large population, and its population density is the highest in the prefecture. Because it’s right next to Kanazawa, many people commute there. For that reason, Nonoichi serves an important role as a bedroom community and a place to live. It’s a small city, but it attracts people.

People from outside the prefecture

There’s a dialect word in Ishikawa Prefecture: “enjomon.” “Enjomon” means “a person who came from outside the prefecture.” For example, if you say, “That person is an enjomon,” it means “That person is from somewhere other than Ishikawa Prefecture.” People in Ishikawa have long used this word to distinguish people who came from other places. It’s an interesting word that reflects the local lifestyle and linguistic culture.

Red and white in color.

In Ishikawa Prefecture, kagami mochi are characterized by a white lower tier and a red upper tier. This color combination is especially common around Kanazawa City and is rarely seen in other prefectures. These kagami mochi, displayed at New Year’s to honor the deities and bless the home, are a uniquely Ishikawa tradition. They’re visually striking and serve as a New Year’s decoration that conveys the region’s culture.