Gourmet Adventures: Exploring Gunma's Terroir

Millions of years of volcanic activity have created nutrient-rich yet quick-draining ash soils, which makes the prefecture ideal for growing crops such as wheat. Gunma is a leading wheat producer, contributing to its famed "flour-based food culture." Traditional dishes like okkirikomi (a soup of vegetables and wheat noodles), udon, and yakimanju reflect this heritage, while more modern interpretations like yakisoba and pasta also thrive.

Gunma's natural ingredients benefit from its pristine water sources, fed by rivers such as the Tone River and countless clear streams. These waters help support the prefecture’s abundant agricultural products, including wagyu beef, Shimonita negi leeks, shiitake mushrooms, and other vegetables.

At Shiroiya Hotel’s the RESTAURANT in Maebashi, chef Hiro Katayama creates his take on “Joshu Cuisine” (Joshu is the old name for Gunma), drawing on his favorite childhood dishes for inspiration. According to Katayama, during the Edo period (1603–1867), Gunma was “close enough to the capital Edo and the vibrant trade port of Yokohama to benefit from trade and innovation, yet geographically secluded by its mountainous terrain,” to enable a strong local food culture to develop.

Growing up in a farming family, Katayama enjoyed okkirikomi and tonjiru (pork soup with miso), made with ingredients from their own farm. “When I developed the menu, I wanted to capture the dishes that I loved as a kid but give them a new interpretation,” he says. “I filtered these memories through my experience as a chef to capture their essence.” Okkirikomi is usually a hearty dish of konnyaku and whatever vegetables are at hand, combined with some roughly cut wheat noodles and either a miso or soy sauce-based stock. Katayama’s version is an elegant interpretation with a light stock and thinly sliced vegetables. He turns yakimanju—a popular, salty-sweet snack of grilled dough with miso paste—into a delicate dessert reminiscent of crème brulee.

Katayama trained at prestigious hotels and Michelin-starred restaurants in Tokyo and Europe. Thanks to the efforts of Katayama and his team, the RESTAURANT has featured in the international Gault et Millau guide for the past three consecutive years. “I think it is important to do something innovative that is unique to Gunma,” says Katayama, “I want to shine a new light on the food, culture, and history. We have always produced these fantastic ingredients, but they have been taken for granted.”

To source ingredients, Katayama and his staff visit local producers and listen to their stories. “I always go to meet the producers because I want to make sure they have passion for their work. Passionate producers are connected to other passionate people; we can work together to improve the quality of Gunma’s produce.”

The Matsushima family established their dairy farm with three Brown Swiss cows in 2011 on the southern slopes of Mt. Akagi. They chose Brown Swiss dairy cows, which are known to produce a high volume of milk with a fat-to-protein ratio ideal for making cheese. “And besides, with their big eyes and docile temperament, they are cute,” says Three Brown owner Toshiki Matsushima. They now have five Brown Swiss cows and produce a variety of cheeses and other dairy products. These are sold to a few select restaurants, such as Shiroiya Hotel’s the RESTAURANT and to the public from their onsite and online shop. The cows must be milked daily, and it takes around 20 minutes to milk each one. The rest of the time, the cows are free to graze.

The Matsushimas produce a range of soft cheeses and dairy products, including mozzarella, caciocavallo, scarmorza, fromage frais, milk jam, and gelato. The farm is located at an altitude of 600 meters, with views of Maebashi City below. Although they rarely get snow at this altitude, Matsushima says the cool weather is important for keeping the cattle comfortable. “Cows do not sweat effectively,” says Matsushima, “so they do not tolerate hot temperatures well. This part of Gunma is an ideal environment for dairy cows.”

One of Chef Katayama’s key suppliers is Yoshinouen, an eco-farm on the outskirts of Maebashi’s city center. Tomokazu Iyoku focuses on organic farming to produce a wide range of produce (around 100 different types throughout the year), from onions, leeks, and broccoli to European vegetables including radicchio, cavolo nero, and romanesco (a variety of cauliflower). Because Maebashi has historically been a center of wheat production, the city has an abundance of Italian restaurants. Iyoku visited many of them to promote his vegetables and met their requests to grow more European vegetables to suit their cuisine. Yoshinouen’s vegetables are now in demand at Michelin-starred restaurants in Tokyo.

According to Iyoku, Maebashi’s terrain and climate are ideal for farming. “We are surrounded by mountains, whose rich, volcanic soil accumulates here on the plain, while protecting the area from high winds and typhoons. We focus on careful soil preparation to suit each vegetable, such as water retention, breathability, acidity, and diversity of soil organisms, without the need for chemical fertilizers.” He says that the wide difference between day and night temperatures in Maebashi enhances the flavor and sweetness of the vegetables. Iyoku is particularly proud that his farm’s vegetables are used in school lunches across Maebashi. To encourage a new generation to appreciate Gunma’s agricultural heritage, Yoshinouen holds activities for schoolchildren to harvest vegetables and learn where their food comes from.

High on the slopes of Mt. Akagi, Toriyama Farm blends tradition with innovation in wagyu beef production. The farm enjoys cool mornings and evenings even in summer, providing an ideal environment for its cattle. The mild climate, coupled with the individual attention each animal receives, contributes to the production of tender, savory wagyu beef. The farm has around 1,400 head of Japanese Black cattle, raised from birth. The staff ensure that each animal leads a relatively stress-free life, which promotes a friendly, relaxed disposition and optimal health.

Makoto Toriyama, the third-generation president, says that he prioritizes flavor and balance over excessive marbling to create “wagyu beef with a mild umami taste, refined fats, and a delicate texture.” He notes that it is important to understand the beef from the perspective of his customers, from chefs to consumers. “I urge the beef producers I work with to try their beef at top restaurants. You need to understand how it is prepared and what chefs are looking for when they buy our beef,” he says.

Toriyama Farm is at the forefront of innovation in wagyu production, using advanced technology to measure monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) as an indicator of flavor. This approach ensures consistently high-quality beef with a perfect balance of umami taste and refined fat. Detailed records of over 6,000 cattle—including diet, health, and growth patterns—are analyzed to improve production methods. Toriyama Umami Wagyu is served at top-level restaurants in Japan and overseas.

It takes about 80 minutes to reach Shiroiya Hotel in Maebashi by train and bus from Tokyo. Joetsu and Hokuriku Shinkansen trains from Tokyo Station reach Takasaki Station in under 1 hour. Transfer at Takasaki Station to a local Ryomo Line train to Maebashi Station. From there, take a Maebashi-Shibukawa Line bus (around 5 minutes) to the hotel. Alternatively, you can walk (around 15 minutes), or take a taxi.