Inago no Tsukudani: Naganos Traditional Insect Cuisine

Inago no tsukudani is grasshoppers caught in the rice paddies at harvest and simmered sweet and savory, a regional dish centered on the Ina Valley. In an area ringed by mountains where seafood was hard to obtain, it was prized as a precious source of protein. Finished with a glossy sheen in sugar and soy sauce, it suits rice or a drink perfectly.

Highlights

Rich in calcium and protein, insect food has drawn attention at home and abroad as sustainable eating. With a fragrant, firm seasoning, it is said to be easier to eat than its look suggests. Shinshu retains other distinctive insect-eating traditions such as bee larvae and zazamushi, and inago, bee larvae, zazamushi, and silkworm pupae are called the four great delicacies of Shinshu.

Enjoying the Seasons

Grasshopper catching peaks around the autumn rice harvest, and tsukudani made then is exceptional. Made as a preserved food, it graces the table as a standing side dish all winter. It offers a valuable taste experience of the regions food culture.

Access and Basic Information

It can be bought at direct-sale shops, supermarkets, and gift shops around Ina. Locally it is not unusual to find jars or cans in a supermarkets prepared-food corner. Looking for local ingredients around Ina Station leads to old-time regional tastes. Jarred souvenirs often start from several hundred yen depending on quantity.

Practical Travel Notes

The Ina Valley strongly retains an insect-eating culture, and besides grasshoppers it also eats bee larvae and zazamushi, aquatic insects of the Tenryu River, available as jars and cans at roadside stations and direct-sale shops. Grasshoppers are in season in autumn around the rice harvest, when freshly made tsukudani is easier to find. Peeking into direct-sale markets where local produce gathers, such as one in Nishiminowa in Ina, you may see the four great delicacies side by side. For a first taste, inago tsukudani is relatively approachable thanks to its sweet-savory seasoning, and a small pack is a good start. Paired with rice or local sake, it lets you enjoy the Ina Valley's food culture with ease. For souvenirs, long-keeping jars and cans travel conveniently.

A Quick Tip

If insect food is new to you, start with a small amount. Eaten with rice thanks to its sweet-savory seasoning, it is easy to enjoy without hesitation.

Practical Information for Your Visit

• Best season: According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries' "Our Local Cuisine" project, locusts are gathered at rice-harvesting time and have traditionally been caught during the harvest in September and October.
• Culinary background: In the Ina Valley of southern Nagano, a culture of eating insects - locusts, bee larvae, silkworms and aquatic insect larvae known as zazamushi - took root as a way of supplementing scarce animal protein. In the Suwa area, "grasshopper oyaki" filled with tsukudani and even "grasshopper soft-serve ice cream" are sold.
• A farm shop where you can buy it: Sanchoku Ichiba Green Farm (351-7 Masumigaoka, Ina City / 0265-74-5351) has a "Shinshu Insect Foods" corner where tsukudani of locusts is on sale. It is open 8:00-19:00 from April to October and 8:00-18:00 from November to March, closing only on New Year's Day.
• Where to find it: According to the same ministry, it can also be bought in jars at local roadside stations and souvenir shops, and as kanroni or tsukudani in prepared-food sections.

* Opening hours and prices vary from shop to shop.

(Sources: Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries "Our Local Cuisine: Tsukudani of Locusts, Nagano Prefecture", Sanchoku Ichiba Green Farm official website)

Information Sources

This article is compiled from tourism information for Nagano Prefecture together with information published by each shop. Prices, menus and seasons are subject to change, so please check each shop's official information for details.

Sightseeing Checklist

• Budget guide: Jars start at a few hundred yen
• Where to buy it: Souvenir shops, roadside stations and grocery stores across the prefecture
• Best time of day: Available year-round; enjoy it as a delicacy
• Avoiding the crowds: Easy to pick up as a souvenir
• Combine it with: Comparing it with bee larvae, eating it as an accompaniment to rice, and the food culture of Shinshu