Skip to main content.

Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries

Character Size
Standard
Large
Menu
  1. Home
  2. Policies
  3. Food Export
  4. kyodo_ryori
  5. SEARCH&MENU
  6. Miyazaki
  7. Somage

Somage ｜ Our Regional Cuisines

  • Miyazaki Prefecture

    Somage

Somage

＊画像はイメージです（掲載画像とレシピの内容は異なる場合があります）。
Related images
Please refer to “Links and Copyrights” for information on secondary use of images.(Term of use)

  • Main lore areas

    Northern part of the prefecture (mountainous region)

  • Main ingredients used

    Buckwheat flour, radish, carrot, green onion

  • History/origin/related events

    “Somage” is a term rooted in “soma” (buckwheat) and “ge” (porridge). In Shiiba Village, the traditional dish “somage” refers to buckwheat dumplings prepared in a vegetable soup, seasoned with a broth made from dried sardines.
    In contrast, Kagoshima prefecture's somage involves boiling sweet potatoes, mashing them while hot, and adding buckwheat flour to create a ball-like shape. In some variations, red bean paste is added inside. In Miyakonojo City, a similar dish is prepared by mixing buckwheat flour into boiled sweet potatoes. This dish is known as sobagai around Shiiba Village and the Kashiwabara area, and was commonly eaten until around wartime. It was prepared by making a paste from sweet potatoes, mixing in buckwheat flour after removing it from heat, and then slicing it for consumption.
    Buckwheat, an annual plant from the knotweed family, is well-suited to less fertile and cool mountainous areas. It has been cultivated since the 8th century. Once the buckwheat seeds were sown and the grains developed, they were harvested, bundled, thoroughly dried, and then threshed on a straw mat to remove the grains. These grains were then ground into flour using a stone mill. Although buckwheat cultivation was partly a measure to conserve rice, somage is a remarkable buckwheat dish that enhances the subdued flavors of wild and garden vegetables using oil and condiments, resulting in a rich and fresh taste.

  • Opportunities and times of eating habits

    In the old days, somage was consumed as a substitute for rice. On cold days, if the somage hardened, it was roasted on a hearth and eaten.

  • How to eat

    The dish is prepared by making a broth with dried sardines, shredding vegetables, and seasoning with salt and soy sauce for boiling. When the mix comes to a boil, buckwheat flour is stirred in to create dumplings. If the “somage” hardens, it can be cut into small pieces and roasted for a different, yet delicious, way to enjoy it.

  • Efforts for Preservation and Succession

    (Outline of the traditions, the preservation society, social media use, modern approaches at commercialization)
    While somage used to be a staple in every household, these days it's less commonly made at home. It's now often served at special events in Shiiba Village and shared as a treasured local recipe.

RECIPE

Ingredients (for 1 serving)

  • Buckwheat flour 100g
  • Radish 30g
  • Carrot 20g
  • Green onion 40g
  • Leafy greens as needed

How to cook

  • 1. Prepare a broth using dried sardines, shred the vegetables, season with salt and soy sauce, and let it boil.

  • 2. Once it reaches a boil, stir in the buckwheat flour and shape it into dumplings. If the somage hardens, it can be cut into smaller pieces and roasted as a delicious alternative way to enjoy the dish.

provider : 'Local Cuisine of Shiiba' (General Affairs Division, Shiiba Village Office)

Recipes vary depending on the region and home.

Contact

Food Cultures Office, Overseas Market Development and Food Cultures Division, Food Industry Affairs Bureau, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries

Tel:+81-3-3502-5516

Top of This Page

MAFF Social Media

  • MAFF Facebook
  • MAFF YouTube

MAFF

Address : 1-2-1,Kasumigaseki,Chiyoda-ku,Tokyo 100-8950,Japan.

TEL : 03-3502-8111

Enterprise identification number : 5000012080001

Copyright : Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries