Aomori station bento "Hitokuchidarake"! Enjoy local flavors as a companion to your trip!

Ekiben are one of the joys of travel for tourists visiting Aomori. Among them, " Hitokuchi Darake " is a luxurious ekiben that allows you to taste a little bit of Aomori's local cuisine. Its greatest appeal is that you can fully enjoy Aomori's food culture in just one bento. It is the perfect accompaniment for a Shinkansen journey, and can be purchased not only at Aomori Station and Hirosaki Station, but also at Tokyo Station. In this article, we will introduce the story behind the creation of "Hitokuchi Darake" and where you can buy it.

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What is "Hitokuchidarake"? Introducing the extravagant Tsugaru ekiben

Produced by Goshogawara City's "Tsugaru Side Dish"

Tsugaru Sozai in Goshogawara City, Aomori Prefecture . Tsugaru Sozai has made many ekiben that incorporate Aomori's local cuisine.

everything is bite-sized , making it easy to eat, and each dish is made to be bite-sized. This makes it easy to eat on the train, and you can enjoy it all the way to the end without getting bored.

During the prototype stage, there were 50 different side dishes!

Hitokuchi Darake was founded in 2016. Originally a delicatessen, it sold 10 types of ekiben, taking advantage of its manufacturing capabilities, but it ran into issues with the costs and time required

So they decided to create a new product by combining the side dishes that were included in each ekiben, but there were 50 different side dishes, which made it look bad. After much trial and error, they decided to put them in a high-quality chocolate box divided into 24 squares, but this time they struggled to choose 24 different side dishes. They chose dishes that were uniquely local and could be enjoyed with alcohol, and finally completed "Hitokuchi Darake."

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I actually tried it! A review of the flavor

Here are my impressions after actually eating "Hitokuchidarake"!

This is what it looks like when you open the lid. 24 different side dishes are lined up neatly

On the lid there was a menu, a towel, and disposable chopsticks. Since it's an ekiben, it's nice that it comes with a towel

Here is the menu. There is an explanation of each side dish, and you can see that they are all made with great care. This time, I will review the menu from the top left!

Let's start with the left half, which features rice dishes, meat dishes, and local cuisine

• Scallop rice:
  The color of the rice makes it look like it has a light flavor, but it actually has a strong taste. It would also be good as a snack with alcohol.
• Inari sushi
  is a bright red inari sushi eaten in the Tsugaru region. It contains chopped pickled ginger and has a nostalgic taste.
• Shijimi Gohan:
  Aomori Prefecture is known for its shijimi clams. This dish has a strong ginger flavor, but you can also taste the deliciousness of the clams.
• Young kelp
  rice balls, beloved by Dazai Osamu. The chewy texture of the young kelp is interesting.
• 
  is a common grilled
• Grilled Beef Belly Grilled beef belly
  is a B-grade gourmet dish from Towada, characterized by its sweet flavor. It's a flavor that makes you crave rice, but it also goes well with alcohol.
• pork
  
• the miso-marinated roast
  
• Sushiko
  is a traditional Tsugaru dish. Despite its vibrant purplish pink color, you'll be surprised by its mild flavor.
• Sockeye Salmon Sushi is
  a preserved food often eaten in snow country. It has a mild sour taste and is easy for even children to eat.
• Pickled
  
• mustard
  

The right half features dishes such as simmered dishes and those made with local scallops

• Miso Oden
  When you think of Aomori oden, you think of ginger miso! It's impressive that they have included this on the menu.
• 4-piece simmered dish set
  . Standard simmered dish.
• homemade omelet
  broth. Although it is on the firm side, it has a strong flavor and makes a great snack.
• Boiled
  chrysanthemumsChrysanthemums are a common food not only in Aomori but also in the Tohoku region.As they are boiled in soy sauce, you can directly taste the flavor of the chrysanthemums.
• Boiled
  scallops are a specialty of Aomori, and their sweet flavor makes them a great palate cleanser.
• Eggplant wrapped in shiso leaves
  is another local dish from Tsugaru. It is available from summer to autumn, but it's nice to know that it can be enjoyed in an ekiben.
• Fried scallops
  Choosing fried scallops instead of fried scallops is a different story, as you'd expect in a region famous for scallops. They have a different flavor to fried scallops.
• Chicken
  grilled with salt from the Gen sauce. Just like the kuwayaki, it remains soft even when cooled, and is very satisfying to eat.
• Pumpkin mochi:
  It's about time you start craving something sweet. This simple flavor really brings out the taste of pumpkin.
• Kuroishi Yakisoba
  When you think of Kuroishi, you think of yakisoba. The thick noodles are coated with sauce and are sure to whet your appetite.
• vinegared scallop
  sushi, there was no vinegared dish, which left me feeling a bit unsatisfied. If I had eaten it with boiled chrysanthemums, it might have become an instant vinegared dish...
• Squid
  minced meat is becoming popular all over Japan. Its size spills out of the compartment, making it the most impressive of the 24 varieties.

Where can you buy "Hitokuchi Darake"?

Hitokuchidarake can be purchased at Aomori Station, Hirosaki Station, and Tokyo Station. It's a convenient place to stop by before boarding the Shinkansen, and is sold at the kiosks and bento corners inside the stations. At Aomori Station and Hirosaki Station in particular, it's popular with both tourists and locals, and it's not uncommon for it to sell out

At Tokyo Station, they are sold to passengers on the Tohoku Shinkansen, making it a rare opportunity to enjoy "Hitokuchi Darake" without having to go to Aomori. However, since the number of tickets available is limited, it is recommended to go early if you want to be sure to buy one

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summary

"Hitokuchi Darake" is a special ekiben that allows you to enjoy Aomori's local cuisine in small portions. This ekiben, developed by Yoshidaya, is imbued with the desire to "share Aomori's food culture with travelers." Packed with 24 different dishes, each bite-sized and easy to eat, it's perfect for traveling. It can be purchased at Aomori Station, Hirosaki Station, and Tokyo Station, so be sure to pick one up when traveling by Shinkansen. Why not savor the flavors of Aomori and deepen your travel memories?

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