1. Yamagata soul food

I’ve been living in Yamagata City for three years now, and the first time I tried imoni was when I was treated to a meal at a friend’s house as a child.

“The taro and beef go perfectly together! The spring onions are a great addition! Imoni is so tasty!”

Since then, the whole family has loved imoni, and we often make and eat it at home.

Imoni can be enjoyed at home or in a restaurant, but in Yamagata it is standard to hold the imoni party outdoors.

Every autumn, supermarkets stock imoni party sets, including rental pots, and people can often be seen enjoying Imoni with friends on the riverbank.

Eating warm taro stew on the riverbank while feeling a little chilly is a comforting taste of autumn in Yamagata.

2. Yamagata Imoni Festival

The Yamagata Imoni Festival usually takes place on the third Saturday of September every year on the banks of the Mamigasaki River that runs through Yamagata City.

This event has been held since 1989 to spread the appeal of “Yamagata’s food culture, the Autumn Imoni Party” to many people.

What makes it the best in Japan is its sheer scale.

They cook about 30,000 servings at once in a giant pot, the largest in Japan at 6.5 metres in diameter.

At the 30th edition of the Yamagata Imoni Party held in 2018, 12,695 people were handed taro roots, which was recognized as a new Guinness World Record.

Due to the size of the pot, a crane is needed not only to transport and set it down, but also to open and close the lid.

This heavy machinery is a “cooking equipment backhoe” made by modifying a crane truck for cooking purposes.

Apparently they use freshly grated new grated ginger every time.

A crane cannot move without lubrication, so the moving parts of the arm are lubricated with butter instead of heavy machinery oil.

This strict hygiene control, which is all done by hand, transforms heavy machinery into an incredible cooking tool.

This is probably a cooking utensil that can only be found here, right…?

Please take a look at this impressive video.

 

The backhoe’s bucket can scoop up enough imoni for approximately 100 servings in one go!

And the contents of the pot were displayed on a sign.

1.2 tons of beef, 3 tons of taro, 200 kg of sugar…

An unimaginable amount of stuff seems to be simmering in that big pot.

Everything except the sugar is from Yamagata.

Speaking of Yamagata, this large pot with a diameter of 6.5 meters is also made in Yamagata.

It is said that it was produced using the techniques of “Yamagata casting,” which is said to have originated around 1,000 years ago during the Heian period.

The Yamagata  brings together the love and passion of Yamagata.

Even when the event could not be held due to the COVID-19 pandemic, imoni were distributed via a drive-through format, and the more you hear about this event, the more you can feel the love for imoni there is.

3. Let's go to the Imoni Party Venue

It was a clear day, perfect for a potato stew party.

In order to avoid crowding, participation will require purchasing a time-specified online ticket in advance.

Now, let’s head to the Imoni party venue.

Quoted from the official website

I saw on the official website a map of the venue where I could find lots of events and food stalls, so I decided to head to the venue earlier than my reservation time.

As we headed to the banks of the Mamigasaki River, we saw a steady stream of people who love imoni.

First we headed to the “food stall zone” where we could enjoy a wide variety of food from within and outside the prefecture.

There’s already a line.

There are lots of delicious looking things.

Which one should I choose?

Everyone buys what they want to eat and heads to the food and drink zone!

It was a hot day, so I chose shaved ice.

I also purchased Yamagata beef “beef sashimi” from Sato Butcher Shop.

The texture of this meaty lump is irresistible.

It’s delicious as expected!

White clouds in the blue sky. Eat delicious food and relax on the riverbank.

So peaceful.

4. What does Imoni taste like?

Meanwhile, the reserved time for the serving of imoni was approaching.

Those who purchased tickets online were told that imoni would be distributed from Gate B, so we lined up.

Things went surprisingly quickly and we were able to enjoy the imoni in no time.

So the taro stew cooked in the big pot is transferred to a small pot and served from there.

It’s perfect for preventing infection! The container has a lid, so children can carry it around without spilling it!

Next to the serving zone where we received our imoni was a large pot of cooking imoni!

And it’s big, this is huge!

The third-generation large pot, “Nabetaro,” is 6.5 meters in diameter and weighs 4 tons.

It’s quite impressive when seen up close.

This year’s catchphrase is “With Imoni, with “IMONI” Yamagata pride .”

That’s it!

All of Yamagata’s power is channeled into delicious taro root!!!

Well, let’s get started!

We spread out a mat in the food and beverage zone, and when we opened the lid, we found piping hot potato stew.

It contained a whole big taro! It was soft, steamy and delicious!!

The meat is soft but doesn’t fall apart because it’s simmered over a strong fire.

I felt that it was a delicious dish that I couldn’t replicate at home.

The flavor and ingredients of imoni vary depending on the region, but the standard imoni in Yamagata City is “beef and soy sauce flavor.”

It seems that the flavor of the broth changes depending on the quality of the beef, so it’s impossible for imoni made with Yamagata beef to not be delicious.

Mmm, delicious.

Eating potato stew on the riverbank was delicious.

5. Various events♪

After eating imoni and feeling full, I decided to walk around the venue.

On the main stage, “Imoni Man” and “Satomi-chan” appeared and livened up the event.

Then, I found a ring on the riverbank!

It looked like the Pro Wrestling DEWA match was about to start, so I went to watch it! It was free.

The children were amazed to see professional wrestling for the first time.

It’s really impressive when you see it live!

“That looks painful…”

“I hope everything is okay.”

I was cheering them on with a sense of nervousness.

A giant kappa appears next to the professional wrestling stage.

This is the Kawatopia exhibition booth, where you can learn about rivers and water disaster prevention through hands-on experiences.

The devices at the ends of the kappa’s feet are rain-making experience devices, which allow the amount of rain to be artificially adjusted.

It’s amazing to be able to experience heavy rain!

Apparently this section allows you to experience how difficult it is to walk during a flood, so I decided to give it a try.

According to the children who tried it, their feet felt heavier than they expected and it was difficult to walk.

We also visited the Yamagata Regional Meteorological Observatory and the Self-Defense Forces booth in the disaster prevention zone before heading home.

it was fun~!

6. Summary

I had only ever seen the Yamagata Imoni Festival on the news.

When I actually went, it was an event filled with the deliciousness and fun of Yamagata.

It is scheduled to be held every year on the third Saturday of September , so I’d like to go and eat imoni again next year!