Hirosaki Igamenchi

About Hirosaki Igamenchi

Hirosaki Igamenchi (弘前いがめんち, Hirosaki igamenchi) is a traditional homemade dish where squid legs (geso) are finely chopped, mixed with seasonal vegetables and flour, then fried or grilled to perfection.

Unlike the coastal areas of Aomori and Hachinohe, squid was a rare and precious seafood in the inland Tsugaru region. While the squid's main body was used for sashimi, stews, or pickled sushi, the leftover legs (geso) were repurposed. Chopped squid legs, combined with leftover vegetables and flour, were shaped and cooked on a hotplate or fried in oil, creating what is now known as Igamenchi. This inventive and heartwarming dish is said to have originated in the Tsugaru region following the end of World War II.

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