Yonezawa is home to many local specialty foods. Yonezawa beef is one of the most famous of these, being one of the top three wagyu brands in Japan. The city also offers its own distinct version of ramen with curly noodles and a lightly-seasoned broth. In addition to these foods, Tateyama apples are one of Yonezawa's well-known fresh fruit offerings, and Yonezawa carp has a history of being eaten for 200 years.

The specialty foods of the city are known as the ABCs of Yonezawa: apples, beef, and carp.

Sake is brewed within Yonezawa, using the pure water of the area. Toko Sake Museum offers visitors the chance to learn about the sake brewing process.

Toko Sake Museum

Yonezawa beef is known as one of the top three wagyu brands in Japan. Many restaurants in the city offer the chance to try this high-quality beef, including some near the station. This brand of wagyu began to be eaten in the late 1800s, during Japan’s Meiji era. A British man named Charles Henry Dallas, at the time working as an English teacher, discovered how delicious the beef was in Yonezawa and shared it with his friends. From there, Yonezawa beef became famous throughout the rest of Japan.

Yonezawa Beef Main Page