Teppo-zuke Pickles

Many shops in Itako sell pickles made by hand using local vegetables and their own secret recipe for pickling. Teppo-zuke pickles are made by filling a hollowed-out gourd with red chili peppers wrapped in shiso leaves. The piquancy of the chili pepper combined with the salty-sweet taste of soy sauce and mirin is a perfect accompaniment to rice or alcoholic beverages.