in the mid-autumn and bundled into small pyramids around the fields so that it can be used in the spring. Grains and Vegetables Various vegetables are still produced for local consumption or for use in the valley's inns. In the past rice was grown but was difficult to cultivate in abundance, so the main staples are soba (buckwheat) and potatoes. The soba is either prepared as a whole-grain porridge (soba-gome) or as noodles. To this day noodles are still grounded by hand in traditional stone mortars in some households, and several people in the valley offer classes. The famed Iya potatoes are small and dense due to the rough and rocky soil conditions. Usually served roasted or in soups, a local dish consists of whole boiled potatoes mixed with miso paste and garlic. Other foods include the locally produced tofu, which is rather unusual for Japan, and called ishi-dofu or iwa-dofu by the locals, which literally means "stone tofu". It gets its name from its thick density, so stiff that a brick sized piece would be traditionally carried by a single rope wrapped around it. This is prepared in soups, roasted over charcoal with miso paste, or served uncooked with ground ginger, green onions, and soy sauce. Konnyaku is another locally produced delicacy, which is a rubbery gelatin produced from a Japanese yam. Renowned for its medicinal and health qualities, it is served in soups, roasted, or uncooked with miso paste. A common treat is called dekomawashi which consists of a whole Iya potato, a square of iwadofu, and a wedge of konnyaku all skewered together on a bamboo stick, then slathered with miso and slowly roasted over coals. This can be found at roadside shops and most hotels and restaurants. Various types of wild mountain sprouts collectively known throughout Japan as san-sai (mountain vegetables) are a garnish for soups and noodle dishes and are a rather sought after delicacy in the Iya Valley as such mountainous terrain is where they tend to randomly grow. However, like elsewhere in the country, due to the expense and difficulty in producing, it is probably more common at most local restaurants and hotels to be (unknowingly) served cheaper imported san-sai, usually from China. However, local people do produce san-sai for their own use, and if staying at a small inn or homestay you would probably have an opportunity to sample the real thing.