Hotel Metropolitan Akita: the perfect base for sightseeing in Akita

Hotel Metropolitan Akita, located adjacent to JR Akita Station, the gateway to Akita City, opened in 1986 as Akita Terminal Hotel. It was later renamed the “Metropolitan Hotel Akita” in 1996, and has been widely used for business, sightseeing, and events. In May 2021, a new annex, the “North Wing,” opened. The number of guest rooms has doubled to 247 with the addition of the 132 rooms in North Wing to the 115 rooms in main building.
The annex was designed based on the concept of “Remnant of Akita” while maintaining the relaxed atmosphere that is unique to Hotel Metropolitan Akita. Akita cedar was used for the walls and ceiling, and the lobby on the first floor, which welcomes guests, is covered with a coved ceiling that resembles a butterbur-leaf umbrella, a reference to the lyrics of the folk song “Akita Ondo.” It is a special space where one can experience the new Akita as well as the heartwarming Akita.
In addition, the elevator halls on the third through ninth guest room floors display delicate kumiko-zaiku (braided craftsmanship) with Omagari fireworks as a motif. In addition, guest rooms are decorated with tissue boxes made of Akita cedar, Naraoka-yaki mugs, and artwork of Honjo Gotenmari and Itaya horses, allowing guests to feel Akita while relaxing.

Experience the charm of Akita in every corner

For lunch or dinner, go to Dining Manyo on the 3rd floor of the main building. Enjoy a course menu of creative dishes blending Japanese and Western flavors, using seasonal Akita ingredients. The dining room offers fresh seafood landed from the Sea of Japan and Japanese beef produced in the prefecture in an elegant and relaxing atmosphere.
Breakfast is served at Restaurant Quare, located on the same floor as Dining Manyo. The restaurant is well known for its buffet-style breakfast buffet featuring Akita’s local cuisine. The buffet offers a wide variety of Akita’s unique dishes and specialties, such as kiritanpo nabe, damako nabe, tonburi, and iburigakko (pickled ginger). Vegetables and rice are all grown in Akita, of course, so you can enjoy the taste of Akita to the fullest from the morning.

A little sightseeing around the hotel

Another attraction of Hotel Metropolitan Akita, which is well located, is that you can enjoy petit sightseeing in front of Akita Station. A five-minute walk from the hotel is Chiaki Park, which is located on the site of the former castle of the Satake clan of the Akita Domain. The cherry blossoms in the spring, lotus in the summer, and autumn leaves in the fall are spectacular. Near the park is the Akita Museum of Art, which houses and exhibits the works of Tsuguharu Fujita, who was active in Paris and was widely recognized in Western art circles for his “milky white skin” nudes and other works, and has friendship with Picasso. One of Mr. Fujita’s representative works, “The Events of Akita,” is exhibited only at this museum. The large mural painting, measuring 3.65 meters in height and 20.5 meters in width, will overwhelm the viewer. The Akita Shimin Ichiba, located about a 5-minute walk from the park, is another must-see spot. Visitors can purchase Akita vegetables, seasonal fish, and local specialties at market prices, and the market is also lined with restaurants serving local food. Hotel Metropolitan Akita is the perfect location for sightseeing to the attractive spots around Akita Station. It will be a memorable page of your trip to Akita that will never fade away.

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“Hirazumi Honpo”, traditional Yamahai brewing

Located along the Sea of Japan in southern Akita Prefecture, NIKAHO CITY is a northern town rich in nature with a view of the sacred mountain Chokai. Hiraizumi Honpo was founded in 1487, dating back to the Muromachi period (1336-1573). It is the third oldest sake brewery in Japan and the oldest in Tohoku.
Hiraizumi Honpo is characterized by its traditional Yamahai brewing process. Yamahai brewing allows the yeast to propagate over time, making it possible for strong yeast bacteria to ferment the sake. Perhaps this is why Hiraizumi Honpo’s sake has an image of “strong acidity and robustness. This is a robust sake brewed using the Yamahai brewing method, which is the company’s specialty. It is a robust sake with a strong drinking experience, and can be said to be a sake for sake lovers.
Of course, such sake is not bad, but in the future, we want women and young people to enjoy sake in a more casual way. When I thought about it, I decided that our brewery needed to make sake that is easier to drink. Masaaki Saito, the 27th head of the brewery and executive director of the company, said.

New Challenges for “Hiraizumi Honpo”

After working as a salesman for a broadcasting company in Tokyo for about seven years, Mr. Saito returned to NIKAHO City in 2018, and is now seeking a modern sake quality while understanding the appeal of the traditional Yamahai brewing method.
My wife is not much of a sake drinker, but I want to make sake that even she can enjoy,” he says, adding that he is currently working on a change in brewing methods.
However, Hiraizumi Honpo is no ordinary sake brewery; it is a brewery with a tradition of over 500 years and has already gained a reputation among many sake lovers, so it is quite a challenge to take a new approach to creating a new taste. And although Saito-san had seen sake brewing as part of his daily life, this was the first time he had been involved as a sake brewer. Nevertheless, his passion for “sake for the next generation” moved those around him, and he and the toji started a new sake brewing project.

Sake to be delivered to the next generation born

The sake brewed in the brewery’s new direction is the HITEN HIRAIZUMI series, released for the first time in 2019. The “Hina HINA” series uses an original yeast selected by Mr. Saito himself to bring out a mild aroma and refreshing acidity; the “Hina Hibari” series uses a ginjo yeast from Akita Prefecture to bring out a gorgeous aroma and a pleasant mouthfeel; and the “Kubu Hakucho” series combines white malted rice, No. 77 yeast (malic acid), and the Yamahai yeast (lactic acid) to produce a unique sake that offers a changing acidity. The three varieties are “Kubu HAKUCHO,” which combines white malted rice, No. 77 yeast (malic acid), and Yamahai yeast (lactic acid) to create a unique sake with changing acidity. All of them are made using Yamahai brewing methods, but they are not overly robust, aiming to create new flavors. Saito says, “We made this sake with women and the younger generation in mind, who normally don’t drink sake. Two Junmai Daiginjos, “Kin Konjiki” and “Gin Shirogane,” are also available in the series. It will be interesting to see how this lineup will be accepted in the market.

To create the next generation of sake, while following the good qualities of a brewery with a long history. Mr. Saito’s new approach has just begun. Will he continue to brew using the traditional Yamahai brewing method, or will he try a completely different approach? Either way, we look forward to the future of sake brewing at Tohoku’s longest-established sake brewery.

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The fascination of glass draws you in.

Shun Kumagai is a glass artist based in Akita City. Fascinated by the unique expression of his works, he has held solo exhibitions in Japan and abroad, and his presence is growing. When we visited Mr. Kumagai’s home and studio, we found his glass works lined up in his studio surrounded by a beautiful garden that seemed to reflect the colors of the four seasons.
Born and raised in Akita Prefecture, Kumagai studied glass art at an art college and then moved to Toyama, a city of glass, where he worked at the Toyama Glass Studio, building a solid foundation in glass. After working there for about four years, he decided to return to Akita when his wife, Aki Sakaiida, also a glass artist, became pregnant.
Kumagai’s glass works are very unusual. At first glance, the shapes, textures, and tones of his glass works are so different from those of other glass artists that it is hard to tell that they are made of glass. They have a mysterious atmosphere as if they were excavated from ancient Egyptian ruins, and appear to be made using the pate de verre technique, creating a mysterious worldview that draws the viewer in.
Many glass artists tend to go for beautiful glass. But I am more interested in changes and irregularities caused by impurities in the glass than in transparency and beauty. For some reason, I am attracted to such things,” says Kumagai.

In search of the one and only glass works

The basis of Mr. Kumagai’s work is the casting technique. He also applies ceramic and Nakagane techniques to his work. He arrived at this creative technique because he wanted to create a work that no one had ever seen before.
First, he makes a plaster mold and molds it with molding wax while visualizing the work. The mold is then placed in a small box and plaster is poured around it to complete it. The plaster mold is then filled with liquid hot glass, which is cooled and hardened to form the piece. The raw materials used for the molds are materials that were given to him by a glass artist friend of his who was going to scrap them, and he mixes them with earth, metal, and other powders. The original color of the glass is heated to 1,000 degrees Celsius with the clay and metal, and the different properties of the ingredients produce complex colors and textures, creating a unique look for the finished piece.
After cooling for a week or more, the plaster is broken and the glass is removed. Because so much time has passed since the piece was placed in the mold, he often forgets what he has made and what it looks like until he opens it and looks at it. He says that he gets excited when he finds unexpected uneven coloring due to impurities in the glass, or when he sees an expression that makes the piece look dirty. Kumagai’s smile widens when she talks about her glass works. The most interesting part is when I break the plaster and take out the work,” he says. Saying this, Kumagai began to break a plaster cast with a mallet.
As he carefully tapped the plaster with the mallet, a human-shaped glass work resembling a Buddha emerged from inside. The slightly rough, dull-colored texture, the color dripping, and the distorted form of the piece, indeed, had a charm unique to the odd shape that transparent glass does not have.
I’ve gotten used to working with small pieces over the past few years,” he said. I would like to work on larger pieces in the future,” says Kumagai. I would like to master the casting technique and continue to create works that are unique to Mr. Kumagai.

NIHONMONO – 「にほん」の「ほんも…

使うほど美しく育つ漆器「秋田·川連塗 寿次郎」／秋田県湯沢市 – NIHONMONO 800年以上の歴史がある漆器の町 秋田県の南の玄関口、湯沢市はその名の通り、豊富な温泉群にめぐまれた町だ。その

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Brewery loved mainly by locals goes national

Gojome-machi, Akita Prefecture, is a small town with a population of about 9,000 located in the center of Akita Prefecture, about 30 km north of Akita City. Walking through the center of the town, you will find old houses and an old marketplace with a cultural flavor, while in the distance, you will see the green forested mountains and the sound of the Babamegawa River. The city’s long history may have been fostered by the fact that this area was already established as a village in the mid-Heian period (794-1185).

In the Edo period (1603-1868), Gojome became a supply center for the Ani Mine and prospered greatly. In 1688, when the town was beginning to come alive, Fukurokuju Shuzo was founded. In the beginning, the main business was the production of doburoku. The upper and lower storehouses were designated as National Tangible Cultural Properties in 1996, and the earthen storehouse-style upper storehouse, built at the end of the 18th century, has only a few parts, but the wood is thick and strong. It is a rare building that is regarded as the prototype of Akita Prefecture’s sake brewery architecture, and is still used today as a storage facility for tanks just before bottling. The brewery’s representative brands include “Hikobei” and “Fukurokuju,” and it has long been a popular sake brewery, especially among the locals. The current head of the brewery, Yasue Watanabe, is the 16th head of the brewery. After studying brewing at a university in Tokyo, he immediately returned to the brewery, where he has been promoting a number of reforms in order to create sake with an emphasis on quality and product value. The “Ippaku Suisei” sake that Mr. Watanabe created in 2006 was a clear departure from the Fukurokuju Brewery’s previous focus on sake that could be easily mass-produced, and his insistence on producing pure rice sake, even at lower production volumes, was well received and gained nationwide popularity. The company’s sake brewery now accounts for more than half of the company’s total shipments.

Sake made with ingredients from Gojome

The year 2021 marks our 333rd anniversary. We started selling a limited edition commemorative sake in November as a token of our gratitude. With a smile on his face, Mr. Watanabe was holding a Junmai Daiginjo “333,” brewed with 33.3% Akita Sake Komachi sake rice. The last step of the brewing process, tome-brewing, was done on March 3, 2021, and the brewery was very particular about the number “3,” with a limited number of 333 bottles of “Nakadori” and 3333 bottles of “Normal Pressing” being shipped. While the first impression is fresh and juicy, there is nothing flashy about the taste. The calm and gentle aftertaste is somewhat familiar, as if it reflects Mr. Watanabe’s personality.

There are many factors that determine the taste of sake, including the brewing water, rice, and yeast, and Mr. Watanabe says he is always worried about them. The brewery has been using abundant spring water since its establishment. It is medium-hard water with high calcium and magnesium content and a good ion balance. The rice used for the brewing is sake rice grown by the “Gojome Sake Rice Research Association,” which was established more than 10 years ago. They use four main varieties of rice: Miyamanishiki, Misanishiki, Gin no Sei, and Akita Sake Komachi. In 2018, the brewery opened the Shimotacho Brewery HIKOBE, a café and social gathering place, diagonally across from the brewery. The café is a place where visitors to the brewery can relax. The menu includes sake-kasu cheesecake, brewed water coffee, and a Fukurokuju sake tasting set,” says Watanabe. Renovated from a former chest store, the space is spacious with high ceilings. Coffee cups are fired at San’on Kiln in Gojome. The kiln, which has been in operation for about 30 years, uses glaze made from plant ashes to produce pottery with a rustic texture.

Fukurokuju Brewery was born and raised in Gojome. The 16th head of the brewery, Yasue Watanabe, continues to look to the future of his town with wide-open eyes and a love of his hometown.

NIHONMONO – 「にほん」の「ほんも…

六郷の名水が生む銘酒“春霞”「栗林酒造店」／秋田県美郷町 – NIHONMONO 水の郷がうまい酒「春霞」を生む 栗林酒造店のある秋田県仙北郡は秋田のなかでも酒造りの盛んな場所。江戸時代、付近

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“Sakihokole” rice for the top

Akita Prefecture is a rice-producing region, boasting the third largest rice production in Japan after Niigata and Hokkaido. The main rice produced in Akita is the well-known “Akita Komachi,” a rice variety with excellent stickiness and taste that was created in 1984 and soon became the top brand in Japan, and is now a staple brand in the Tohoku region. The name Akita-Komachi has long been a staple brand in the Tohoku region, and many people probably think of Akita-Komachi when they think of Akita. Akita Komachi has long been Akita Prefecture’s mainstay rice. That will not change in the future, but Sakihokore was created as a rice that aims for the top in a different direction from Akita Komachi,” said Hitoshi Kodama, a rice farmer in the Senboku Plain for generations.

The Senboku Plain, where Kodama’s rice fields are located, is an agricultural area of 10,060 ha of rice paddies in the south-central part of Akita Prefecture, straddling Daisen City, Senboku City, and Misato Town. The Omonogawa River, a first-class river, flows through the area, and the Dewa Mountains and the Ou Mountains provide moderate protection from the monsoon winds. The difference in temperature, clean water, and the environment suitable for producing high quality rice have made this an area where rice cultivation has thrived since ancient times. There is a local culture in which each farmer shares their success stories with each other, and it is also a place where farmers with the highest level of rice cultivation techniques in Japan gather. The warmth of each farmer’s desire for people to enjoy delicious rice has improved the rice cultivation techniques in the region. Mr. Kodama is also a veteran farmer who has twice won the gold medal, the highest award given to the top 10 winners of the “Obako-no-Takumi” (artisan rice growers) in the “Delicious Rice Competition” held by the Akita Obako Agricultural Cooperative, known for handling the largest amount of rice in Japan, with the aim of improving eating quality, an important consideration in consumer regions. Mr. Kodama has cultivated Akita brand rice such as “Akita Komachiya,” “Aki-no-Kirameki,” and “Yume-Obako,” and was selected as a Sakihokore test farmer for his high skills in rice cultivation, a requirement for farmers who can consistently produce high quality rice.

Noted as a rice that surpasses Koshihikari

Sakihokore is a new variety developed by Akita Prefecture based on the concept of “an extremely good-tasting variety that surpasses Koshihikari. While Akita Komachi is a variety for everyone, characterized by its fine texture and gentle sweetness, Sakihokore has a crispy texture with a good graininess. The more it is chewed, the more delicious and flavorful it becomes. It is said to be attracting attention as the next generation of rice among experts such as rice masters.
Because Sakihokore is a late maturing rice variety, it is grown in “recommended planting areas” where weather conditions and other factors are carefully regulated, and only growers who have met certain standards of basic rice cultivation skills are allowed to cultivate it. For these reasons, Sakihokore rice, produced with an emphasis on taste, is the rice of choice for growers.
First of all, the area must have an average daytime temperature of 22 degrees Celsius or higher when the rice is in full ripeness. In addition, the harvested Sakihokore must have a brown rice protein level of 6.4 or less. This is because a higher protein level would upset the balance of the rice’s flavor and texture. However, 6.4 or less is a very strict standard. Producers cannot easily produce Sakihokore. We are relieved that the Sakihokore we produced this year had a protein level of 5.5 and a taste of 86,” says Kodama.

For example, if you apply fertilizer to increase the yield of rice, the protein level will go up. Sakihokore is a variety that produces better quality grains one grain at a time, even if the yield is low. It is not possible to produce a good harvest without thinking and devising ways to grow the crop with a focus on flavor. Mr. Kodama took all possible measures from the first year of planting, and harvested Sakihokore that far exceeded the standard value. The taste was beyond even long-time rice farmer Kodama’s expectations.
I will continue to work hard to produce high quality rice so that Sakihokore will become a new light of Akita,” he said. I believe that if I do my best, there will be younger farmers who will follow in my footsteps, and the quality of rice production in the region as a whole will improve. I believe that this will lead to the growth of the entire production area. Mr. Kodama’s eyes were gazing into the future, the future that Japan’s rice cultivation should aim for.

NIHONMONO – 「にほん」の「ほんも…

秋田の水が作り出す水田で美味しいお米を。水田環境鑑定士･米農家 渡部浩見さん／秋田県湯沢市 – NIHONMONO 水田環境鑑定士とは？ 取材の日はあいにくの雨。本当ならば最後の稲刈りをし、田んぼで稲を見ながらの予定だったのだ

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The history of Inaniwa Udon

Located in the Inaniwa district of Yuzawa City in southern Akita Prefecture, Inaniwa udon originated over 350 years ago when Sato Kiszaemon (later known as Inaniwa Kiszaemon) began producing dried udon noodles in this area, surrounded by the pristine flow of rivers and lush forests of the beautiful Satoyama countryside. It became the official supplier to the Satake clan, the lords of the Akita domain, and has been passed down through generations as a closely guarded secret. Currently, the 16th generation Inaniwa Kiszaemon focuses on preserving tradition by limiting production to a small portion for distribution, ensuring the continuity of the family heritage. Concerned about the potential loss of this tradition due to its secretive nature, the technique of making Inaniwa udon was specially passed down to the second generation Sato Yosuke (now Sato Yosuke Shoten) at the end of the Edo period.

Located in the Inaniwa district of Yuzawa City in southern Akita Prefecture, Inaniwa udon originated over 350 years ago when Sato Kiszaemon (later known as Inaniwa Kiszaemon) began producing dried udon noodles in this area, surrounded by the pristine flow of rivers and lush forests of the beautiful Satoyama countryside. It became the official supplier to the Satake clan, the lords of the Akita domain, and has been passed down through generations as a closely guarded secret. Currently, the 16th generation Inaniwa Kiszaemon focuses on preserving tradition by limiting production to a small portion for distribution, ensuring the continuity of the family heritage. Concerned about the potential loss of this tradition due to its secretive nature, the technique of making Inaniwa udon was specially passed down to the second generation Sato Yosuke (now Sato Yosuke Shoten) at the end of the Edo period.

The secret of the delicious taste of udon noodles made by Sato Yoetsu Honpo

To make Inaniwa udon, you start by mixing plenty of saltwater with wheat flour, kneading and fermenting the dough repeatedly to create the base. Then, you cut it into strips about 3 cm wide and roll them into small logs. The process on the second day, called ‘hand-twisting,’ is what I consider the most important step,” says Sato. Using two hanging rods, the dough is quickly and rhythmically stretched into an “eight” shape while twisting the udon. This hand-twisting process, which involves almost half of the personnel in the entire process of making Inaniwa udon, is crucial. Due to the softness of the dough, which is softened by adding plenty of water, handwork is necessary to twist it. Sato describes Inaniwa udon as similar to fermented foods because it undergoes fermentation at various stages of the process. Indeed, during the dough stage, it is left to ferment for a long time, emitting a sweet aroma reminiscent of bread. The finished noodles, though slightly thinner than typical udon, have a flat cross-section, characteristic of Inaniwa udon. Despite their appearance, they have a remarkably firm texture and chewiness. Adjustments to the moisture and salt content are made based on the day’s humidity and temperature, and the noodles are aged for 3 to 4 days to develop their unique texture and smooth mouthfeel.

At Sato Yoetsu Honke, only domestically harvested wheat, harvested within a year, is used as the raw material for udon. Additionally, all other ingredients such as salt and starch are also domestically sourced. Both the ingredients and the manufacturing process are purely domestic, and this is the essence of Sato’s dedication. It is an indispensable commitment for the udon produced by Sato Yoetsu.

Applying the techniques used to make Inaniwa udon, Sato-san ventured into creating “Inaniwa Chuka” (Chinese-style noodles). Being a ramen enthusiast, he wondered if he could adapt the udon-making techniques to produce Chinese-style noodles. Initially, he experimented with fresh noodles, but during that time, he received advice from a renowned ramen shop owner in Tokyo to utilize the Inaniwa udon technique to make dried noodles instead. Thus, “Inaniwa Chuka” was born. While ramen shops typically use fresh noodles, Sato’s Inaniwa Chuka features straight, dried noodles that are sun-dried for a full two days, retaining the same texture and quality as Inaniwa udon.

Nowadays, the popularity of Inaniwa Chuka is such that specialized ramen shops in Akita City use these noodles. Sato-san envisions opening an eatery in the Inaniwa district that not only offers udon but also ramen, pasta, soba, and other noodle dishes made using the techniques of Inaniwa udon. It’s exciting to see the new noodle products from Sato Yoetsu Honke, born from traditional techniques, continue to evolve in the future.

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Momotobuta, a brand of pork that evokes happiness

Located in the north of the Kazuno Basin that stretches across northern Akita Prefecture, Kosaka Town is blessed with nature, with Lake Towada and its broad-leaved forests. The sea of beech, oak, and katsura trees grow thickly, nurturing humus and bringing limpid water to the area. Katsuhiko Toyoshita, president of the Porkland Group, decided to make use of this unchanged natural environment in agriculture and pig farming.

The Porkland Group, which started in 1995 with 1,500 sows, now has four farms, “Porkland,” “Towadako Kogen Farm,” “Farmland,” and “Bioland,” shipping “Momobuta,” which are SPF pigs (clean pigs) free of pathogens specific to pigs.　SPF stands for “Specific” and “Pathogen” free, meaning that the pigs do not have any pre-designated pathogens. Momotobuta” is a brand of pork originally bred by the Porkland Group. The name “Momotobuta” was derived from the light pink color of the meat and the fact that pink is associated with happiness, with the hope that both the pigs and the people who eat them will be happy. Today, the Porkland Group has grown into a large-scale pig farm, shipping approximately 150,000 head of pigs annually.

Twenty-six years ago, Toyoshita entered the industry with no experience in livestock farming. Perhaps that was a good thing, he says. In those days, antibiotics and other chemicals were used in pig farming, and that was the norm, he says. He simply did not want to eat such pigs himself, so he decided to start a pig farm that pursued “food safety” and sought a method of fattening pigs that did not rely on antibiotics and chemicals. If you don’t use chemicals, you can’t make pigs sick. Mr. Toyoshita came up with BMW technology, which stands for B=bacteria, M=minerals, and W=water, a technology that uses bacteria in the soil and minerals in the stones to purify sewage. This technology has been spreading around the world in recent years as more and more farmers aim for organic farming based on natural recycling.

We want to bring happiness to pigs and humans alike.

In addition, since pigs are vulnerable to disease, thorough quarantine control is implemented to prevent the introduction of disease into the farm. Only special vehicles are allowed to drive around the farm, and of course, special vehicles are also used for shipments. In addition, staff who enter the piggery must take a shower before entering. By completely separating the inside from the outside of the farm in this way, the Porkland Group has been certified as a “SPF farm” by the Japan SPF Pork Association, which is known for its rigorous screening process.
When I visited the piggery, I found that it did not have the strong smell of a normal piggery, and many pigs were moving around with lively expressions on their faces. We are also committed to animal welfare. We want to minimize stress and suffering for the pigs so they can live happily on the Porkland farm until they are shipped out. In the end, doing so is a shortcut to growing delicious pigs,” says Toyoshita. Animal welfare is a concept originating in Europe that aims to realize the psychological well-being of animals by minimizing the pain, stress, and other suffering inflicted on them by humans. Animal welfare for domestic animals lists five freedoms: freedom from hunger and thirst, freedom from physical pain and discomfort, freedom from pain, suffering, and discomfort, freedom from normal behavior, and freedom from fear and grief.

Regarding pig feed, Toyoshita also wanted to do something about the current bias toward imported grain. With the world’s population increasing, if imports were to cease, Japan’s food supply would quickly come to the brink of crisis. Therefore, he began to cultivate rice for animal feed in the fallow rice paddies in the region, and used it to feed his pigs. At first, they used only about 10% of the rice, but they have now increased that to 30%. Toyoshita is confident in the taste of Momo Pork, saying, “Since we increased the amount of rice, the fat has become softer and softer without any smell. Akita’s beautiful nature nurtures the pigs, which are raised using a recycling-oriented agricultural method. The quality of the pigs produced there is steadily spreading.
When we, as consumers, take a fresh look at the life of a pig, whether or not it has spent its life happily may be a more important quality than freshness.

NIHONMONO – 「にほん」の「ほんも…

日本三大地鶏の一つ。世界に認められた「比内地鶏」秋田比内や／秋田県大館市 – NIHONMONO 日本三大地鶏の一つ「比内地鶏」 地鶏として有名なものはいくつもある。その代表格のひとつが「比内地鶏（ひないじど

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“Omagari Fireworks”, a competition of pyrotechnics

Omagari Fireworks” is known as one of the three major fireworks festivals in Japan. It is a national fireworks competition that attracts more than 700,000 spectators in a single night. Kitanihon Hanabi Kogyo was founded in 1899 in Daisen City, Akita Prefecture, the home of the Omagari fireworks.
The Omagari Fireworks Festival was first held in 1910 as an entertainment for a festival at Suwa Shrine (a shrine in the Omagari area where the god Kenomikata was enshrined during Tamuramaro Sakagami’s campaign to defeat the Emishi). One year, the event was changed to a fireworks competition to test the skills of pyrotechnicians, and became a contest of pyrotechnics. At first, it was a competition for pyrotechnicians in the Tohoku region, but now it is a gathering of the best pyrotechnicians from all over the country. Currently, there are about 300 companies in Japan that make fireworks, and about 1/3 of them (about 100 companies) are manufacturers of fireworks. Of these 100 companies, 28 enter the Omagari Fireworks Competition every year.
Many people think of fireworks as large, round flowers blooming in the night sky. They are called “wari-mono” fireworks, and are the most traditional and standard fireworks, scattering in a pattern like chrysanthemums or peony flowers. In 1964, a fireworks competition called “Creative Fireworks” was started here in Omagari, which broke away from these standard fireworks. People who had been looking for dynamic fireworks, such as big flowers in the night sky, were attracted to fireworks depicting heart shapes, smiley faces, cartoon characters, etc., and a new trend of fireworks started.

Master pyrotechnicians of creative fireworks

Every year at the Omagari Fireworks Festival, about 10 judges judge the competition. Each pyrotechnist expresses his/her view of the world and the thoughts he/she wants to convey to the audience within the allotted time of 2 minutes and 30 seconds, combining the traditional broken fireworks and creative fireworks of his/her own design. The Prime Minister’s Award is presented to the best pyrotechnist (fireworks company) of the year. It is a great honor for a pyrotechnician to win each prize at the competition.

Coincidentally, Mr. Yoshikazu Konno, the fourth generation of Kitanihon Hanabi Kogyo and a nationally known pyrotechnician, was born in 1964. Mr. Konno, who has won many awards at various fireworks competitions, is known in the industry as a master of creative fireworks and is nicknamed the “genius of katamono. Katamono are fireworks that depict pictures of characters in the form of fireworks. Mr. Konno has created many character fireworks and has popularized creative fireworks with a high level of entertainment value. Other types of creative fireworks include “straw hats,” “Saturn,” “sunflowers,” and other fireworks that look like pictures in the night sky. The skill of the pyrotechnicians is in how well they present their designs to the audience. It takes at least 5 to 10 years to be able to make traditional chrysanthemum fireworks. While possessing such basic skills, creative fireworks require even greater skill and imagination. Without a strong passion for fireworks, you cannot create new fireworks the way you want,” says Konno.
Also, the improvement of fireworks launching technology in the past 10 years has made it possible to produce more detailed fireworks. The computerization of the launching system has eliminated the timing gap between the fireworks and the music that existed in the past.
However, no matter how much the technology improves, each fireworks display is still handmade by craftsmen. Each pyrotechnician has his or her own secret formula, and the accumulation of miracles that only the sense of a craftsman’s hands can produce is what makes the fireworks what they are. It is not possible to create the same fireworks every time, and there are not many moments when they are satisfied with their work. Even so, they continue to pour their passion into their work, feeling a mission to bring smiles to the faces of many people with the fireworks they create and to pass on the aesthetics of Japanese tradition. To preserve the tradition of Japanese beauty, which dissipates and disappears after only about 15 seconds, pyrotechnicians continue to carefully create fireworks one by one today.

NIHONMONO – 「にほん」の「ほんも…

根付いた作品と新たな美術館 「秋田県立美術館」／秋田県秋田市 – NIHONMONO 2013年にオープンした美術館 秋田市の中心地にほど近い、再開発地域「エリアなかいち」。その街のシンボルのひと

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Traditional sake brewing is the best method of production.

The oldest yeast used in sake brewing in Japan today is “Kyokai No. 6. Aramasai Shuzo is known as the brewery that created this yeast. Aramasa Brewery has undergone various reforms. The brewery uses only rice grown in Akita Prefecture, insists on pure rice production, uses no industrial additives, and ferments its sake in wooden vats.
It has been 14 years since Mr. Yusuke Sato, the 8th generation head of Aramasa Sake Brewery, who has been responsible for all such reforms, returned to the brewery. It has been 10 years since the release of “No.6” (Number Six), which Mr. Sato worked on and which has now become the signature series of the Aramasa Sake Brewery. Mr. Sato looks back and says that he has just kept on running, realizing the many things he wanted to do before returning to the brewery, such as making thoroughly good products.

Mr. Sato quit his previous job and returned to the brewery because he wanted to make really good sake, and he has been striving to make the ultimate sake without making any compromises. In the beginning, people around him thought he was “doing something unusual,” he laughs. He wanted to make real sake, so he read a lot of literature and went to other breweries to study. His search for what it takes to make the best sake led him to traditional methods. They are all labor-intensive and difficult methods. The currents of the times have simplified these methods in the pursuit of efficiency and rationality. What at first glance may appear to be a return to the old ways, when you get down to it, all of it makes sense, and just because it is tedious is not a reason not to do it. It was a matter of course for Mr. Sato, who strove for perfection in sake brewing, sometimes without regard for profit. The cost of exploring traditional sake brewing and making it taste as good as possible is enormous,” he said. This is something we have no choice but to do. We’re trying to evolve to preserve the traditional methods while also preserving the traditional industries associated with them.” says Sato.

Challenging sake from rice cultivation

The next innovation is sake brewing, which begins with the pesticide-free cultivation of rice.
In 2013, the company began outsourcing sake rice cultivation to contract farmers on a made-to-order basis, based on their requests. However, again, the process was too time-consuming and labor-intensive, and not many farmers were willing to cooperate. They decided to start growing their own rice.
Aramasa Sake Brewery’s pesticide-free rice field is located in Uyashinai, Kawabe district, Akita City. It is a place rich in nature, where the beautiful Omata River flows through the mountains and enriches the village.
In 2018, sake made from rice grown without agricultural chemicals at the company’s own field was shipped for the first time to the general public in limited quantities under the name “Noumin Geijutsu Kaihon” (Introduction to Farmers’ Arts). The sake, named in homage to Kenji Miyazawa’s memo-like work “Noumin Geijutsu Kairon Aminyo,” is attracting attention along with new developments at Aramasa Brewery.
The Aramasa Brewery’s reforms continue, as the concluding words of Miyazawa’s “What we need is a transparent will, a great power and heat that envelopes the galaxy,” lead us to the next step.

NIHONMONO – 「にほん」の「ほんも…

国有形文化財の建物で醸される老舗蔵「両関酒造」湯沢の力水が生む美麗な酒／秋田県湯沢市 – NIHONMONO 秋田県南部に位置する湯沢市にある「両関酒造」の歴史は明治7年（1874年）に始まる。湯沢のメインストリートに建つ風情漂う建物はその内4つが秋田県で初めて国の登録有形文…

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Town of lacquerware with over 800 years of history

Yuzawa City, the southern gateway to Akita Prefecture, is, as its name suggests, blessed with an abundance of hot springs. Located in the northeastern part of the city is Kawatsure, a small but well-known lacquerware town with a history of more than 800 years.
It is said that the town’s history dates back to the Kamakura period (1185-1333), when the lord of Inaniwa Castle, who ruled over the southern part of Akita Prefecture for 400 years, had his warriors apply lacquer to their swords’ sheaths, armor, and other weapons. Later, during the Edo period, lacquer was widely used for bowls, tables, stacked boxes, and other tableware, and Kawatsura lacquerware became widely popular as a daily necessity for local people and as a craft.
Lacquerware is generally made by a division of labor among craftsmen specializing in woodworking, lacquering, chinkin and maki-e. In Kawatsura, all of these craftsmen work within a radius of one hundred yards. In Kawatsura, all of these craftsmen are concentrated in a small town within a radius of 2 km. This is rare in Japan. In Kawatsure, there is “Akita Kawatsura Nuri Jujiro,” a traditional lacquerware workshop that has been in operation since the beginning of the Meiji period. Fumiyuki Sato, a lacquer painter, started planting lacquer trees five or six years ago in order to produce lacquerware using lacquer produced in Yuzawa at this small workshop.

Most of the lacquer distributed in Japan today is produced overseas, and Kawatsura is no exception. Domestic lacquer is produced in small quantities and is difficult to obtain. Because of its high price, the current situation is that people must rely on foreign lacquer. Mr. Sato says, “It is not that there is anything wrong with overseas lacquer, but there are things we must start doing now to prevent domestic lacquer from dying out. He wants to pass on to the next generation what is possible only here in Kawatsura and what can be protected.

Kawatsura Lacquerware that takes time to complete

Kawatsura lacquerware is made by smoking and drying roughly ground wood with heat and smoke. In the past, this method was used in all lacquerware production areas, but recently, as efficiency has improved, artificial drying using machines is being used. The good thing about smoke-drying is that the wood is dried slowly and carefully over a long period of time, which reduces distortion and cracking of the wood. In addition, the components of the smoke provide antiseptic and mothproof effects.
Kawatsura is a small lacquerware production area. We couldn’t afford to invest in equipment,” says Sato, smiling broadly.

The most distinctive feature of Kawatsura lacquerware is the final coating process. This process is called “Hana-nuri,” which is also called “Nuridate” (lacquering). The lacquer is finished without polishing, which is said to bring out the natural luster of the lacquer and enhance the texture of the lacquer and its soft touch. Another charm of this technique is that the top coat is thicker than that used in other regions, and as it is used more and more, the color and luster of the lacquer increases, making the vessels even more beautiful. The process to complete a piece of lacquerware is surprisingly long, not only for Kawatsura lacquerware, but also for other types of lacquerware. The process of lacquering alone requires 30 to 50 steps before it is completed.
Once the lacquer is applied, it is left to dry for five to seven days. After polishing, the lacquer is applied again. This process is repeated over and over again. This process increases the durability and makes the vessels durable enough to be used for a long time. The surface of the finished vessel does not show the layers of lacquer. However, the passion and skill of the craftsmen involved in the dozens of processes involved in the lacquering process is evident.

Kawatsura lacquerware, made from horse chestnut, is light to the touch and has excellent heat retention properties. Above all, it is gentle and pleasant to the touch when you eat it. I would like you to try eating rice in a bowl made of Kawaren lacquerware. I think you will find that the bowls are not only beautiful to look at, but also gentle to the palate,” he says. While gliding the brush evenly over the bowls, Sato spoke affectionately about the charm of Kawatsura lacquerware.

NIHONMONO – 「にほん」の「ほんも…

土も金属も流し込む独自のガラス作品·熊谷峻さん／秋田県秋田市 – NIHONMONO ガラスの魅力に惹き込まれる 秋田市を拠点にガラス作家として活動する熊谷峻さん。独特な表情を持つ作品に魅せられ、

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使い込むからこその味。秋田杉を使用「曲げわっぱ」柴田慶信商店／秋田県大館市 – NIHONMONO お店に入ると、商品としてならぶ曲げわっぱのほかに

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