Founded about 180 years ago, it opened tea plantations in Kyoto from 1830 to 1843 and
began exporting Japanese tea when the port of Kobe opened.
It is also known for being the first store in Japan to serve coffee in its stores.
It can be said to be the origin of Japanese coffee shop culture.

Kobe Motomachi Dori Shopping Street is a representative of the exotic city of Kobe. The sweet and fragrant aroma of tea wafts through the air. Looking down, you see Houkodo, a long-established Uji tea shop. We asked Mr. Yasuyuki Vinoda, the sixth generation owner of this tea store with a history of about 190 years and one of only 15 people in Japan to hold the title of “tea master 10th dan,” about its history and the secrets behind the tea that has been loved for centuries.

Houkodo, a long-established tea shop with a 190-year history

Houkodo has a long history, having been established about 190 years ago. It began in the Edo period (1830-1843) when Genbei Higashi, the founder, opened his own tea garden in Higashiwazuka Village (present-day Wazuka Town) in Yamashiro Province, the main production area of Uji tea, and began to sell his tea throughout Japan. The tea’s fragrance was highly praised, and in 1858 he became a purveyor to the Matsudaira family, and received the current trade name ” Houkodo,” which means ” to keep the fragrance forever.

Location of the origin of coffee culture

What is interesting about Houkodo is that it was the first company in Japan to import coffee, in addition to its famous teas. After the fall of the Edo shogunate, the company established a base in Kobe and began exporting Japanese teas, importing coffee at the same time. This is even written about in textbooks. In addition to its early involvement in exporting Japanese tea to the rest of the world, Houkodo is truly the originator of Japan’s coffee shop culture. Yasuyuki Vinzuda, a tea master, is the modern-day inheritor of Houkodo’s history.

Tea master, Yasuyuki Suda, who succeeded the name “Azuma Genbei,” the sixth generation of the tea masters.

Mr. Kyoyuki Suda, the sixth generation of the tea master “Azuma Genbei,” who inherited the name of the founder “Azuma Genbei” from generation to generation and continues to carry on the history of Hokkodo, is a tea master of Hokkodo, pursuing delicious tea every day using traditional production methods and techniques. On this day, in addition to observing the tea ceremony, Nakata also tried his hand at gougumi. Gogumi is the process of blending teas of different varieties and steaming conditions to create a high-quality, beautiful tea. It is the last process that determines the taste and aroma of the tea we consume, and it is the process in which the tea master’s skill is tested the most. Nakata’s goal is to create “the finest Genmaicha,” which goes well with meals. He blends four or five types of tea leaves while listening to the characteristics of each tea leaf. The result this day was a bright green Genmaicha. It was easy to drink because it was not too rich, but did not lose its aroma.

Originally, a tea master was a person who produced tea. However, tea cannot be drunk simply by plucking the leaves that have grown up. Nowadays, a tea master is a person who has mastered the traditional processes to bring out the best flavor of tea, such as “gougumi,” “hiire,” and “toumi,” in which the leaves are picked and the lighter parts of the tea are sorted out by wind power. The number of people who have mastered the traditional process of extracting umami from tea is 15 in the past 70 years.

There have been 15 in 70 years. What is a Chashi-Judan?

The great thing about Mr. Vinoda is his ability to identify the characteristics of the tea. The National Tea Judging Technique Competition is held only once a year, where tea connoisseurs compete in their ability to appraise tea in four categories: variety, tea season, production area, and aroma. The title ” Chashi Judan ” is given to tea masters who have achieved the most excellent results in this competition and obtained the highest rank of Judan. Mr. Vinoda holds this title. Surprisingly, in the 70 years since the competition began, only 15 people have earned this title.
Therefore, although it is not a national qualification, it is considered a very prestigious title in the industry.

Nakata also tries his hand at goukumi

On this day, in addition to observing, Nakata also tried his hand at gougumi. Gogumi is the process of blending teas of different varieties and steaming conditions to produce a high-quality, beautiful tea. It is the last process that determines the taste and aroma of the tea we consume, and it is the process in which the tea master’s skill is tested the most. Nakata’s goal is to create “the finest Genmaicha,” which goes well with meals. He blends four or five types of tea leaves while listening to the characteristics of each tea leaf. The result this day was a bright green Genmaicha. It is easy to drink because it is not too rich, yet it does not lose its aroma.

Usually, hojicha and genmaicha are made from inferior-grade tea leaves, such as second- and third-grade tea leaves. Nakata dared to blend high-grade tea leaves and powdered green tea to create a tea that is both refreshing to drink and aromatic to enjoy. This was met with instantaneous response to his goal, and the skill of Mr. Vinzuda, who supported him in selecting teas from a vast array of teas to match their characteristics, was nothing short of astonishing.

Making tea facing Japanese tea

Houkodo continues to be loved even today, and this is not only due to Mr. Vinzuda’s presence. The company’s own tea garden in Wazuka-cho, Kyoto Prefecture, the main production center of Uji tea, is also a major factor. Mr. Vinegar’s tea master, Mr. Vinegar, uses his advanced tea appraisal skills to identify the characteristics of tea leaves and blends them using traditional techniques and manufacturing methods, and his own tea farm, where he can work on producing delicious Japanese tea, starting from the soil preparation and growing seedlings. This enables him to work as a tea master not only to appraise and blend Japanese teas, but also to “create” Japanese teas from scratch. This is the strength of Houkodo and the reason why its history and traditions have been preserved and loved to this day.

Changing Times and Unchanging Ideas

In recent years, as the times have changed, values regarding “food” have diversified, and various forms of Japanese food culture have emerged. However, for 190 years, Houkodo has maintained the unchanging philosophy of ” tea with a heart of tea. This is a phrase that expresses the idea of ” conveying sincerity by having the customer enjoy the tea we have carefully cultivated ” and is an attitude that Houkodo has cherished since its founding.

In these days, it is difficult to find “sincerity to the other person. Despite such circumstances, Houkodo, which continues to produce the best tea with unchanged passion and preserve Japanese history and traditions, will surely continue to be a tea specialty store loved by Japanese people for a long time to come.

I am in pursuit of “what is good tea. He visits tea fields all over Japan and is involved in soil preparation, fertilizer selection, cultivation, and harvest timing, and conducts repeated research to realize the ideal tea.

The post What is “delicious tea” made by a long-established Uji tea shop – Mr. Yasuyuki Sugata, Houkodo / Kobe City, Hyogo Prefecture first appeared on NIHONMONO.

Well and “sake” brewing

The spring water in the Rokko mountain system is one of the reasons for the delicious taste of Nada ”sake”. Gushing out of the groundwater vein in Nishinomiya, the water is called Nishinomiya water, ”miyamizu” for short. It is characterized by clarity and sweetness. Tatsuuma-Honke Brewing is one of the sake breweries that uses ”miyamizu”. They brew the well known ”Hakushika” brand known even to non-sake drinkers.

Meeting Miyamizu

Tatsuuma-Honke Brewing discovered ”miyamizu” in 1662 during the Edo Period. Kichizaemon Tatsuya, the founder of the brewery (the brewery was called Tatsuya then), found ”miyamizu” while digging a well within the premises of his house. The spring water triggered his ”sake” production. You cannot always find ”miyamizu” even if you dig a well.Tatsuya sold ”miyamizu” to other breweries that begged for it. The tense yet clean taste, like current Hakushika, can be only achieved with ”miyamizu”.

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The scientifically proven brand-name spring water

The secret of the delicious taste of ”sake” made with ”miyamizu” was unknown in the past. But today, we know the difference of ”miyamizu” from other water for ”sake” brewing. Iron is unsuitable for ”sake” brewing. ”Miyamizu” includes a very small amount of iron. The hard water is also rich in calcium, including an appropriate amount of salt. Additionally, it is rich in phosphorus and potassium that help enzyme propagation and fermentation.
The forerunners in Nada acknowledged the excellence of ”miyamizu” although they did not have any scientific background. It is surprising how sensitive Japanese people were while having lived together with nature.

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Gifts from the sea in the San’in region

What comes to your mind as winter seafood?
Oyster, yellowtail, monkfish, or puffer fish? They are typical winter food and ingredients of very popular hot pot. There is another important seafood in winter: Matsuba crab. Hyogo boasts Japan’s largest catch of Matsuba crab in terms of volume and value.

Origin of Matsuba Crab

Matsuba crab is generally called ”zuwai-gani” in Japan. The name is specific to the San’in region spreading from Shimane to Kyoto. The male crab caught in the Sea of Japan has been called ”Matsuba crab” since the olden days.

Crowded market

Nakata visited the market on a nice spring day in March. The fishing season for Matsuba crabs is from November 6 to March 20. The season was almost finished. Unfortunately, we could not get on a boat to have a look the actual fishing. However, we visited the market to see an auction of unloaded crabs.
”Matsuba” (matsuba means pine leaf in Japanese) crab is said to have been named after the long thin legs that look like pine leaves. Numerous crabs were placed with the belly up on the floor of the market. The bidding went fast, which itself was rather overwhelming. When all the deals were done, crabs were carried to restaurants and processing plants all over Japan.
You can visit auctions operated by Tajima Fishery Cooperative and Hamasaka-cho Fishery Cooperatives. Visitors can purchase crabs directly from the fishery cooperatives. Come to discover the vigorous market auction and Matsuba crabs.

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Nada’s Sake Spread by Maritime Transport

Nada (southeastern Hyogo Prefecture) is famous for its sake production. Japan’s leading sake breweries are concentrated in the five districts known as Nada Gogo, and 30% of the nation’s sake is produced in Nada.
One of the reasons Nada’s sake has become nationally famous is because of shipping. Until then, sake was mainly transported overland, but Nada’s coastal location made it possible to transport sake to Edo (present-day Tokyo) by cask-carrying ships. Nada’s sake was therefore widely distributed in Edo, where it became known as “sake from downstream,” and quickly gained fame.

Kiku-Masamune, famous for its commercials

Kiku-Masamune,” famous for its commercial “I am Kiku-Masamune after all,” is another sake brewery in Nada. It was founded in 1659 during the Edo period (1603-1868) by Jirotayu Munenori Kano (Hon Kano family), who started brewing sake. Most of the sake produced by the Hon Kano family was “sake that goes down the drain,” which was especially loved by the people of Edo, and the family was proud of its fame from that time onward.

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Tatsuuma-Honke Brewing uses miyamizu (well water) to make the richly flavored “sake”… Well and “sake” brewing The spring water in the Rokko mountain system is one of the reasons for the delicious taste of Nada ”sake”. Gushing out of the ground…

Together with Yamada-Nishiki, a characteristic of the region

In 1882, Kikumasamune purchased a then-expensive microscope from Germany, invited engineers to Japan, and built a sake cellar made of bricks with high thermal insulation. It was around this time that the Kiku-Masamune trademark was registered.
Sake rice, which is necessary for sake brewing, was also produced using the characteristics of the region. Every year, the rice fields in Yoshikawa-cho, Miki City, Hyogo Prefecture, are planted with Yamada-Nishiki, the highest grade of sake rice. The viscosity of the soil and the difference in temperatures are considered to make the environment extremely suitable for this rice.
Nakata visited a terraced rice field in a satoyama that has been protected by sake rice growers. Mr. Mukai, chairman of the Kano Kai East Branch, said, “Yamada-Nishiki is tall, so we have to be very careful about winds and typhoons. These terraced rice paddies have been used for a long time, and although they cannot be mass-produced, they produce particularly high-quality Yamada-Nishiki,” he said. The group of professionals who have been producing Yamada-Nishiki for generations is indispensable.

Dry Kiku-Masamune for a mid-meal drin.

Kiku-Masamune’s well-known commercial says, “When you see good food, you want dry Kikumasa.” As the catchphrase suggests, Kiku-Masamune’s belief is that the best sake is the one that complements food without being boring to drink.
The best sake for a meal is, after all, dry. There have been booms in sake, and there was a time when sweet sake was popular, but Kiku-Masamune has consistently stuck to dry sake.

Overcoming the crisis, Kiku-Masamune will continue to be particular about its sake.

Kiku-Masamune has a 350-year history, but during World War II, the brewery was in a state of crisis when it was reduced to three breweries due to bombing. Despite this, Kiku-Masamune was able to make such a great comeback, thanks in no small part to its commitment to “dry sake that brings out the best in food.

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Being particular about rice

Fukunishiki Brewing is situated in Kasai City. The city is located on Harima Plain, the home of ”Yamadanishiki” rice . Yamadanishiki is famous as the king of brewer’s rice. Doubtlessly, Fukunishiki Brewing places the extreme importance on rice they use. That’s why they only produce ”sake” without any added alcohol, or ”junmaishu”
Fukunishiki Brewing calls themselves the ”junmaishu” brewery. They decided to specialize in ”junmaishu” sake production in 1992. There are only a few ”junmaishu” breweries in Japan. The brewery strictly selects quality local rice for producing ”sake”. It is the reason Fukunishiki features the firm ”umami” as the leading player on the dining table, not a dish enhancer.

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Harmony between human and nature as a theme

The name ”Fukunishiki” is a combination of the ”nishiki” representing the autumn leaves that grace the famous Hokkezan Ichijoji Temple in the vicinity and ”Fuku”, meaning happiness. The firm’s theme, ”Harmony of man and nature” is reflected in that name.

The home grown rice, water from the well on the premise, and ”sake” brewed by local people, continues to be loved by the locals of Hyogo Prefecture.

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Relaxing space with a superb view

Situated at Harborland that is a symbol of Kobe, Hotel La Suite Kobe Harborland has good access for tourists: 15 minutes by car from Kobe Airport and 10 minutes on foot from JR Kobe Station. Every guest room has a spacious balcony from which guests have a view of Kobe port while feeling the fresh breeze.
The hotel has restaurants, lounges and a bar that can meet varied guest needs. Japanese Teppanyaki Kokoro offers Japanese style grills, Restaurant Le Cœur Kobe offers wine in an open atmosphere. Lounge & Bar Bleu entertains guests with piano performance and cocktails of various colors.

Popular hotel that makes you want to come back

The popularity of the hotel has already been proved. They were ranked first in the Kinki/Hokuriku hotel ranking based on voting by actual guests on a hotel booking website.
You can stay at the conveniently located hotel for a luxe business trip, or spending private time with your loved ones. The hotel will enable you to enjoy Kobe in a luxurious atmosphere.

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The castle situated at a key location in Sanyo

There are four castles that are designated as National Treasures: Matsumoto Castle in Nagano, Hikone Castle in Shiga, Inuyama Castle in Aichi, and Himeji Castle here in Hyogo. Himeji Castle was constructed in the period of the Northern and Southern Courts in the 14th century, and not during the Period of the Warring States.
The beginning of the castle is believed to be a fort that Norimura Akamatsu built on Mt. Hime while advancing his troops to Kyoto under the order of Prince Moriyoshi in 1333.

Located on Sanyo-do Road, Himeji Castle played a major role as an important base for the states in western Japan throughout the Muromachi Period, Period of the Warring States, and the Edo Periods. During the Period of the Warring States, Hideyoshi Hashiba (Toyotomi) lived in the castle to conquer the Chugoku region. In Edo Period, many hereditary ”daimyos” stayed there as domain administrative headquarters of Himeji Domain, such as the Ikedas and the Hondas.

Registered as a World Heritage site

Himeji Castle is also called Shirasagi-jo (meaning ”white egret castle”) because of its appearance of having white-painted walls that look like a flying egret. The current appearance was completed soon after the Tokugawa Shogunate was set up. Terumasa Ikeda drastically refurbished Himeji Castle after being allowed to move into the castle in return for his contribution in the Battle of Sekigahara. There are only 12 castles that still keep the castle tower constructed in Edo Period.
Himeji Castle is one of the precious castles that preserves the original castle tower while having never been involved in large-scale battles. It was bombed during World War II, but miraculously the incendiary bombs failed to explode.

Himeji Castle currently welcomes a large number of domestic and international visitors, having been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The castle overlooks the world of today while maintaining the same appearance since the Edo Period. The sight of the beautiful figure against a backdrop of wide open blue sky is breathtaking.

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Koyo Seiga, Roof tiles with black luster Strong beautiful roof tiles Toyo Seiga is located in Funatsu, Himeji, where the soil is rich in dissolved clay. Because of this local feature, roof tiles hav…

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Used at Nijo Castle and elsewhere, this paper does not fade and does not attract insects.

Washi made with mud is called Najio gampi paper. Because it is mixed with mud, it is strong, does not fade over time, and does not attract insects. Because of this, it was used for folding screens, fusuma (sliding screens), barriers, foil-encrusted paper, and in the past, for clan cards, etc. It was called “ma-ai-igami” (meaning “paper that fits together”) because it could be used for everything. Furthermore, it was valued by Korin Ogata and others in the Edo period (1603-1867), and in the Showa period (1926-1989), Ryuzaburo Umehara, a leading figure in the Japanese Western-style painting world, was a favorite user of this paper, as it offered good color when paints were applied to it and increased brilliance when gold leaf was applied……. Because it is such a precious paper, it is of course the preferred paper of shrines and temples. The paper made by Takenobu Tanino of Tanitoku Paper Mills, which we visited this time, has been used to restore many important cultural properties, including Nijo Castle, Nishi Honganji Temple, Katsura Imperial Villa, Nikko, and the Imperial Villa in Numazu. His paper is now said to be indispensable for the restoration of Japan’s national treasures.

Living National Treasure Made with Soil and Water from Nashio

Takenobu Tanino was designated a living national treasure in 2002. The area used to be known as a paper-making village and was called “Nashio Senken,” but now there are only two paper makers in the area that carry on the tradition. The other produces only foil-backed paper, so Mr. Tanino’s paper mill is the only one that produces all types of Nashio gampi-gami. In Nashio, unique mud of four different colors is extracted from a rather hard layer of bedrock. Once the mud is collected, it is placed in cotton bags and rubbed. Only the fine-grained mud thus obtained is mixed to produce paper of various colors. Normally, the mud would sink into the water, but when Nashio’s mountain water is used, the mud blends well with the water.

It takes a lot of skill.

This is the only place in Japan where mud is mixed into the paper, which is a rare process. Nakata also had a chance to try his hand at papermaking, but it is quite difficult to make paper with mud mixed in. It requires a great deal of skill. Nashio gampi-shi is a Japanese paper that is the pride of Japan and has even been presented to the Pope. It is the result of the unique mud and water of Nashio and the wisdom of its people. Nashio gampi-shi has the feel of the traditions nurtured through the symbiosis of nature and daily life.

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Strong beautiful roof tiles

Toyo Seiga is located in Funatsu, Himeji, where the soil is rich in dissolved clay. Because of this local feature, roof tiles have been produced for many years. Especially after 1800, Kanzaki roof tiles were disseminated all over Japan after Mataemon Kobayashi, the government tile maker of Himeji Domain, opened the workshop in Funatsu Village.

Koyo Seiga still keeps the tradition of tile making. One of the characteristics is ”Ibushikawara” tiles coated with carbon that is made by smoking tiles in the final step of tile firing. The treatment makes roof tiles robust and resistant to rain and snow. The smoking treatment adds beauty and a black luster to the roof tiles, as well as durability.

Onishi who preserves the tradition of ”onigawara”

Are you familiar with a job called ”onishi”? It is the artisan that makes decorative roof tiles for castles, temples and shrines, such as ”onigawara” or a ridge-end tile shaped like an ogre. Kazumi Yokoi is the second-generation ”onishi” who belongs to Koyo Seiga. He is committed to the restoration of numerous cultural properties, using his proficient skills.
The ”shachi-gawara”, the roof tile in the form of a legendary grampus. The two-meter-long ornament was installed at Shiromidai Park to celebrate the registration of Himeji Castle as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is a full-scale replica of the ornament placed on the main castle tower. The beauty, full of brilliance is just amazing when seen up close.

The exploration by artisans is endless. They have to create something new according to the changes of time while reproducing something good and old. The workshop produces roof tiles for the modern times, fusing the new and the old.

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Nishiogampi (Nishiyo gampi-shi), essential for the restoration of national treasures, Takenobu Ta… Used at Nijo Castle and elsewhere, this paper does not fade and does not attract insects. Washi made with mud is called Najio gampi paper. Because it is mixe…

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One of the leading “sake” brewing areas in Japan

What do you imagine when you think of a famous ”sake” producing area? The ”rice capital” Niigata ? Yamagata where the Shonai Plain is located? The fact is, Hyogo is the leading ”sake” producing area, with the highest annual volume of ”sake” by a large margin.
Izawa Honke is a ”sake” brewery situated in the middle of rice paddies in Inami, a representative rice producing zone in Hyogo. It is the town of paddy fields, having been famous as a rice producing area since the time of the poet Kaminomoto no Hitomaro (660AD – 740 AD).

Yamato Kozuchi, the multi-time gold prize winning “sake”

Izawa Honke was founded in 1883. Their first priority is always quality in their over-100-year history. Under this philosophy, they even reverted to the old manual ”sake” making process, when they judged that the taste they wanted to achieve could not be achieved by a mechanized process. They never sell ”sake” by the tank to large-scale distributors. Their attitude reflects their strict quest for taste and their sincerity in ”sake” brewing.
Yamatokozuchi is an excellent ”sake” known only by a limited number of consumers. It is characterized by a rich aroma, a refreshing feel, and the light taste that does not leave an aftertaste. It is not surprising that the ”sake” has won 11 gold prizes at the Zenkoku Shinshu Kampyoukai (national new ”sake” tasting competition).
Yamato Kozuchi has been popular for years in spite of the small volume of production and the small scale of the brewery. The flavor is the certain reason. The ”sake” is strongly recommended to a pure ”sake” lover.

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