Why Hojicha is famous in Ishikawa Prefecture

Kaga-bocha ” or ” stick tea” and ” hojicha,” including ” Kaga-bocha,” known as Ishikawa Prefecture’s brand tea, have become famous as specialties of Ishikawa Prefecture. What is the history of these teas?

Ishikawa Prefecture was already widely known as a tea-producing area during the Meiji period (1868-1912), when the Kaga clan encouraged tea production in the Edo period. However, it was later exported overseas as a luxury item, making it inaccessible to the general public. A tea merchant in Kanazawa, Ishikawa, then devised a way to make effective use of the stems, a byproduct of the rough tea refining process. In this way, the price could be kept down, and tea became popular among the common people. While high-quality sencha is made by delicately steaming only the first tea leaves, “bancha,” “hojicha,” “stem tea,” and “stick tea” are made by trimming even the stems at once and roasting them over a high flame at once to create a strong aroma. The brewing process is also different. While sencha is carefully brewed at a low temperature, bancha, hojicha, stem tea, and stick tea are brewed by simply pouring boiling water over them.

Kaga-bocha, however, is different. While hojicha generally uses the tea leaves left over after they are plucked for sencha, Kaga-bocha roasts not only the leaves but also the high-quality stems, building a brand identity that rivals that of sencha. Among them, Kaga-bo hojicha produced by Aburatani Tea in Hakui-gun, Ishikawa Prefecture, boasts an exceptional taste among the many Kaga-bo teas available.

Benefits of hojicha

Because of its high-temperature roasting characteristic, hojicha is expected to have many positive effects.

The first is the improvement of sensitivity to cold. This is said to be due to the effect of pyrazine, the main component of the aroma, which is released during the roasting process of hojicha. This “pyrazine” is said to widen blood vessels and improve blood flow, and is expected to improve sensitivity to cold.

Second, it has a relaxing effect. Theanine, a sweetener contained in tea, is believed to work on the body and produce a relaxing effect.

Thus, hojicha is attracting attention as a drink that can be expected to improve sensitivity to cold and relax the body.

Aburatani Seicha continues to evolve

Aburatani Seicha began as a tea seller in 1918, and its predecessor, who succeeded the second generation, started tea production. The current president, Yusen Aburayama, has gained fans by personally brewing his own tea, which is carefully blended, for customers to drink at events held at department stores. He has been brewing his own tea at department store events and other events to win over customers and gain fans.

In ordinary hojicha, the leaves and stems are roasted together, but we remove the leaves and roast only the stems, ” he says. The secret to bringing out the sweetness is to heat it all at once at a high temperature. We use three gas burners to roast the tea at 250 to 300 degrees Celsius for about 10 minutes, but even a 1 degree Celsius difference can change the taste, so we change the temperature depending on the season.

The tea has a deep aroma and flavor without any cloying taste.

Nakata even said, “I used to think that stem tea was the leftover tea from sencha, but it has such a sweet and rich flavor.

Aburatani is also actively developing new products such as PET bottles and powdered teas to meet the needs of the times.

For PET bottles, we have been researching to enhance the sweetness of the tea. Tea leaves are a natural product, so the taste cannot be the same every time. Even so, we are making various efforts to create a similar taste. Recently, we have been receiving more orders for powdered tea for confectionery and ice cream. But the basic principle is to make delicious, safe and secure hojicha, ” says President Yutani. The company continues to evolve without resting on its laurels of branding and history, and this can be seen in its delicious tea leaves that can be easily experienced in PET bottles and even when brewed with water. Aburatani will continue to promote the growth of Japanese green tea not only in Ishikawa Prefecture, but throughout Japan.

The post Hojicha overturns conventional image Yutani Seicha Yutani Yusen / Hodatsushimizu-cho, Ishikawa, Japan first appeared on NIHONMONO.

Wajima-nuri is one of Japan’s most representative lacquerware crafts. The pieces created by Akito Akagi are admired by many for their sophisticated designs and warm appearance. In 2024, Wajima City in Ishikawa Prefecture, the birthplace of Wajima-nuri, suffered severe damage from the Noto Peninsula Earthquake. Akagi is working to revive and regenerate the region while reflecting on the origins of Wajima-nuri.

Strong and beautiful Wajima lacquerware created through meticulous craftsmanship

Located at the tip of the Noto Peninsula, Wajima City in Ishikawa Prefecture is renowned as the birthplace of Wajima lacquerware. With a history spanning over 500 years, Wajima lacquerware is designated as an Important Intangible Cultural Property of Japan and is celebrated worldwide as a masterpiece of lacquerware.

One of the key features of Wajima-nuri is its exceptional durability. For example, the technique of “nuno-kise” involves applying fabric to the edges of bowls to reinforce vulnerable areas, significantly enhancing durability. Another unique material used in Wajima-nuri is “jino-ko,” a type of ground powder made from diatomaceous earth mined in Wajima. Jinoko is made by burning diatomaceous earth, which is mined in Wajima, into a powder and mixing it with the base lacquer. This meticulous craftsmanship results in Wajima lacquerware that is said to last for over 100 years.

The production process involves 124 distinct steps, each carried out by specialized craftsmen.

Another distinctive feature is the division of labor that supports the 124 processes involved. Specialized craftsmen are responsible for each stage of production, such as the “woodworkers” who shape the wooden bases, the “lacquerers” who apply layers of lacquer, and the “makie artists” who decorate the pieces with gold powder and other materials. This division of labor not only enables efficient production across the entire region but also allows craftsmen to specialize in their respective fields and refine their skills. In this way, the entire town of Wajima functions like a single lacquerware workshop, producing Wajima-nuri of exceptional quality.

Discovering Wajima-nuri and transitioning from editor to lacquer artist

Akagi Akito, a lacquer artisan specializing in Wajima-nuri, handles the final coating process known as “upper coating” while also directing the creation of vessels. His solo exhibitions held across the country are always well-attended. His works are also highly regarded overseas, with pieces collected by the Di Neue Sammlungen Museum in Germany.

Akagi entered the world of Wajima lacquerware in 1988. At the time, he was leading a busy life as an editor in Tokyo when he came across the works of Kado Isaburo, a master craftsman of Wajima lacquerware.

Kadoi was a figure known as both an “outsider” and a “revolutionary” in the world of Wajima lacquerware. He gained recognition early in his career as a Wajima lacquerware artist, winning numerous awards in public competitions. However, he was captivated by the traditional vessels rooted in the lifestyle of Noto and withdrew from public competitions to focus on creating everyday utensils. Kado’s vessels, which constantly questioned the essence of lacquerware, were brimming with vitality, and Akagi was deeply moved by their powerful presence.

Drawn to the charm of Kado’s vessels, Akagi moved to Wajima, apprenticed under a base coat artisan, and learned the techniques.

Creating vessels that harmonize with daily life

What Akagi creates are not vessels for display, but vessels for use. They possess a simple, refined beauty.

“Wajima lacquerware is often associated with glittering works of art, but it was originally a vessel deeply connected to the daily life of Wajima,” says Akagi. ”The true beauty lies in the shapes and colors of vessels that are deeply connected to daily life.” Akagi has always believed this, and during a time when Wajima lacquerware was still used as practical vessels, he created numerous replicas of vessels from the Edo period. What is the beauty and richness that lives in Wajima? Akagi continues to ask himself this question as he pursues the form of vessels.

Project to rebuild the workshop destroyed by an earthquake

The 2024 Noto Peninsula earthquake struck the region famous for its lacquerware, directly affecting the industry. Over 80% of the lacquerware businesses in the area were damaged by the earthquake. Many artisans lost their livelihoods and their places of work, with some forced to close their businesses or evacuate to other parts of the country.

Among the affected artisans was a woodworker who had spent decades alongside Akagi-san, striving to create beautiful forms. He was 86-year-old Mitsuo Ikeda. When Akagi visited Ikeda after the earthquake, his workshop lay in ruins. Ikeda sat motionless in front of the collapsed workshop for two days before losing consciousness and being rushed to the hospital on the third day. “I couldn’t let Ikeda die in despair,” Akagi decided immediately to rebuild the workshop.

“Ikeda-san’s family has been a woodworker in Yoyogi since the Edo period. The beautiful traditional Wajima lacquerware patterns are deeply ingrained in his body. Working with him felt like working alongside his ancestors,” Akagi says. He couldn’t let that skill disappear.

Akagi launched the “Small Woodworker’s Workshop Revival Project,” which garnered widespread support, and the reconstruction of Ikegami’s workshop was completed in just three months after the earthquake. A single light shone in the rubble-strewn town. Ikegami, who had returned from a secondary evacuation center outside the city, rejoiced at the reconstruction of his workshop and began turning wood again.

From one woodworker, the baton was passed to the next generation.

However, since Ikegami-san had no successor, two apprentices from Akagi-san’s workshop were sent to learn woodturning. Ikegami-san was determined to live long enough to see them become skilled craftsmen, but he passed away quietly in July 2024, just a few years after the reconstruction.

After Ikegami’s passing, a wood turner who had once worked on Kaku Eisaburo’s bowls took over the workshop. However, perhaps due to the stress of the disaster, he collapsed after turning 20 bowls and passed away. His son now runs the workshop. He had left his job as a woodworker after the disaster and found work outside the prefecture, but after being persuaded by Akagi, he returned to Wajima to resume his craft. Two apprentices who had been sent from Akagi’s workshop are now striving to master the techniques under their new master. The “small woodworking shop” where Ikegami’s skills and spirit lived on has thus been passed down to the next generation.

Rebuilding the disappearing landscape of Noto

Akagi has also been actively involved in efforts to restore the landscape of Wajima after the earthquake. He had previously operated an auberge and a publishing company in a renovated traditional house in Wajima City, but both buildings were damaged in the earthquake. The damage to the auberge was particularly severe, and it became clear that reconstruction would take a long time. As a result, he decided to repair the publishing company’s building in a coastal village and open a temporary auberge there.

While working on the temporary store in the coastal village, Akagi learned that many of the houses in the village were either completely or partially destroyed and awaiting demolition. While the demolition of completely or partially destroyed buildings is fully funded by public funds, repairs or reconstruction are原則 self-funded. Due to the aging population, depopulation, and many vacant houses in the village, reconstruction is difficult, and many people are forced to apply for public funding for demolition.

The village is characterized by traditional houses with wooden walls adorned with latticework and black tile roofs, creating a unified and beautiful landscape. If public-funded demolition proceeds, this landscape will be lost forever. Akagi decided to purchase two houses surrounding the temporary store and rebuild them in their original form to preserve the historical and cultural value of Noto’s landscape.

Furthermore, he believes that “if we can revitalize this area as a base, it will encourage young people to settle here,” and plans to use these houses as residences for his apprentices and a book café.

As of March 2025, the number of applications for public demolition due to the Noto Peninsula earthquake has reached approximately 38,000 buildings. Among these, there are many buildings that could be repaired and continued to be inhabited. “If we continue with demolition without considering the landscape, the town will become a uniform, characterless area. I hope people will pay more attention to the value of the landscape.” While Akagi-san’s ability to rebuild on his own without public support is limited, he aims to continue spreading awareness of the importance of preserving Noto’s traditional landscape for future generations and expand his efforts.

He aspires to be a ‘pottery shop’ that connects the hometown of Wajima lacquerware to the future.

The work of a lacquer artisan and the restoration of landscapes may seem unrelated at first glance. However, for Akagi-san, they are all part of the same “craftsmanship.” “All things with form eventually break down. That is an inescapable fate. For me, craftsmanship is about continuing to strive against the inevitable breakdown and loss of things. I felt this deeply after experiencing the earthquake.”

Uncovering the lost beauty of traditional Wajima lacquerware, reconstructing the collapsed workshops of woodworkers to preserve their techniques, and reviving the vanishing landscapes of Noto—Mr. Akagi’s “craftsmanship” takes shape through relentless perseverance.

“I’m a potter,” Akagi says. ‘Of course, bowls are vessels, but so are houses where people live. And so are towns where many people gather. Through craftsmanship, I believe my role as a potter is to connect Wajima’s vessels to the future.’ What form will Akagi’s ‘vessels’ take in 50 or 100 years? The story of connecting Wajima’s beautiful vessels will continue onward.

The post Looking back on the origins of Wajima lacquerware and connecting it to the future. Lacquer craftsman Akito Akagi / Wajima City, Ishikawa Prefecture first appeared on NIHONMONO.

In Nanao City, Ishikawa Prefecture, there is a traditional confectionery that has been passed down since the Kamakura period. It is a Japanese confectionery called “mameame” made from soy flour and starch syrup. It has been loved for generations, but in recent years, people have become less interested in Japanese confectioneries in general, and even in the local area, there are more and more people who don’t know about mameame. In order to change this situation, the students of the Japanese confectionery store “Umeya Tsune-goro” and “Otori Gakuen High School” have started a new challenge.

The history of “soy bean candy” dates back to the Kamakura period.

The name “mameame” is written with the kanji for “soybean” and “candy”. This Japanese confectionery has been handed down in Nanao City, Ishikawa Prefecture, for a long time, and is popular for its simple taste, made by kneading soy flour and starch syrup together. The chewy texture and the savory flavor of the soybeans spread through your mouth with a sense of nostalgia, and you can’t help but smile.

Even though it’s been around for a long time, it’s not a hundred or two hundred years old. There is a record that Nobutsura Hasebe, a military commander who ruled over Noto Province (northern Ishikawa Prefecture, including the present-day city of Nanao) during the Kamakura period (approx. 800 years ago), presented soy bean candy to his lord, Minamoto no Yoritomo. It is also said that Toshiie Maeda, a military commander based in Nanao during the Azuchi-Momoyama period, entertained Toyotomi Hideyoshi with soy bean candy, which shows how long it has been rooted in this area.

Because of its high nutritional value and long shelf life, it was also said to have been a valuable emergency food for the Kitamae boats that traveled the Sea of Japan from the Edo period to the early Meiji period.

Umeya Jyogoro, which produces the traditional Nanao confectionery, soy bean candy

Located in the center of the Noto Peninsula, the city of Nanao has long prospered as the political and economic center of Noto. In the Muromachi period, the Hatakeyama clan, a group of provincial feudal lords, built a castle town, and in the Azuchi-Momoyama period, Maeda Toshiie built another castle town, and the area prospered greatly. Against this backdrop, the tea ceremony culture flourished, and Japanese sweets also became popular. Umeya Jyogoro, a Japanese sweets shop established in 1915, is one of the shops that has helped to spread the culture of Japanese sweets in Nanao.

The fourth generation, Masakuni Miyagawa, honed his skills as a Japanese confectioner and took over the shop from his father in 2020. The shop’s signature product is soy candy. As the times have changed, the number of shops making soy candy has decreased, but Miyagawa has faithfully preserved the ingredients and production methods that have been passed down through the generations, and has continued to pass on the traditional taste of Nanao.

At the same time, he also had this thought: “Most of the people who buy soy candy are elderly. When it comes to the younger generation, there are many people who have never seen or eaten soy candy before. How can we get young people to buy soy candy?” His feelings wavered between the dwindling tradition and the needs of the times. At that time, he received an offer from a local high school student: “I want you to make a new kind of soy candy with me.”

A challenge for high school students who were not familiar with soy candy

The students of the Hōgaku High School in Nanao City asked Mr. Miyagawa for his cooperation. Hōgaku is known for its liberal school culture, and it is the only high school in Ishikawa Prefecture with a culinary arts department.

As part of their research activities, one group focused on soy bean candy. “It’s said to be a traditional Nanao confection, but the younger generation doesn’t know much about it, and they’ve never eaten it.” This was the same feeling as Mr. Miyagawa.

What we can do to keep the tradition alive

In order to find out how well soy candy was known, the students conducted a questionnaire survey of 5th and 6th grade elementary school students and 1st to 3rd grade junior high school students in Nanao City. The results showed that 92% of the students had never heard of soy candy. The students felt a sense of crisis, thinking that “if things continue like this, the long history of soy candy may come to an end”.

In order to make soy candy known to the younger generation, they thought that a new approach would be necessary. The students decided to ask Mr. Miyagawa for his cooperation in developing a new type of soy candy.

The goal of the development was to “create a new soy candy with a new flavor that would be accepted by the younger generation”. They therefore sent a letter to Hidetoshi Nakata, who is also involved in regional revitalization, and asked him to supervise the project. They hoped to create a new soy candy that had never been seen before, drawing on Nakata’s knowledge and experience of developing products for many companies.

Product development began under the supervision of Hidetoshi Nakata.

While Miyagawa-san, the students and Nakata-san held a series of online meetings and exchanged emails, the trial and error process of developing a new soy candy began. They repeated the process of making prototypes while addressing each issue one by one, such as “making the texture more enjoyable”, “what ingredients would be suitable for accentuating the flavor”, and “making it a more convenient size to eat”. No one compromised, and the flavor was refined more and more as they continued to make improvements.

For Mr. Miyagawa, both Mr. Nakata’s ideas and the students’ ideas were full of freshness that broke down stereotypes. “There were some ideas that I never would have thought of, and some unique requests. There were some difficulties in incorporating everyone’s opinions, but as a craftsman, I felt a sense of fulfillment,” he says with a smile. Above all, Mr. Miyagawa felt great joy in the process of seeing the product become tastier with each new prototype.

Meanwhile, the students were learning from their interactions with Mr. Nakata that taste was not the only thing that was important in product development. There were many things to do, such as deciding on the product concept and price, designing the packaging, naming the product, and creating a sales strategy. The product was not finished when it was completed. They continued to seek ways to make the product something that many people would want to buy and continue to sell, with Mr. Nakata’s advice.

After about five months, the soy candy with a modern twist was completed.

The target audience was women in their 30s who were keen to travel. We decided to use chocolate to add a modern essence to the soy candy, while sticking to locally-produced ingredients as much as possible.

The most creative part was expressing the texture and flavor. To bring out the toasty aroma of the soy flour, we ground the soy beans in the store to maintain freshness. We added nuts to the dough, which we had made to be as soft as earlobes, so that people could enjoy the contrast in texture. The nuts used are walnuts, almonds and hazelnuts, which have different flavors. They are baked in the oven, crushed into small pieces, covered in caramel and then coated in chocolate to give them a rich flavor.

The salt and soy sauce from Noto were chosen as accents to bring out the overall flavor. The time and effort that went into making the handmade soy candy has resulted in a taste that makes you want to reach for another piece.

The hopes for the recovery of Noto are carried in the new soy candy.

In fact, the students’ inquiry activities had another theme: the desire to “cheer up” Nanao City, which was badly damaged by the Noto Peninsula earthquake in 2024. Many buildings collapsed in Nanao City, and the school building of Hōgakuin also sustained serious damage, including subsidence and cracks in the outer walls. Many people are still living in secondary evacuation centers or temporary housing, and the city and its people are still in the process of recovery from the damage.

The name of the newly developed soy candy was decided to be “FUCCO (Fukkou: Revival)” with the wish that “it will be a step towards revival and that the people who buy it will receive good fortune”. In addition to selling it at the Umeya Tsune-Goro store and Kanazawa Station, they have also secured internet sales and sales through the “furusato nozei” tax system so that as many people as possible across the country can get their hands on it. A portion of the sales will be donated to Nanao City as a contribution to the recovery effort.

The reborn soy candy is a symbol of the town’s future.

The students are determined to “change the year 2024 from the year of the earthquake to the first year of recovery”. Just as they have expressed the tradition of soy bean candy in a new way, they hope that the city of Nanao will also be able to recover in a positive way. Their thoughts about the future of their beloved hometown are straightforward, unpretentious and light.

The pride of having continued a tradition for 800 years will be the driving force of recovery.

Mr. Miyagawa said that he gained a lot of insight into the sensibilities of the younger generation. Preserving tradition means “connecting with the past”. “While it may be one way to adapt the traditional recipe for soy candy to suit the times, I think that continuing to have exchanges like this will also lead to the continuation of tradition”. Mr. Miyagawa’s goal is to continue to pass on the traditional sweets that are the pride of Nanao to future generations, while expanding new exchanges and perspectives.

For the students, tracing the history of soy candy was also tracing the history of Nanao. They felt a sense of pride in the fact that the soy candy eaten by Minamoto no Yoritomo in the Kamakura period, the soy candy that Miyagawa-san has inherited, and the new soy candy they developed were all connected by a single line. Her eyes lit up as she said, “It’s amazing that it’s been passed down for 800 years. It’s got so much potential.”

In Nanao City, where the scars of the earthquake are still visible here and there, this joint development project was undertaken by a long-established Japanese confectionery store and local high school students. FUCCO, which was born from the connection formed through soy bean candy, carries the hopes for recovery to the city of Nanao and then spreads throughout the whole country.

To “preserve tradition” is to “connect with the past”. Both Miyagawa and the students hope that FUCCO, a traditional confection made with thoughts of home in mind, will become a new traditional confection that overwrites the hopes of the damaged city of Nanao.

The post Carrying on the tradition of soy candy: the challenge of Umeya Tsune-Goro and Hou-Gakuen High School / Nanao City, Ishikawa Prefecture first appeared on NIHONMONO.

The coastline of the Noto Peninsula is a prime fishing ground where fish from both warm and cold currents abound. At “Hinode Oosiki,” which carries on the traditional fixed net fishing of Noto, net master Nakada Yosuke leverages his expertise in preserving freshness to directly supply fish to many chefs. Nakada, who is passionate about the seas of Noto, continues to set sail every day.

A rich fishing ground where over 100 types of fish can be caught

In spring, there are sea bream and Spanish mackerel; in summer, tuna; in autumn, mackerel and sea bass; and in winter, yellowtail, cod, and sardines. The coastline of the Noto Peninsula is home to a rich fishing ground, with over 100 types of fish circulating in the market alone.
Why is the variety of fish caught in Noto so diverse? The answer becomes clear when looking at a map of Japan. Off the coast of the Noto Peninsula, located right in the middle of Honshu, flows the Tsushima Current from the south, bringing various fish such as sardines and mackerel. Meanwhile, migratory fish like yellowtail head southward from the waters off Hokkaido. In this way, a wide variety of fish gather off the coast of the Noto Peninsula from both the south and the north.

The traditional fixed-net fishing method of “Hinode Ooshi”

Noto Town, located at the tip of the Noto Peninsula in Ishikawa Prefecture, is a town known for its fixed net fishing. The history of fixed net fishing in this area dates back to the Muromachi period, and the Edo-period document “Noto Meiseki-shi” describes it as “the best fishing ground in Noto, where the catch is extremely abundant.”
The “Hinode Ooshi,” which operates fixed net fishing in Ukawa, Noto Town, boasts an annual catch of 2,000 tons. The fifth-generation net master, Nakata Yosuke, is known for his commitment to the quality of the fish he catches, earning him the trust of professional chefs.

Waiting for the fish and guiding them into the nets: fixed net fishing

At 1 a.m., the boat leaves the port, its engine rumbling as it heads toward the fixed nets set kilometers offshore. Hinode Ooshi has two fixed nets. As the boat cuts through the pitch-black sea, a row of round buoys marking the location of the nets comes into view. As the boat slows down, a flock of seagulls can be seen dancing in the air. “If there are seagulls, that means there are plenty of fish,” says Nakata with a smile.

The fixed net is approximately 500 meters long and 100 meters wide. Perpendicular to this net is a “fence net.” “The fence net is an obstacle that hangs down into the sea like a curtain. It is about 1,000 meters long. It blocks the fish’s path and lures them into the fixed net,” Nakata explained.

Set net fishing is done in pairs of two boats. One boat pulls the net’s rope while gradually narrowing the opening of the net. As the two boats come close to each other, a large school of sardines trapped at the back of the net becomes visible. A large net is lowered into the silver-colored swarm on the water’s surface, and the fish are quickly scooped up and lifted out by a crane.

“Nerve-pinching” to preserve freshness

A fisherman pulls a fish from the net. He inserts a thin pick into the fish’s forehead, cuts the gills, and threads a wire through the forehead into a tro box. The entire process takes just a few seconds. The fish, which was struggling moments ago, now lies quietly in the icy water.
At Hinode Ooshi, they select the best tuna, yellowtail, cod, and other fish and perform “nerve pinning” and “bloodletting.” Nerve pinning is a method of preserving the freshness of fish. A pick is inserted between the eyebrows to induce brain death, then a wire is threaded along the spine to sever the nerves, causing instant death.
“Fish that undergo nerve pinning experience delayed rigor mortis. This allows the energy components in the flesh to convert into umami flavor over a longer period, enhancing the taste,” explains Nakata-san. Bloodletting, which involves cutting the gills and draining the blood, is another essential process for maintaining freshness. It also helps eliminate any unwanted flavors and enhances the fish’s aroma.
To perform these processes efficiently and reliably on board, skilled techniques and experience are essential. The freshness and taste of the fish depend on the skill of the fishermen.

Cooking begins with “catching”

Mr. Nakata has deep connections with chefs. Through his collaboration with the head chef of a renowned sushi restaurant, he has studied onboard processing and temperature control methods, and has built relationships with many chefs, including those at Michelin-starred restaurants in Tokyo.
Sometimes chefs come to observe fixed net fishing, and other times Nakata visits restaurants to taste their dishes. “Cooking is a collaborative effort, from catching the fish to serving it on the plate. My job is to deliver the fish in the best possible condition to the chefs.” By knowing how the fish he catches will be cooked, he can perform the optimal processing. “Cooking begins on the boat,” is Nakata’s philosophy.

Overcoming the harsh circumstances surrounding the fishing industry

The environment surrounding the fishing industry is becoming increasingly harsh due to climate change, overfishing, and rising prices. According to Nakata, “In the last 30 years, the price of boats has increased 2.5 times. All other expenses have also risen, but fish prices are lower than they were 30 years ago.”

At Hinode Ooshi, they have been enhancing the value of fish through onboard processing methods like nerve-pinching, aiming for “quality over quantity.” They have also installed fish finders on fixed nets for monitoring and are streamlining operations to reduce unnecessary fishing.

However, there are limits to self-help efforts. “In an era where cheap and delicious food is taken for granted, cheap prices mean that someone else is bearing the burden. Consumers should be aware of this, and if the system related to food is not improved, the fishing industry will not be able to survive,” Nakata emphasizes.

Efforts are also underway to ensure that fishing remains a sustainable industry for the future. One such effort is resource conservation. Fixed net fishing, which involves waiting for fish to enter the nets, is considered a resource-friendly fishing method. However, to more actively protect resources, the company has widened the mesh size of its nets to allow smaller fish to escape and established a two-month fishing moratorium during the summer when juvenile fish are abundant. These measures aim to coexist with the rich seas of Noto.

Another initiative is to create a future where children can choose to become fishermen. Hinode Ooshi offers monthly salaries, two days off per week, and summer and winter bonuses, providing the same benefits as a typical company employee. “When we visit local elementary schools to give lectures on fishing, the children listen with shining eyes. Making fishing an attractive profession is the responsibility of our generation,” says Nakata.

Aiming for recovery from the Noto Peninsula Earthquake and resuming fishing operations quickly

In the 2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake, Noto Town, where Hinode Ooshi is based, suffered significant damage. Tsunamis struck, destroying infrastructure, and people were forced to live in evacuation centers with an uncertain future.
While the wharf and workspaces were damaged, the boats remained intact. Nakata-san coordinated with various parties to secure fuel and ice for the boats, and decided to resume fishing just one week after the disaster.
“Even after deciding to resume fishing, I couldn’t sleep, torn by doubts. Was it right to work in such a situation? Who would be happy about this?” On the other hand, I also thought that if no one took the first step, even one day sooner, it would be very difficult to move toward recovery.” When he set out to sea and raised the nets, smiles spread across the deck for the first time in a long while. The first step taken by the sunrise net was the first step toward the port town’s revival.

Pride in Noto’s ingredients. A new challenge for town development

Since the earthquake, people have continued to leave Noto Town. Nakata believes that “if new challenges emerge in the town, people will return.” One such challenge is “community building through food.” He wants to make the local people aware of the value of Noto’s fish and that it can compete with fish from top restaurants, thereby restoring pride in the town.
Whether this will take the form of running a restaurant or holding events has not yet been decided. Mr. Nakata is envisioning various plans, including involving chefs he knows, to “make the town more enjoyable through food.”
“I’m itching to try various challenges right now.” From his experience of being among the first to return to fishing after the earthquake, Mr. Nakata knows firsthand that taking the first step can lead to expanding networks and spreading smiles. The challenge to restore pride and vitality to the town has only just begun.

The post Operating fixed-net fishing in the rich seas and enhancing the value of fish through on-board processing, “Hinode Ooshi” / Noto Town, Ishikawa Prefecture first appeared on NIHONMONO.

The moment when molten glass releases a beautiful glow. Blown glass is a craft that captures that moment. Kota Arinaga encapsulates the long hours spent in the textile process in blown glass, which could be called “the beauty of the moment”. He has a studio on Notojima Island in Nanao Bay, and we will touch on his thoughts as he expresses his own worldview based on the Venetian glass technique.

A beautiful world of glass, woven with fine fibers

The irregularly shaped, bubbly pattern looks as if it might start moving at any moment. The play of light and shadow is breathtaking. It seems as if life has taken up residence in glass, which is normally considered to be an inorganic material. If you look closely, you can see the fine fibers in each bubble. It looks more like a coarse-textured knitted fabric than a bubble.

Inspired by the technique of “lace glass”, a traditional Italian glass craft known as Venetian glass, glass artist Kota Arinaga created “netz” using his own unique techniques. This series of works, which means “net”, has become synonymous with Arinaga, along with his “gaze” series, which is inspired by textiles.

Glass and textiles. Incorporating the flow of opposing time into his works

When you hear the phrase “textile-inspired”, you might be a little puzzled. Textiles are made by spinning thread and weaving it together over time, crossing the warp and weft threads. On the other hand, blown glass, which must be shaped before it cools and hardens, is a race against time. The processes of glass and textiles seem to be completely opposite.

Mr. Arinaga says, “I wanted to capture the time axis of the textile process, which involves a huge number of steps, in the ‘instant’ of blown glass.” This series of works is also created through a precise and laborious process of stretching glass like twisting thread. When the time axis of glass and textiles overlap, the work takes on a deep sense of depth.

Arranging the technique of Venetian glass in a Japanese aesthetic sense

Venetian glass is characterized by its sophisticated, perfect forms and regular designs, but Arinaga’s works have movement, distortion and a unique expression. Rather than recreating Venetian glass, he aims to “reconstruct this technique with a Japanese sense of beauty and aesthetics”.

The Japanese aesthetic sense is unique in that it finds natural beauty in imperfection. Arinaga uses highly advanced techniques that are precisely calculated to express this “beauty of irregularity”.

Making everyday tableware in a studio on Notojima Island, where you can feel the changing of the seasons

Notojima, in Nanao City, Ishikawa Prefecture, where the studio is located, is a place where you can feel the changing of the four seasons. Surrounded by light and greenery, Mr. Arinaga makes dozens of vessels every day. He says that he makes vessels over and over again, and that he creates his own form by letting the movement become ingrained in his body.

For Mr. Arinaga, both the large, one-of-a-kind works that require delicate techniques and the everyday vessels are on the same line of craftsmanship.

“Techniques and skills are tools for expression. That’s why you have to keep looking after them and polishing them, and you have to keep using them or they won’t improve.” He keeps his hands busy making everyday vessels, polishing up his skills and bringing out his own style. Mr. Arinaga’s style of production is artisan-like and stoic.

Vessels that enrich the hearts and lives of their users

While making pottery on a daily basis, Mr. Arinaga thinks about and tries out various things as he works. For example, he has a set of sake cups with different shapes. The wide-mouthed flat cups have a shape that makes the rim and tongue of the cup almost parallel, so that the liquid stops at the tip of the tongue, making it easy to taste the sweetness and bitterness. The small-mouthed guinomi cups are said to make it possible to enjoy a clean taste. On the other hand, the narrow-mouthed kouhai cups are designed so that the liquid flows easily into the mouth. This allows the sake to spread out horizontally, making the flavor more intense. The narrow opening also means that the aftertaste can be enjoyed for longer.

The person who gave me the idea was the owner of a local izakaya. He told me about it when he found out I was working with glass. He said, ‘I never realized that the shape of a sake cup could make such a difference to the taste of the sake. The owner of the izakaya explained to Mr. Arinaga at great length, and he laughs wryly, saying, “I didn’t taste the sake at all at the time. He says that when he was making the vessels, he suddenly remembered the izakaya, and he tried to make sake vessels that would allow him to experience that.

He hopes that the vessels he makes will be easy to use and enrich people’s lives. The vessels he creates with this wish in mind add color and small discoveries to the lives of the people who use them.

In the extraordinary circumstances that followed the earthquake, his hands stopped making vessels.

The Noto Peninsula earthquake that struck on January 1st 2024 also caused damage to the pottery workshop on Notojima Island. The kiln, which weighed 800kg, moved around a lot and cracked the floor, and most of the works were broken. Many of the solo exhibitions planned for that year had to be cancelled, and the shock was great.

“If I don’t make anything, I won’t have any income, so I have to make something,” he said, and he worked to restore his studio, but he says that he felt impatient as the extraordinary situation continued day after day. The damage to the area was so great that he also felt unsure about whether it was okay for him to start working again.

At that time, he received a message from a gallery owner he knew well, who said, ‘Go ahead and make things. I’ll make sure to sell them.’ Hearing this, he was able to look forward again, thinking, ‘It’s okay to start making things again.’

The beautiful blue color was born from the broken glass fragments.

All the broken pieces were melted together and remade into a new piece. The colors of the fragments were different, but the color that was born from mixing them together was a soft blue. It was a color that reminded one of the sea of Noto, and so it was named “0101 (zero-one-zero-one) blue”, after the date of the earthquake.

For the first year after the disaster, he struggled to get back into the rhythm of his creative activities, but when he crossed over that time on January 1st the following year, he says, “I thought to myself that it was only natural that my pace and style of work would change, given the terrible things that had happened.” When he accepted the change, he says he suddenly felt a weight lift from his shoulders.

Developing a compact next-generation kiln

Alongside his creative work, Arinaga is also involved in something else: expanding the scope of the glass industry.

It is a high hurdle to become an independent glass artist. One of the reasons for this is the kiln. Once the kiln is fired up, it is not possible to stop it. If the fire is turned off, the crucible used to melt the glass has to be replaced, and when the temperature is raised again, it takes extra time and fuel. You can’t be away for long periods of time either, to maintain the kiln with the fire still burning.

Mr. Arinaga thought, “If only there was a kiln that was more compact, easier to control, and had more flexibility”, and he took his idea to the kiln manufacturer, who developed a kiln that could be turned off when not in use.

I want to be a model that expands the possibilities of blown glass.

If the number of potters decreases, there will be fewer people making kilns, crucibles and tools. If the entire glass industry comes to a standstill, “everyone will be in trouble, and I will be in trouble too,” says Mr. Arinaga. If there were kilns that were easy to use when starting out as an artist, it might be possible to increase the number of potters. In fact, the introduction of “Arinaga-style” kilns is spreading, especially among young artists, and improvements are being made.

Every day he faces the glass in the “Arinaga-style” kiln that he helped to develop. His desire to expand the scope of his work grows stronger, “I want people to know that this kiln can create such expressions”.

He spins and weaves glass threads. It seems that the time that Mr. Arinaga has encapsulated in his glass also includes time that leads to the future.

The post Spinning beautiful “time” with blown glass. Glass artist Kota Arinaga / Nanao City, Ishikawa Prefecture first appeared on NIHONMONO.

Suzu ware is characterized by its strong, expressive black color and simple, beautiful form. This pottery, produced in Suzu City, Ishikawa Prefecture, ceased to exist about 500 years ago and was called “phantom old pottery. Shinohara Takashi, a Suzu-yaki artist, has devoted his life to the revival of Suzu-yaki since the Showa period (1926-1989) and continues to work with the clay to this day.

A fantastic old pottery originating from the Heian period

Suzu ware was representative of medieval pottery, but disappeared suddenly in the Muromachi period (1336-1573). Suzu City, Ishikawa Prefecture, located at the tip of the Noto Peninsula, was once a major pottery production center.

There are several conditions for the establishment of a pottery production center. There are several conditions for a pottery production area to be established: soil suitable for pottery, transportation, an abundant supply of red pine firewood for fuel, and a sponsor to support the production. Pearl Island met all of these conditions.

Although today’s Suzu City is located at the end of a peninsula, it was once a hub of distribution and trade via sea routes. In the mid-12th century, when Suzu ware was first produced, aristocrats were expanding their manors throughout the region. The manors of the Kujo family, a prestigious aristocrat from Kyoto, were located in the vicinity of Suzu City, and it is thought that Suzu ware was produced as a means of managing the manors. With the backing of the manor lords, Suzu ware expanded its business area to the Sea of Japan.

The production of Suzu ware ceased at the end of the 15th century, just in time for the decline of the manor. The prevailing theory is that the loss of sponsorship was the cause of the disappearance of this phantom old pottery.

In the mid-Showa period, the whole community came together to revive Suzu ware.

In Suzu City, black pottery shards have been found scattered here and there in the city for a long time. Because of their hardened, unglazed surface, they were thought to be Sue ware introduced from the continent during the Kofun period (burial mounds). However, a survey conducted in the mid-Showa period (mid-1989s) revealed the remains of a kiln, indicating that the area was a major production center of pottery in the Middle Ages.

The “Six Old Kilns of Japan” of Echizen, Seto, Tokoname, Shigaraki, Tanba, and Bizen are known as pottery production centers that have continued since the Middle Ages, and Suzu ware has a history on par with these kilns. The people of the region were motivated to revive Suzu ware, and in 1979, for the first time in approximately 500 years, Suzu ware was revived.

Enchanted by the graceful beauty of Suzu ware

Mr. Shinohara first encountered Suzu ware 10 years after the revival of Suzu ware. It was around the time he quit his job and returned to his hometown to take over his family’s temple. At the time, a nuclear power plant project was being proposed in Suzu City, and the town was sharply divided between proponents and opponents. Mr. Shinohara joined the opposition movement to protect his beautiful hometown, but he was still hazy on the issue. While the proponents and opponents were busy arguing, I was probably overreacting, wearing a cloak over my heart and arming myself with theories,” he said. It was at this time that he stopped by the just-opened Suzu Pottery Museum.

When I stepped into the exhibition room, I was struck by the beautiful appearance of Suzu ware. The dignified black color and cleanness without decoration. Mr. Shinohara, whose mind had been so entangled in the anti-nuclear power plant movement, was struck by the unadorned beauty of Suzu ware made by ancient potters, and thought, “I want to be naked like this vessel and create something from scratch. This was the beginning of his journey into Suzu ware.

Pursuing “black” and “beauty” in pottery

One of the characteristics of Suzu ware is its unique black surface. Suzu ware is fired in a process known as “strong reduction firing,” in which the kiln is sealed after firing at a high temperature of over 1,200 degrees Celsius. The kiln is deprived of oxygen from the iron contained in the clay due to the lack of oxygen in the kiln, resulting in a black color due to the reduction reaction.

According to Shinohara, it is this “black” that makes Suzu ware what it is. To produce this color requires a large amount of fuel and is very inefficient. Other production areas have made technological innovations to improve productivity, but Suzu did not do so. They kept the black color,” Shinohara continues.

Mr. Shinohara continues. Old pottery of Suzu ware is characterized by a form that rises from a small bottom. It is not suitable for mass production because it is not stable, but they did not change this beautiful shape. Losing its sponsor, the lord of the manor, and losing the competition in the production area, Suzu ware perished while preserving its “black” and “beauty.

Mr. Shinohara, who is fascinated by the old pottery of Suzu ware, also expresses beautiful forms that bulge out from the small bottom of his works, which may seem delicate.

The newly rebuilt wood-fired kiln was damaged for the third time.

The Noto Peninsula earthquake occurred on New Year’s Day, 2024. The city of Suzu, where the studio is located, was hit by an earthquake measuring 6 upper on the Japanese scale of seven, and the wood-fired kiln, which was built by piling bricks, was completely destroyed.

After the 2023 earthquake, the kiln was rebuilt with the help of supporters from all over Japan over a period of six months, and just as they were about to light the kiln anew at the beginning of the new year, the earthquake struck.

Accepting “Atawari

No matter how many times the bricks are reassembled, no matter how many times the potter’s wheel is turned, an earthquake takes everything away. Mr. Shinohara uses the word “atawari” to describe this ordeal. Atawari” is a word from the Hokuriku region that means a given fate or chance. It is a land where people have lived in harmony with the harsh natural environment. There is no way we can go against nature. Everything is ‘atawari.

Mr. Shinohara does not use a thermometer when firing his wood-fired kiln. He burns the red pine wood while watching the expression of the flames, using his experience and intuition. Once the fire is started,” Shinohara says, ”I have no choice but to let nature take its course. Suzu-yaki, which is the product of flames beyond the reach of human knowledge, is also an “atawari” of nature.

I want my craft to be close to someone’s heart.

After the earthquake, Mr. Shinohara was approached by an elderly woman. The woman told him that she had found a small Tamasu ware vase for a single flower among the debris of her collapsed house. She told us that when she took it back to her temporary housing and arranged wild flowers by the side of the road, her despairing heart was lifted a little and she was able to look forward.

It may not have been Mr. Shinohara’s work. However, the fact that “Suzu ware saved someone’s heart” brought tears to his eyes.

Mr. Shinohara believes that “crafts may not be a necessity in daily life, but they can be a force that helps people live enriched lives.

Building a Pearl Pottery Kiln Again for the Next Generation

Thirty-nine people belong to the Soenkai, an organization of Suzu pottery makers. Some of them closed their businesses after the earthquake, and others moved out of the city, but Mr. Shinohara is upbeat, saying, “The future of Suzu pottery is not that bleak. This is because all of the young people who have moved to the city in the past few years to become Suzu ware artists have decided to remain in Suzu and continue their creative activities.

Currently, Mr. Shinohara is living in temporary housing while working to rebuild his kiln. In the workshop, the collapsed bricks have been neatly sorted and are waiting to be stacked in their original locations. The project is scheduled for completion in the summer of 2025. He hopes to fire it up in the fall.

Rebuilding the kiln is not only for himself, but also for the next generation. Mr. Shinohara hopes to rebuild the collapsed kiln and “make it a kiln where young people can grow up. Under the harsh natural climate, the flames of Suzu pottery will rise again and again.

The post Keeping the flame of pottery born from the climate alive. Takashi Shinohara, Suzu ware artist / Suzu City, Ishikawa Prefecture first appeared on NIHONMONO.

Noto Taka Farm is an organic vegetable farm in Notojima, Nanao City, Ishikawa Prefecture. The couple who run the farm, Mr. and Mrs. Toshimitsu Taka and Ms. Hiroko Hiroko, specialize in growing vegetables for restaurants and hotels while focusing on soil preparation. The vegetables grown with the power of Notojima’s red soil attract chefs from starred restaurants with their rich flavor and rich aroma.

Life in Noto recognized as a World Agricultural Heritage Site

Noto is gentle, even to the soil. This phrase is often used to describe Noto’s warm-heartedness.

The Noto Peninsula is surrounded by the Sea of Japan on three sides and mountains cover most of its area. The Noto Peninsula is surrounded on three sides by the Sea of Japan, and most of its area is mountainous. The people of Noto have lived in harmony with each other, coming to terms with the abundance and harshness of nature. The “gentleness” of Noto was cultivated in this environment.

In 2011, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations recognized Noto’s satoyama and satoumi as Japan’s first “World Agricultural Heritage” site. The way of farming, which is conducted in dialogue with nature from season to season, is the very essence of Noto’s traditional way of life. Noto Taka Farm” in Nanao City, Ishikawa Prefecture, has also practiced farming in harmony with Noto’s nature.

Moving to Noto Island and Starting Farming

In the middle of the Noto Peninsula, a small island floats in Nanao Bay, a gaping hole to the east. It is Notojima, with a population of about 2,000. In the western part of the rugged island, Noto Taka Farm is located on a hill overlooking the sea.

Toshimitsu and Hiroko Taka, who run the farm, came to Notojima 25 years ago. They had been working as office workers in Fukuoka Prefecture, but decided to start farming when Toshimitsu said, “I want to do agriculture. Hiroko laughs, “We both loved to eat,” but it was a bold decision to start farming from scratch and move to a place they had no connection to.

Where to farm? There were a number of potential locations throughout Japan, but when Hiroko visited Notojima Island through an acquaintance who was an organic farmer, she knew she had found the right place. The view of the open mountains and sea, the leisurely flow of time, the beautiful changing of the seasons, and the kindness and warmth of the people. He fell in love with the island environment at first sight.

Notojima’s vegetables grow slowly in the red soil.

The soil of Notojima is red. The iron-rich red soil is fine-textured and retains water. Vegetables take time to grow their roots in the red soil and absorb nutrients slowly, resulting in a concentrated flavor.

At NOTO Taka Farm, pesticides and chemical fertilizers are rarely used. They carefully prepare the soil by analyzing the soil, adding grass and green manure to the soil, and adding minerals from the sea such as shell fossils and oyster shells.

Toshimitsu says, “It was difficult to find animal manure in the area, but I tried to make the soil from local materials as much as possible. As a result of his continued environmentally friendly farming practices, which are kind to both people and fields, he says that there are fewer pests and diseases, and pesticides are no longer necessary.

Sticking it out under the snow to preserve its sweetness

When I visited the farm in the middle of winter, the fields were covered with snow. Under the snow were turnips and daikon radishes planted in the fall. The vegetables store sugar in the soil so that they don’t freeze,” Hiroko told me. The severe cold of Notojima makes the winter vegetables much sweeter.

Cultivating a Variety of Varieties in Small Quantities” to Meet the Needs of Chefs

A peek inside the greenhouses reveals a busy botanical garden filled with fragrant herbs, lush leafy greens, and colorful edible flowers.

Currently, more than 300 varieties of vegetables are grown at Noto Taka Farm. The vegetables carefully grown in the red soil of Notojima have gained a reputation among professional chefs and are ordered by more than 100 restaurants and hotels nationwide, including starred restaurants.

Sometimes the chef himself visits the farm and makes requests for cultivation. As we responded to the chef’s needs, the number of varieties grew,” laughs Toshimitsu. The two often visit restaurants together to learn how to use and present vegetables, and apply what they learn to their own cultivation.

The small-quantity, high-variety style of growing vegetables was born from the duo’s passion to produce vegetables that are loved by customers.

They were hit twice by earthquakes and torrential rains. Delays in recovery have been a major burden.

The Noto Peninsula earthquake that struck on January 1, 2024, also shook Notojima Island. Two bridges connecting the island to the peninsula were closed to traffic, roads on the island collapsed here and there, and at Noto Taka Farm, barns and workshops were damaged, containers in greenhouses were overturned, and large cracks appeared in the fields.

Water was an especially critical issue, as the irrigation system was damaged and water could no longer reach the fields, making it impossible to water the fields or wash vegetables before shipping. Fortunately, a neighboring farmer was able to provide groundwater, so the farmers were able to fill tanks with water and transport it by truck, but the daily round-trip transportation and watering by hand has become a heavy burden.

More than a year after the earthquake, little has changed. The irrigation facilities are managed jointly by the local farmers, and they cannot even begin restoration work without the agreement of all the farmers. Many elderly farmers have no successors, so reaching a consensus is not an easy task. After repeated discussions with a view to the future of agriculture on Notojima, a roadmap for consensus has only just been found.

In addition, the shortage of labor has placed an additional burden on the Noto Taka Farm: Although there were nine staff members at the Noto Taka Farm, five of them left the farm in tears and moved off the island due to damage to their homes and delays in infrastructure restoration. The prolonged recovery caused an exodus of people, hindering the rebuilding of the business.

In September of the same year, the farm suffered another disaster. The Noto Peninsula torrential rainstorm was later designated as a catastrophic disaster. Part of the field that had been cleared after the earthquake collapsed, and turnips and radishes that had just sprouted were washed away.

Chefs from our business partners gave us the strength to look forward.

Toshimitsu and Hiroko were nearly discouraged by the earthquake, torrential rains, and other repeated hardships, but they were supported by the chefs with whom they do business. Immediately after the earthquake, one of the chefs said, “I want to help you. If you don’t have water to wash vegetables, please let us take the vegetables you have, even if they are still in the ground. Some of the chefs came to the fields to help, saying, “Don’t worry, we’re here for you.

After the torrential rain disaster, the two did their best to restore the fields for those who were waiting for their vegetables, and planted seeds as if praying for them. The vegetables they were able to harvest were smaller than usual, but the chefs at their clients were pleased with the small vegetables, saying that they were easy to use.

The two nodded at each other and said, “The relationships with so many people have been a great source of emotional support for us. They hope to express their gratitude by delivering delicious vegetables to those who gave them the strength to look forward.

The Future of Noto Taka Farm

It has been 25 years since I started farming on Notojima. They have spent a lot of time, effort, and love in cultivating the soil, and the fields have become richly fruitful. The couple’s goal now is to create an environment in which this field will continue to grow for another 50 or 100 years. Just as the people of Notojima warmly welcomed us 25 years ago, we want to preserve this red soil for future generations. He believes that by not stopping now, he will be able to repay the people who supported his farm and Notojima.

In order to pass on Notojima’s agriculture to the next generation in a sustainable manner, he has something he would like to do after the disaster recovery work is complete. That is to create a “base for people to connect. Chefs can stay and taste the vegetables, and people interested in agriculture can experience the work. By connecting people from all walks of life, the possibilities of agriculture will expand. They would like to develop an overnight farm stay facility that will serve as such a base. The future that Toshimitsu and Hiroko envision is one of warm human ties and rich red soil.

Noto is gentle, even to the soil.

The vegetables grown at Noto Taka Farm are gentle, flavorful, and powerful. The taste is the very essence of Noto’s climate.

The post Nutritious taste of vegetables grown in red soil. Noto Taka Noen,” loved by chefs nationwide / Nanao City, Ishikawa Prefecture first appeared on NIHONMONO.

Tsukumo Bay, consisting of large and small coves, is a scenic spot that has been selected as one of the 100 most scenic spots in Japan. On top of a hill overlooking the deep bay is the Noto Tsukumo Bay Hyakurasou, a ryokan with a history of more than 90 years since its establishment. The inn offers the luxury of spending a leisurely time with a spectacular view of the sea and greenery. The inn’s motto, “One Hundred Pleasures,” will add beauty to the impression of your trip.

Tsukumo Bay with its calm coves

Noto Town, Ishikawa Prefecture, is located near the tip of the Noto Peninsula. Following the port towns scattered along the coast to the east, you will find Kujukyuu Bay, one of Noto’s most scenic spots.

Tsukumo Bay is a rias coastline with an intricate coastline stretching 13 km in total length. The bay is up to 1,200 meters deep, and small boats float in the calm, lake-like bay. The scenery created by the numerous inlets is beautiful from season to season and never gets old.

Noto Tsukumo Bay Hyakuraso is an inn located on a hill overlooking the bay. Passing through the tasteful gate and up the mountain path, you will see the neat appearance of the inn.

Away from the hustle and bustle of daily life, spend the day in a Noto retreat.

Founded in 1934. It is a long-established ryokan that has been welcoming travelers for many years at the foot of the beautiful sea. In addition to its location overlooking Kujuku Bay, the inn’s high quality hospitality, including the creation of a space based on the concept of the extraordinary, and the comfortable service that is both intimate and intimate, have attracted many repeat guests.

The cave bath was dug by hand by a stonemason over a period of three years.

The inn’s specialty is a cave bath located 30 meters underground. From the front desk, take the elevator down to the second basement level, and you will find a cave that was dug by a stonemason about 50 years ago over a period of three years.

In the past, this area was a production area of “ogiishi,” a type of stone used for kamados and sunken hearths, and many stonemasons were active in this area until the mid-Showa period (1926-1989). When the mining of ogiishi came to an end, a craftsman known as “the last stonemason” dug this cave at the request of the inn. The pickaxe marks left on the rock surface are also a part of Noto’s history.

With the light illuminating our feet, we finally entered the cave baths. Surrounded by rocks, the bathtub is filled to the brim with deep seawater pumped up from a depth of 320 meters off the coast of Tsukumo Bay. Deep seawater that has been lying dormant in the deep sea feels good against the skin, and a relaxing soak will immediately relax the body and mind.

The cave baths were renovated in June 2024, adding an open-air bath with a view of Tsukumo Bay and a cave sauna with fantastic indirect lighting. Many visitors come for this extraordinary space.

Rooms with a serene seascape all to yourself

There are a total of 26 guest rooms, ranging from standard rooms to upper suites. Each room has its own unique style, such as those with an open-air bath or terrace, and the carefully selected furnishings and lighting create a high-quality relaxing atmosphere. Above all, the view of Tsukumo Bay from the guest rooms is the best reward for forgetting everyday life. The quiet bay changes its appearance from morning to evening, allowing you to enjoy the luxury of doing nothing at all to your heart’s content.

There are many places to spend your time in the hotel, including a game lounge where you can enjoy darts and billiards, five private baths, and a premium lounge for the exclusive use of suites. The hotel has been renovated little by little every year so that each guest can enjoy “a hundred pleasures”.

Damaged by the Noto Peninsula Earthquake, the hotel was temporarily closed.

On New Year’s Day, January 1, 2024, when most guests had checked in and were relaxing, the Noto Peninsula earthquake struck. The staff split up to guide guests to a safe place, but the road leading to the inn became impassable due to cracks in the ground, and the guests were isolated. They spent an anxious night. The inn staff worked hard to restore the road using blocks and other materials, and managed to see all guests off the next day.

Honomi Kumagaya, the general manager of the inn, recalls her thoughts at the time: “Our first priority was the safety of our guests. The safety of our guests was our top priority. When we received a call from a guest who had returned safely, we were deeply relieved.

The most severe damage to the inn was to its seaside facilities. The fishing pier, which had been popular for its dinner service of serving fish caught at the inn, was washed away by the tsunami. A separate dining room, which had also been built to jut out into the ocean, was washed away by the waves, along with its foundation. Although the building on the hill was not severely damaged, many facilities and equipment were destroyed, and the water supply was completely cut off. Mr. Kumagai decided that it would be difficult to operate for the time being.

What gave strength to the staff working on restoration

The water supply was restored the month after the earthquake. However, the water supply was still cut off in the neighborhood, and many people were living in evacuation centers. While repairing guest rooms and carrying out other restoration work in preparation for the resumption of business, the staff voiced their desire to do what they could for the community, and an event was planned to provide meals and baths to the local residents.

The smiles on the faces of those who had bathed and relaxed, and the energy in the inn for a brief moment, gave the staff a great boost.

The inn received many calls of support from all over the country, including from repeat guests. Kumagai recalls with a smile, “I realized once again that we are supported by the people of the community and our guests who love Hyakurasou.

The restaurant reopened on April 19, about three and a half months after the earthquake. Although the number of customers was not expected to return, the decision was made in the belief that attracting as many people as possible to Noto would help in the recovery effort.

The torrential rain disaster brought back the number of customers that had begun to return.

When the hotel first reopened, there was a mood of self-restraint in entering the disaster area, and the number of guests was low. However, the number of repeat guests who had been waiting for the reopening of the hotel and those who stayed to support the Noto community gradually increased, and the hotel was finally busy again during the summer vacation, the high season.

However, in September of that year, disaster struck Noto again. The Noto Peninsula torrential rainfall was the second serious disaster following the Noto Peninsula earthquake. Although there was no direct damage to the inn, which is located on high ground, reservations were cancelled one after another, and the number of visitors once again dropped off. The torrential rain disaster came just as reconstruction efforts were underway. Farmers with whom the inn does business were also severely damaged, and the inn was left with a heavy burden. It was heartbreaking to think of the damage to such a large area of Noto,” Kumagai said. Even so, the staff did their best to entertain guests and were encouraged by the outpouring of support.

One year after the earthquake and three months after the torrential rains, the rooms were finally fully booked at the end and beginning of the year. Many guests said, “I came here to support Noto’s recovery,” and Mr. Kumagai was reminded of the mission of an inn rooted in the community. If we can be of even the slightest help to Noto’s recovery, I am glad that we have worked so hard over the past year to build up our business,” he said.

Aiming to be an inn that works together with Noto’s producers

One of the specialties of “Noto Tsukumo Bay Hyakuraso” is its cuisine, which incorporates the rich produce of Noto. However, many producers were affected by the earthquake, and the market and distribution functions that handle the foodstuffs were paralyzed. Producers with whom they do business on a regular basis found themselves in a difficult situation: they could not go fishing, they could not sell what they produced, and they could not ship their products.

Although he could have ordered unavailable ingredients from outside of Noto, Executive Chef Daisuke Shimada decided to “use ingredients from Noto as much as possible. He visited producers to purchase ingredients, and when he heard that someone was looking for a place to ship, he asked for an introduction. By firmly connecting the producers and the inn’s business network in this way, Mr. Shimada says, “I want to protect Noto’s producers and its bountiful bounty.

On this day, the dish featured wild yellowtail purchased at the port of Ushitsu, Noto Town, and Kanou crab freshly landed at the port of Takojima, Suzushi City. Because the ingredients are so good, we don’t add anything extra to them. I want people to fully enjoy the charm of Noto’s ingredients,” smiles Mr. Shimada.

Until the day we can truly call it “reconstruction

About a year has passed since the reopening of business, but the fishing pier and restaurant lost in the tsunami remain untouched. Efforts to restore the facilities are still ongoing.

On the other hand, Mr. Kumagai believes that “complete restoration of facilities is not the goal. While Noto as a whole is gradually making progress in rebuilding its infrastructure and livelihood, the scars are still large. The real goal, Kumagai says, is for visitors to the inn “to be able to tour Noto, which has regained its vitality, and experience new attractions and enjoyment.

When touring Noto, I often hear people say, “I want people to see Noto as it is now,” or “I want many people to visit Noto. The more people who visit Noto, the stronger the recovery effort will be. Noto Tsukumo Bay Hyakurasou” will serve as a starting point for such trips, and will continue to move forward positively toward reconstruction in the true sense of the word.

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Sakurada Sake Brewery, located in Suzu City, Ishikawa Prefecture, suffered damage from the Noto Peninsula Earthquake of 2024, which completely destroyed the brewery. The brewery’s head brewer, Hiroyoshi Sakurada, once considered shutting down the business, but many encouraging voices pushed him back and he decided to rebuild. He borrowed facilities from the Shata Brewery in Hakusan City, Ishikawa Prefecture, about 150 km away, and resumed sake brewing in the form of a “joint brewery.

Sake produced in the harsh yet beautiful Noto climate

Suzu City is located at the tip of the Noto Peninsula, which juts out into the Sea of Japan. The harsh natural environment and the honest activities of the people have shaped the beautiful scenery of this “farthest” city.

Takojima, which has long flourished as a fishing town, is one of the areas where Suzu’s history and culture remain strong. Sakurada Sake Brewery is a small sake brewery that has been brewing sake in this town since the Taisho era. Their representative brands are “Taikei” and “Hatsuzakura. Both have long been loved by local fishermen. After a long day of fishing, this sweet sake is perfect for a tired body. Mr. Hirokatsu Sakurada, who is both the brewer and the toji (master brewer), has continued to brew “sake that fishermen on Tako-jima can drink every day and not get tired of it.

Sake brewery completely destroyed by Noto Peninsula earthquake.

The Noto Peninsula earthquake occurred on January 1, 2024. Takojima, near the epicenter of the quake, was hit by a powerful tremor, and the Sakurada Sake Brewery and store were completely destroyed. Mr. Sakurada and his family were safe, but he said he was prepared to “close down the business” when he saw the collapsed brewery. The previous year, there had been an earthquake with an intensity 6 upper on the Japanese seismic scale, and they had just finished repairing the broken mud walls. They had just finished repairing the damaged mud walls. They were just about to start sake production at the beginning of the New Year with a fresh start.

In mid-January, an event lit a fire in the heart of Mr. Sakurada, who had been in a state of despair. Volunteers removed sake rice that had been buried in the rubble. Seeing the sake rice in one piece, Mr. Sakurada decided, “Let’s make sake again. He immediately contacted his friend of 30 years, Kazunari Kurumata, the eighth generation of the Kurumata Shuzo brewery, and asked for his cooperation.

Shata Shuzo, a long-established brewery known for its Yamahai brewing method

About 150 km south of Suzu City, Kurumata Brewery is located in the middle of the Kaga Plain in Hakusan City, Ishikawa Prefecture. Kurumada Shuzo, founded in 1823, is a long-established brewery located in the middle of the Kaga Plain in Hakusan City, Ishikawa Prefecture. Its representative brand is “Tengumai,” a famous sake brewed with water from Mt. Kurumada Shuzo’s signature “Yamahai brewing” is a traditional method of sake mother fermentation in which the brewery’s own lactic acid bacteria are used to slowly ferment the sake over a long period of time. The process takes a lot of time and effort to brew a full-bodied, richly flavored sake.

At the Kura Master Sake Competition 2024 held in Paris, France, Tengu Mai Yamahai Junmai Sake won both the Jury Prize in the Classic Hashi Moto category and the Alliance Gastronomy Prize, and is highly regarded worldwide.

Providing equipment and supporting sake brewing through “Kyodo Brewing

When I called him right after the earthquake to see if I could do anything to help, he said he had given up,” says Kurumata. That is why he was happy to hear Mr. Sakurada’s determination to “make sake again. As friends and fellow sake brewers, they set out together on the road to rebuilding the Sakurada Brewery.

The brewery workers were working hard amidst the steam rising from the steaming rice. Among them was Mr. Sakurada. His face is cheerful in the lively brewery.

The joint brewing project, which began in March 2024, is being carried out using Shata Shuzo’s facilities, and some of the finished sake is being sold through Shata Shuzo’s distribution channels. Until the new brewery is rebuilt in Suzu, the brewery plans to brew sake with the help of the brewers at Kurumata Brewery.

Pursuing the taste of Noto, his hometown

The environment, including water, temperature, and ventilation, affects the taste and aroma of sake. It is said that the “kuraguse” or “brewery habit” gives each brewery its own unique flavor.

The taste certainly changes because of the different environment. But the aftertaste is still our sake,” says Sakurada. In addition to the three-stage brewing process, in which koji and steamed rice are brewed in three separate batches, the fourth and final stage uses glutinous rice. This process produces the sweet taste favored by fishermen on Takojima, but it is not the only deciding factor. The sake brewed with the faces of the people of his hometown, Suzu, in mind has a strong, punchy flavor. Mr. Sakurada told us that the individuality of sake comes not only from the environment and techniques used, but also from the brewer’s passion.

What Joint Brewing Has Brought to the Two Breweries

Mr. Sakurada also participates in Kurumada Shuzo’s sake brewing as a brewer. Every day he comes into contact with the know-how of the brewery, he says, “is full of new discoveries. The techniques, equipment, and attitude toward sake brewing are all new to him.

One of the most important things he has learned is koji making. At Kurumada Brewery, they focus on developing koji that brings out the flavor of the rice and creates a three-dimensional taste. Mr. Sakurada hopes to incorporate this koji making technique into his rebuilt brewery. I want to make good sake with the essence of the Kurumata style,” he said. I want to make good sake with the essence of the Kurumata style, and it has become my dream to have everyone at the Kurumata Brewery drink it. Mr. Sakurada smiles as he says this.

Kurumata, on the other hand, says the joint brewing has renewed his passion for sake brewing. People in Noto don’t look down. Mr. Sakurada is a typical example. With the sake industry in the doldrums, we too must look forward and move forward. I always talk about this with my employees. Kurumata-san says that such a desire should have a positive impact on the quality of sake as well.

Preserving the Sake Brewing Culture that Gave Birth to the Noto Toji Brewery

Although Kurumata Brewery suffered only minor direct damage from the earthquake, the company is feeling a great sense of crisis in terms of “sake brewing leaders.

At Kurumata Brewery, the brewery’s head brewer and the “Noto Toji” have been brewing sake together for generations. The toji is the chief manager of a group of sake brewing craftsmen. It is also an important position that determines the taste of sake. The people of Noto have long visited sake breweries across the country to make sake during the off-season, and the sake brewed by these people was described as having a “rich and gorgeous flavor. Today, many Noto toji are still active in sake breweries across the country, and their skills are considered to be among the best in Japan.

The Noto Peninsula earthquake not only caused damage to nine of the 11 breweries in Noto, with two half destroyed, but also dealt a serious blow to the livelihood of the Noto toji and brewery workers. Not a few people lost their homes and moved to other places.

The loss of human resources involved in sake brewing from Noto means the loss of the sake brewing culture centered on the Noto toji. How do we carry on the traditional sake brewing culture? I think it is a big issue,” says Kurumata. Kurumata believes that it is the mission of sake breweries in Ishikawa Prefecture to protect the livelihood of Noto-born toji and brewers, to train their successors, and to promote “Noto Toji sake” both in Japan and abroad.

Father and Son Join Forces to Rebuild Sake Brewery

On the other hand, there is a bright note. Mr. Sakurada’s eldest son, Shintaro, has decided to take over the family business. He was inspired by his father’s determination to overcome hardships and rise once again, and said, “Okay, let’s give it a shot.

While studying brewing at the Tokyo University of Agriculture, Shintaro took time off to live at Kurumata Brewery and work with his father on a joint brewing project. He has been familiar with the brewing process since he was a child, but he says he has learned a lot from his involvement in the various operations at Kurumata Brewery. He looks forward with great strength, saying, “I would like to take the attention that the earthquake has brought to our brewery as an opportunity.

New Sake for Noto’s Future

On a more positive note, a new generation of sake brewers has begun in 2025, led by Shintaro and Keiichiro Kurumata, the eldest son of Kazunari Kurumata, who will become the 9th generation brewer. The concept is “sake that can be enjoyed by the younger generation. In addition, the two breweries will collaborate to brew a sake called “Daikei x Tengu Mai,” with the major goal of “making people aware of Noto Sakurada Brewery’s ‘Daikei’.

The project involves not only the two incoming brewers, but also the young brewers of Kurumata Shuzo. Sake brewing is underway, making full use of the young sensibilities of the brewers.

For the ingredients, the brewery chose “Hyakumangoku no Shiro,” an original sake rice from Ishikawa Prefecture, and “Kanazawa yeast,” which was born in Ishikawa Prefecture. Keiichiro says, “We decided to brew all Ishikawa sake in order to promote the attractiveness of Ishikawa and Noto. He hopes to broaden the base of people who enjoy sake by creating a fresh taste that combines umami and acidity.

A modern sake made with traditional techniques. The sake is named “Tsumugu Noto” (Tsumugi for Noto). A new future that began with a joint brewing project. The challenge by the young brewers is the first step toward creating a new identity for Noto.

Brewing Hope for the Future through Joint Brewing

The joint brewing project that started with sake rice rescued from the rubble has entered its second season in 2025. This year, Sakurada Brewery is using sake rice produced in Suzu City, which was procured by Kurumata Brewery, as part of the ingredients. Mr. Sakurada has high hopes for the evolving flavor of this year’s sake, saying, “I think the kindness of Shata Brewery in supporting us in this way will show in the flavor of this year’s sake.

The joint brewing project, which initially started with the goal of rebuilding Sakurada Brewery, is now entering a new phase of “evolving Noto’s sake,” with young brewers taking on new challenges beyond the boundaries of their breweries. Both Sakurada and Shata breweries have one goal in mind. The two breweries, Sakurada and Shata, have one goal: to protect the sake brewing culture of Ishikawa Prefecture, which has been nurtured together with the Noto toji, and to further refine it to connect it to the future. From joint brewing for support to joint brewing to brew the future together. Mr. Sakurada and Mr. Shata hope to deliver sake with a taste that inspires hope to many people.

The post Rebuilding a Sake Brewery Starting with Joint Brewing. Sakurada Brewery and Shata Brewery envision the future / Suzu City and Hakusan City, Ishikawa Prefecture first appeared on NIHONMONO.

Fusion of Noto and Italian Cuisine

Located on a hill overlooking the Sea of Japan and the Tateyama Mountain range, Flat is a small inn run by Australian-born Benjamin Flatt (a.k.a. Ben) and his wife Chikako Funashita, who operate it for four couples a day. Ben’s “Noto Italian” cuisine, prepared with fresh local Noto ingredients and homemade fermented foods, is highly acclaimed.
Ben began helping out at his family’s restaurant in Australia when he was 13 years old and worked his way up to head chef at an Italian restaurant in Sydney. After coming to Japan upon his marriage, he learned Noto’s local cuisine at “Sannami,” a guest house run by Chikako’s family.

He not only cooks, but also makes seasonings and preserves unique to the region. For example, his homemade “Ishiri,” made by marinating the innards of fresh squid in salt and fermenting them for three years, is a mild fish sauce that has been produced on the Noto Peninsula for centuries. At dinner in the dining room overlooking the Sea of Japan, you can enjoy a course that uses a variety of seasonal ingredients from Noto, including this homemade “ishiri”. Ben’s unique style of fusing Noto’s food culture with Italian cuisine is unique. The daily menu is based on the spirit of “local production for local consumption” of Italian cuisine, and is determined by looking at the seafood caught that day.

Accommodations with delicious meals and spectacular views

“Konka Iwashi” and “Konka Saba” served for breakfast are traditional Noto preserved foods made by marinating sardines and mackerel in rice bran, salt, and red pepper. Most commercially available products are fermented for six months to a year, but the breakfast items at “Flatto” are homemade gems that have been slowly fermented and aged for two to three years. It is most commonly eaten grilled, but it can also be used as an ingredient in sashimi and nabe (hot pot), and as a Japanese anchovy in salads and dressings,” says Ben. There are many other traditional Noto foods that can be enjoyed at Flatto. For example, “Benkouko,” made by pickling dried daikon radish in ishiri, is a pickle unique to Noto that can also be enjoyed grilled, a rare way to eat it. It is ready to eat when the daikon is charred and the aroma of the pickled radish rises from the air. Yunamba” (1,000 yen), made with home-grown yuzu, Noto’s natural salt, and chili peppers and pickled for four years, is ideal as a condiment for nabe (hot pot) and other dishes. Yunamba” and ‘homemade Ishiri’ (900 yen) are popular as souvenirs.

There are three guest rooms (10 tatami mats) in the main building and one room (8 tatami mats + 6 tatami mats) in a detached house with a hinoki bath. Rooms in the main building also have access to a separate room completed in November 2020 with a full hinoki bath, etc. The price is 20,350 yen per night for two meals (22,550 yen on Saturdays, days before national holidays, and consecutive holidays). The view of Toyama Bay and the garden, which can be enjoyed from every room window, is so beautiful that Hidetoshi Nakata says it left a lasting impression on him. When you visit Noto, we hope you will stay one night and enjoy the seasonal nature and “Noto Italian” cuisine.

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