Safe and secure “Nikomaru” brand rice

Rice from Kochi may not be a familiar name to many people. However, “Nikomaru,” produced in Niida Town, is a brand-name rice that has won awards in numerous contests, including the Rice and Taste Analysis Contest and the Monde Selection.
NIKOMARU is a heat-tolerant variety that originally originated in Nagasaki. In Niida Town, 63 rice farmers cultivate this rice using only organic fertilizers. The rice is also milled and shipped with the utmost care. It may not be familiar in the Kanto region, but it is quite popular in western Japan and is sold at high prices in local stores.

The town of Niida has been known as a rice-producing area since the days of the Tosa Clan. The reason why the rice tastes so good is said to be the large temperature difference between daytime and nighttime of more than 10 degrees Celsius during the summer and pre-harvest period due to its high altitude, and the clear water of the Shimanto River. Miyauchi Shoten’s contract farmers also insist on “safe and secure rice production. Seedlings are grown before rice planting, and it is important to disinfect the seeds at this time. If this is not done, the seeds can easily become sick and cause serious damage. However, the farmers contracted by Miyauchi Shoten do not use pesticides for disinfection, but instead use an environmentally friendly method of rice cultivation called “hot water disinfection of seed rice” in which the rice is soaked in hot water at 60°C for 10 minutes. In addition, the farmers have repeatedly devised and researched various other methods, and their rice has won awards for 15 consecutive years in the “Rice and Food Taste Analysis Contest,” in which rice production areas nationwide compete for the best taste of their rice.

Sweets made with rice

The freshly cooked rice was indeed glutinous and tasty. The rice is indeed glutinous and tasty, and when served with bonito tataki, a specialty of the highlands, one’s chopsticks are sure to go straight to one’s mouth. You also make sweets, don’t you?
Hidetoshi Nakata, who loves rice but also has an eye for sweets, was attracted by the Niida rice sponge cake. Miyauchi Shoten sells sponge cakes, baumkuchen, roll cakes, and other products made from Niida rice flour. The moist and glutinous texture makes them popular as souvenirs. We have been making rice-flour pastries since 2006, and thanks to the recent increase in the number of gluten-free customers, they are becoming increasingly popular,” he says.
There is no reason why sweets made from rice that are made with the finest ingredients can’t be delicious. The reason for the name “Nikkomaru” is that it is delicious and makes people smile. The “Nikomaru” grown in Niida Town is bringing smiles to many faces in various ways.

NIHONMONO – 「にほん」の「ほんも…

懐かしい味のトマト「ミネラルトマト」／高知県高知市 – NIHONMONO 室戸海洋深層水のにがりをトマト栽培に活かす 最近スーパーでよく見かけるフルーツトマトもいいけれど、やっぱり甘酸

NIHONMONO – 「にほん」の「ほんも…

農林水産大臣賞も受賞した伝統のかつお節土佐節 竹内商店 竹内太一専務／高知県土佐市 – NIHONMONO 高知県土佐市にある農林水産大臣賞も受賞した、知る人ぞ知る鰹節製造会社。鰹節作りの伝統は土佐市から広がったといわ

The post Delicious rice grown in the clear waters of the Shimanto River “Miyauchi Shoten” first appeared on NIHONMONO.

Makino Botanical Garden, a comprehensive botanical garden

Tomitaro Makino (1862-1957), a botanist from Kochi, Japan, is known as the “father of Japanese botany.” At a time when Japanese flora had not yet been fully understood, he walked the country on his own two feet and conducted almost self-taught botanical surveys and research. He named more than 1,500 species of plants, including new species and varieties, and left behind about 400,000 specimens and botanical drawings. The Makino Botanical Garden was opened in 1958 as a facility to pass on his achievements to future generations. When it opened, it was a public botanical garden that mainly cultivated and exhibited plants native to Kochi Prefecture, but in 1999, the Makino Tomitaro Memorial Museum was opened, and it has become a comprehensive botanical garden that conducts plant research, disseminates plant knowledge, and provides a place for relaxation through plant exhibits.
The museum is currently engaged in the research, collection, and conservation of wild plants in Kochi Prefecture and Japan, as well as the elucidation of plant diversity overseas and the exploration of resource plants, making it a facility that attracts plant experts from around the world,” said Seiko Fujii, Cultivation Technology Section.

Translated with DeepL.com (free version)

Dr. Makino’s study is recreated at the Makino Botanical Garden

The vast area, which covers almost the entire upper half of Mount Godaisan in Kochi City, is home to more than 3,000 species of plants that delight the eyes of visitors. In addition to the actual specimens and botanical drawings left by Dr. Makino, the park also features a recreation of his study “Yojo Shokuyoku,” a room filled with his materials. There is a café and restaurant in the garden, serving original blends of Makino Botanical Garden tea based on plants related to Dr. Makino, as well as a botanical store, making it a good place to take a break during a stroll.

Makino Botanical Garden recreates natural conditions

Learn about the great achievements of Dr. Tomitaro Makino at the Memorial Hall and stroll through the park. The Tosa Botanical Ecology Garden, which recreates the nature that nurtured Dr. Makino, an area with traditional Japanese horticultural plants and other Oriental plants that add color to the four seasons, and a greenhouse with a water garden and jungle zone, are all overgrown with trees that look like they were originally there in the wild, but in fact they have been precisely arranged to recreate the natural state of the forest. The large greenhouse is home to rare tropical plants and ecology. In the large greenhouse, visitors can learn about the ecology of rare tropical plants, but “in mid-summer it is so hot that it is cooler in the greenhouse (laughs).

Sustainability is also the theme of the architecture.

Another highlight of the botanical garden is its architecture, which is based on the theme of sustainability and uses an abundance of wood. The circular entrance gives a sense of openness, as if the sky has been hollowed out, and the corridor leading from there to the Tomitaro Makino Memorial Museum is in perfect “symbiosis” with the many plants. The building was designed by one of Japan’s leading architects, Mr. Hiroshi Naito. It has received numerous awards, including the 13th Togo Murano Award, as an outstanding building that shows the direction of environmentally friendly architecture that takes the landscape into consideration.
The Makino Botanical Garden is a botanical garden that can be enjoyed by those without much interest in plants. Just walking around or taking a deep breath is pleasant. The fact that one naturally becomes interested in the plants as one strolls through the garden is probably due to the fact that Dr. Makino’s passion and love for plants has been passed down to him.

The post The Kochi Prefectural Makino Botanical Garden, where you can experience the plants loved by Tomitaro Makino, the father of botany in Japan. first appeared on NIHONMONO.

Fully fermented tea “Gosekicha” for good health

There are many types of tea in Japan, but a rare fermented tea is produced in Otoyo-cho, Nagaoka-gun, Kochi Prefecture, in the middle of Shikoku. Goishi tea, a fully fermented tea that has been attracting attention in recent years as a health food rich in lactic acid bacteria, has been produced for more than 400 years in this mountain town rich in nature.

It is said that Goishi tea was introduced from China about 400 years ago. It is characterized by its unique flavor produced through a two-step fermentation process. At its peak, more than 100 tons were produced, but by the end of the Showa period, only one house was producing it, and it was in danger of disappearing for a while. But a cooperative was formed to preserve this traditional tea, and now four farmers and one corporation make Goishi tea.” (Yuji Yoshimura, Otoyo Town Goishi Tea Cooperative)

Take a sip of Goishi tea and a slightly peculiar sour taste fills your mouth. It tastes similar to pu-erh tea, a fermented Chinese tea, but it has a mellower taste, and as you get used to the sourness, the deeper taste becomes addictive. The vegetable lactic acid bacteria contained in abundance by the two-step fermentation is said to be 23 times more than that in Pu-erh tea, and since vegetable lactic acid bacteria work in the body without losing out to other microorganisms, it has a beneficial effect on intestinal regulation, hay fever, flu prevention, hyperlipemia, inhibition of arteriosclerosis, and lowering of blood pressure. The effects of plant lactobacilli have been announced at academic conferences and other occasions.

Tea that can only be made in Ootoyo Town, Kochi Prefecture

While black tea, a type of fermented tea, undergoes oxidation fermentation, Goishi tea is fermented using microorganisms. First, tea leaves are placed in large barrels along with their branches, steamed, then the branches are removed, and the leaves are spread out on mats to allow air to circulate and mold to form. In the second stage, the leaves are placed in wooden barrels for fermentation. The tea leaves layered in wooden barrels resemble “tea pickles.” These are then cut into small pieces and sun-dried to complete the Goishi tea. Due to the fermentation process using microorganisms, Goishi tea can only be made using the mats and wooden barrels from Ootoyo Town in Kochi Prefecture.

“Goishi tea is made from June to August. We choose sunny days for sun-drying, and the name comes from its pitch-black appearance when dried. When viewed from a distance, the sun-dried tea resembles a row of go stones.”

Fermenting tea using microorganisms is rare worldwide, with only a few places like Yunnan Province in China and the border region between Thailand and Myanmar known for it. Yet, in Japan, there are four production areas, and three of them are in Shikoku, which is quite intriguing.

Like many agricultural and traditional industries, the production of Goishi tea is facing an aging population, making it difficult to pass down the craft. However, once people discover its taste and benefits, I believe more fans of Goishi tea will emerge. It’s delicious and healthy. I hope more people around the world come to know about this tea that exists in Japan.

The post Goishi tea, a fully fermented tea that is attracting attention in Japan, a nation of fermented foods / Otoyo Town, Kochi Prefecture first appeared on NIHONMONO.

Located in Tosa City, Kochi Prefecture, this bonito flakes manufacturing company has won the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Award, and is well known to those in the know.
It is said that the tradition of making dried bonito flakes spread from Tosa City.
They preserve the taste of Tosa-bushi in the original place of dried bonito flakes making.

Takeuchi Shoten’s traditional dried bonito flakes compete with high quality.

When one thinks of bonito, one thinks of Kochi, and when one thinks of Kochi, one thinks of bonito, so we went to Takeuchi Shoten in Tosa City. Takeuchi Shoten is a well-known manufacturer of dried bonito flakes that won the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries Award at the 2012 National Dried Bonito Flakes Fair. The company’s name is well-known throughout Japan, and many chefs come to the store to buy their dried bonito flakes for the taste of the soup stock they produce.

Kochi and Kagoshima are famous for katsuobushi, but Kagoshima is by far the largest producer. Kagoshima produces 74% of all bonito flakes in Japan, and Shizuoka 25%. Only 0.6% is produced in Kochi,” says Taichi Takeuchi, senior managing director of Takeuchi Shoten.

Quality over quantity. While preserving traditional techniques, Takeuchi Shoten pursues high quality and taste. You can feel their pride as the originator of katsuobushi production.

Traditional dried bonito flakes and its making process

The tradition of making dried bonito flakes spread from Tosa. Many people moved to Makurazaki and passed on their skills, and until a short time ago, Tosa dialect was sometimes used in Makurazaki,” says Executive Director Takeuchi.

If the quantity of Tosa-bushi is small, there is no other way but to produce quality Tosa-bushi, so Takeuchi Shoten continues to produce katsuobushi with the traditional flavor, color, and shape. The recipe is the very essence of their commitment.

There are three types of dried bonito flakes: “Ara-bushi,” “Kare-bushi,” and “Hon-kare-bushi. Ara-bushi” is made by removing the bones one by one from boiled bonito and smoking it for about a month, which gives the bonito a charred black color. This “ara-bushi” is what is usually sold. Kare-bushi” is made by fermenting and aging the dried bonito in a room called “muro,” and then drying it in the sun. The kare-bushi produced at Takeuchi Shoten, however, is made by repeating the process of kabi-ing and sun-drying, which takes nearly half a year to complete. The result is “honkare-bushi,” which is full of flavor and richness.

The company ‘s mission is not to preserve tradition, but rather to produce the best tasting bonito flakes possible. We don’t think that just because it’s “authentic” and we put a lot of time and effort into making it, that’s enough, ” says Takeuchi.

Japanese food is now attracting attention from around the world. The flavor of dried bonito flakes is at the core of the history of Japanese food. The people who preserve the “real” taste support the foundation of Japanese food.

More than preserving tradition, we place importance on how to make delicious dried bonito flakes. We don’t think that just because it is authentic and we put a lot of time and effort into making it, that makes it okay. We are happy if you can enjoy the pure taste of our dried bonito flakes.

Read more

“Tosa, Shio no Mura” Delicious Salt made in the Mountains and not the Sea Made specifically in the mountain A 40 minute drive from the Pacific Ocean, salt is made in the mountains where the Shimanto River flows. Making salt in the …

Read more

Appreciating life for a sustainable future – KURKKUFIELDS Located in Chiba, KURUKKUFIELDS is a sustainable farm and park that shows a potential exceeding its 30-hectare property. The facility was created by Takeshi …

The post Traditional bonito flakes that won the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Award Tosa-bushi Takekawa Shoten Taichi Takekawa, Executive Director / Tosa City, Kochi Prefecture first appeared on NIHONMONO.

This workshop makes Tosa knives, a traditional craft that has been passed down in Kochi for over 400 years.
While 90% of Japanese kitchen knives are made in Osaka and Sakai, 60-70% of these knives are actually made in Kochi.
The workshop is constantly improving its skills to “raise the value of Tosa kitchen knives even higher.

Tosa knives have been handed down for more than 400 years.

The traditional Kochi craft of “Tosa cutlery ” is said to have started when Motochika Chosokabe, the lord of the time, brought back sword smiths when he participated in Hideyoshi Toyotomi’s conquest of Odawara. Thus, the history of Tosa cutlery is long, and it has been carefully passed down through the years to the present day.

Makoto Tadokoro of Tosa Kitchen Knife Studio Tadokoro Cutlery, one of the best sharpeners in Japan, says that he first trained at an “edging shop” in Susaki City.

At first, I just watched and was not allowed to touch the knives. I hated to lose and felt frustrated, so I began to think that I should learn the technique too, and before I knew it, I was hooked. The harder I worked, the more skill I acquired, so it was much more fun than studying or playing.”

Incorporating Sakai’s knife technology into the new Tosa cutlery

After 17 years of training in his hometown, Mr. Tadokoro traveled around the country to various knife production areas in order to further enhance the value of Tosa knives. There, he met his current master in Sakai, Osaka, the home of kitchen knives.

He said, “I wondered what I had done in Kochi, and my previous skills and knowledge were not applicable. If we were to do the same work in Kochi, there would be 10 processes, but at my master’s place, there would be 20 or 30. Anyway, he puts in a lot of time and effort to sharpen the work. I really felt that I had to learn this technique.

The sharpening process is divided into “rough sharpening,” “medium sharpening,” and “finish sharpening. Mr. Tadokoro, who was shocked at Sakai, spends a whole day carefully sharpening his knives in order to breathe new life into Tosa knives.

He grinds by feeling everything: the vibration, the sound, and the color of the sparks transmitted to his hands. As I gain more experience, I acquire a sense of these things.

The sharpness of the knife makes the food tasty.

Tadokoro’s knives, the result of his careful work, are beautiful and have excellent sharpness.

A knife that sharpens well does not put pressure on fish, meat, vegetables, etc., so the food tastes better,” he says.

In fact, if an ingredient is cut with a knife that is difficult to cut, it may taste bitter and cloying, and the flavor may be lost. A sharp knife is not only beautiful to look at, but also has great power to change the taste of food.

It is said that 90% of Japanese kitchen knives in Japan are produced in Sakai, but in fact, 70% of them are made in Kochi.

We cannot continue to be a “subcontractor” to Sakai forever. I think we must somehow raise the value of Tosa kitchen knives.

Mr. Tadokoro continues to pursue sharpness today in order to enhance the value of Tosa kitchen knives.

Japanese kitchen knives are attracting attention not only from Japanese chefs but also from all over the world, so much so that French chefs sometimes come all the way to Japan to buy kitchen knives. If you use a good kitchen knife, your food will taste better. Please try a good knife and see how sharp it is.

You can find more information here.

The post Traditional kitchen knife sharpening makes cooking more delicious Tosa Kitchen Knife Workshop Tadokoro Cutlery Makoto Tadokoro / Tosa City, Kochi Prefecture first appeared on NIHONMONO.

Signature label with a soft and mild flavor

”Sake” from Tosa is famous for being ”dry”.
However, ”sake” from Arimitsu Shuzo is soft and mild. The mellow taste is due to the water sourced from the Akano River.
Located in Aki-city, in the eastern part of Kochi, the nearby Akano River is famous for delicious freshwater trout and clean water.

Squeezing with “Sakafune” method

At Arimitsu Shuzo, they squeeze the ”sake” using an old manual method called ”sakafune”. Compared to squeezing by machine, it requires a lot of time and effort.
After fermenting the rice, it reaches a stage called ”moromi” right before it is filtered. This is put in a ”sake” bag and placed on top of each other in a tub where the ”sake” will flow naturally as a result of its own weight. ”Sakafune” involves placing a cover on top and squeezing slowly. This enhances the richness of the flavor. One of the reasons Arimitsu Shuzo is able to use this labor intensive method, is their relatively small size operation compared to other breweries in Japan. Even if the brewery is small, they aim high with the ambition of making great ”sake”. Their determination and dedication creates ”sake” that is very mellow.

The post “Arimitsu Shuzo” Mild “sake” made in a Small Brewery in Kochi first appeared on NIHONMONO.

The meaning behind the name “Suigei”

Similar to how whales gulp water, there is an expression for drinking a lot of liquor ”Geiin (drink like a whale)”. And a drunken whale becomes ”Suigei Shuzo (drunken whale ”sake” brewer)”. The word ”Suigei” originally comes from the head of the Tosa clan, Yodo Yamau whose pen name was ”Geikai Suikou” during the Bakumatsu period. It means ”drunken lord of the ocean where the whales live”. It is said he chose the name for himself, so Lord Yodo must have been quite a ”sake” lover.
He wrote many ”sake” themes poems. One of the most famous is ”Nishuu Shuro ni Insu (drinking for 2 large buildings)” which expresses the loneliness and nostalgia of being a lord.
It begins like this.
”Yesterday, I got drunk at the southern bridge, and today I get drunk at the northern bridge
When you have ”sake”, you should drink. I shall get drunk.”

Infusing the blessings of the water into “sake”

”Suigei”, which is named after Lord Yodo who loved ”sake”, is a mellow dry variety that has a strong character.
It is a signature ”sake” that uses water from Tosayama, Kochi (originally known as Tosayama village) where Kagamigawa River originates.
Kagamigawa River is where Ryoma Sakamoto swam and played as a child, and it is also featured in the novel ”Kagamigawa” by Shotaro Yasuoka. The name of the river (literally ”mirror river”) comes from a story that the fifth Lord of the Tosa feudal domain, Toyofusa Yamauchi said ”the river reflects my image like a mirror”. The water is clear and it is suitable for making ”sake” and has been used since the old times.
”Suigei”, a ”sake” from Tosa that brings makes you think of history and nature. You can drink like a whale, or cherish the flavor. But either way, we suggest you get drunk like Lord Yodo.

The post “Suigei Shuzo” Even Whales will get Drunk first appeared on NIHONMONO.

Hotel with exquisite cuisine

Auberge is a French word for ”restaurant with accommodation”. It is a hotel where you can enjoy exquisite cuisine that is essential for a good trip. There is an Auberge which fits the description in Tosayama village in the middle of the mountains in Kochi. ”Auberge Tosayama” is located 30 minutes drive from the hustle and bustle of the city, surrounded by the mountains in a quiet location.
Needless to say, the most important feature of ”Auberge Tosayama” is the cuisine! They serve dishes with pride and confidence, using the best ingredients at their peak. It is somewhat a ”selfish” restaurant. Their wide selection of local ”sake” is also quite appealing.

Quite room with the ambience of Tosa

There are 12 rooms in the hotel complex and four villas across the red suspension bridge. The rooms in the hotel complex are quite charming, and blend into nature using natural materials such as cedar, cypress, Tosa paper and Tosa stucco. The villas built into the vast natural surroundings offer complete privacy. They are like hideaways allowing you to heal from the busy day to day life.
The bath is a natural Tosayama hot spring. Spread out your arms and legs in the hot spring to enjoy the changing seasons, and you are sure to leave your busy life behind.

The post “Auberge Tosayama” Where Nature, Gourmet Food and Hot Springs come Together first appeared on NIHONMONO.

Utilizing “nigari” from the deep ocean water

The ”Fruit Tomatoes” that are sold in supermarkets nowadays are great, but sometimes you just crave the nostalgic sweet yet tart flavor of ordinary tomatoes. In Harunocho, Kochi city, by the Niyodo River, Satoshi Nomura grows just such tomatoes.
The tomato is heavy, fleshy and juicy, and is popular with children. Brimming with minerals, it is called ”Mineral Tomato”. There are children in the neighborhood who will not eat other tomatoes, but love ”Mineral Tomato”.
The secret of the delicious flavor is ”nigari” from the deep ocean water that is used as fertilizer. The deep ocean water that has been flowing underground for several hundred years is unpolluted and filled with nutrients, making tomatoes high in mineral and nutrient content. The weight of the Mineral Tomato is proof that it is packed with nutrients.

The clean river that is considered the best quality water in Japan, and the mild climate nurtured this tomato

Another element nurturing the Mineral Tomato is the clean waters of the Niyodo River. Niyodo River flows through Ehime and Kochi prefectures. While it is not as famous as Shimanto River, it was elected as the best quality water in Japan according to a 2003 survey by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. It is also the location for a 4 series of novels written by Tomiko Miyao, ”Kai (Paddle)”, ”Shunto (Spring Lamp) ”, ”Shuka (Summer Time)” and ”Niyodo River”.
Using plenty of this clean underflow water and with the mild climate of Kochi which has the most days of sun in the nation, the tomatoes have the perfect balance of sugar content and sourness that is suitable for eating whole. While suitable for cooking, you must try biting into it fresh from the field.

The post Packed with a Nostalgic Flavor “Mineral Tomato2 first appeared on NIHONMONO.

Made specifically in the mountain

A 40 minute drive from the Pacific Ocean, salt is made in the mountains where the Shimanto River flows. Making salt in the mountains – Why the mountains and not at sea?
According to Hiroo Morisawa who makes salt at ”Studio Shio no Mura”, there is basically no difference between making salt by the sea or in the mountains. He chose to make salt in the mountains because of the difference in hours of sunlight, wind, and humidity, all of which allows him to take more time to make salt.
Compared to the seaside, there are fewer hours of sunlight in the mountains, and the mineral content of the salt becomes deeper and more mellow as water is added and the solution is mixed many times. Morisawa pointed out that ”the sea and the mountains are connected by the river”. It is true that the clean water is produced by the mountain and it flows through the rivers and eventually arrives at the sea. When the mountain is rough, the sea becomes rough, and when the mountain is rich the sea also becomes rich. In consideration of this fact, Morisawa ended up building a lodge in the mountains even though he initially considered making salt by the sea. He hopes that this will also help revitalize the mountain areas which have experienced a decline in population.

Getting the best from the mountains and the sea

Morisawa spends 2 to 3 months in the winter and 3 to 4 weeks in the summer to produce salt.
To make 50 kg of salt, he brings a 2 ton truckload of seawater, and allows the water to evaporate in the ”Harvesting House”. When the concentration is about 5 times that of seawater, he moves it to the ”Sun House” allowing all the moisture to evaporate. He checks the condition every day and stirs repeatedly. After 1 to 3 months, the solution is put in a spinner and dried. He does not cook in a pot, and prefers to allow the sun to dry the salt.
You cannot make that much salt in the mountains. So it is sold mostly by direct sale, and yet there are times when he runs out of salt. The flagship product is ”Tosano Yamashio Kozo (salt made in the Tosa mountains)”. Professional chefs are big fans of the salt that contains ”umami” and sweetness, accompanied by a little bitterness.
Taking a lot of time and effort to fully draw out the best of the mountains and the sea, the results are absolutely delicious. The salt makes you appreciate the richness of the Pacific Ocean.

The post “Tosa, Shio no Mura” Delicious Salt made in the Mountains and not the Sea first appeared on NIHONMONO.