Hokuei-cho is located in the center of Tottori Prefecture. Maeda Noen, a farmer who mainly grows Daiei watermelons, has been attracting attention for its handmade and additive-free seasonings and rice dishes. We will look into the reason why they started making processed products in addition to farming, and the secret of creating a deep taste that cannot be imitated elsewhere.

Hojo Sand Dunes, the second largest sand dune in Tottori Prefecture, is located in Hokuei-cho.

Hojo Town, Tohaku County, is located in central Tottori Prefecture. The Sea of Japan is right in front of the town, and the “Hojo Sand Dunes,” the second largest sand dune area after the Tottori Sand Dunes, are spreading out. The fields on the dunes produce rakkyo (Japanese leek), “nebari-kko,” a new variety of yam from Tottori Prefecture, and dune grapes. Also, because of its proximity to Daisen, the largest mountain in the Chugoku region, the area is blessed with nutrient-rich black soil derived from volcanic ash, and is a famous producer of Daiei watermelon, spinach, broccoli, and other vegetables.

Mr. Maeda has been a farmer since his grandparents’ generation in the Daiei watermelon production area.

Mr. Shuji Maeda of Maeda Farm has been farming since his grandparents’ generation in the Daiei area, which has long been famous for Daiei watermelons. He moved to Tokyo when he was a student and worked as a company employee, but was asked by his predecessor to take over the family business when he was 27 years old. He has been growing vegetables as a farmer for many years, mainly Daiei watermelons, growing spinach and mini-tomatoes in greenhouses during the winter, and growing yams in a sandy field.
About 10 years ago, Mr. Maeda started making processed products such as rice snacks and seasonings using home-grown vegetables. Currently, his products are offered on ANA’s international first-class flights and introduced on TV programs as “ordered gourmet” products, and he has been sought after in various industries.

It all started with an encounter with a French chef.

Originally, his wife Junko ran a handmade and additive-free delicatessen in parallel with farming, as she had a constitution that was not compatible with pesticides and other chemicals. About five years after starting the delicatessen, an acquaintance introduced Junko to a cooking school. The instructor of the cooking class was a French chef, Ginjiro Matsushita, who had worked as an executive chef at top hotels in Japan and abroad. Shuji, who wanted to try something other than farming, began attending cooking classes with Junko to learn how to cook from the chef.
One day, he tasted a homemade seasoning that Chef Matsushita had taught him and was impressed by its taste. Maeda, who wanted his vegetables to taste better, and the chef, who wanted to support farmers with his own recipes, hit it off and began developing their own products by taking over the recipes.

We continue to protect the quality of both the ingredients and the cooking.

Although Junko ran a delicatessen, neither Shuji nor any of his employees were amateurs at cooking. In an effort to achieve quality products, Mr. and Mrs. Maeda continued to attend cooking classes, and Chef Matsushita would show up at the Maeda farm once a week to coach them.
In order to reproduce a recipe, even the way vegetables are cut must be exactly the same, millimeter by millimeter and gram by gram. A thermometer is used to measure the temperature to ensure that the taste does not change each time the dish is made. It took him three years to be able to reproduce the chef’s complex recipe exactly as he had devised it.
Chef Matsushita’s recipes are complex, incorporating Western flavors into Japanese cuisine. Some use butter and milk to make them more accessible to foreign diners, and they are made to taste great with both sake and wine.
It is this precise balance and the particular vegetables that only a farmer can produce that make Maeda Farm’s unique delicacies possible. They never omit any manufacturing process, and they do not cut corners with the produce they produce. We never cut corners in the production process, and we never skimp on our own produce. That is our commitment,” says Shuji.

No chemical seasonings or additives

Maeda Farm’s products have one thing in common: they do not use any chemical seasonings or additives. The seasonings and salted malt used as ingredients are also handmade by the farmers themselves. They also contact the manufacturers of the ingredients they purchase to ensure that they do not contain any additives.
Junko has always had a dislike of chemical seasonings, so she started making her own handmade seasonings even before she started making processed foods. Therefore, “additive-free” is a matter of course for them. Although their products have a limited shelf life, they can be eaten with peace of mind by everyone from small children to the elderly. That is why they are also appreciated as gifts. The vegetables used as ingredients are home-grown, and those close to the production area are given priority. Maeda and his staff’s desire to “deliver safe and secure ingredients” is reflected in their food.

Seasonings and rice dishes made possible only by farmers

Maeda Noen has 17 kinds of seasonings and rice dishes available for sale at any given time. Since there are more recipes than that, the lineup changes depending on the availability of ingredients and requests.
Maeda Noen’s first product was “Amakouji Hishio-Shio” (sweet koji sauce). It is made from glutinous rice-based koji and flavored with salt and soy sauce. It can be used as a sauce to pour over meat or fish, or as a marinade for meat or fish. It is also used as an ingredient in other products made at Maeda Farm.
The most popular product is “gobo niku miso” (burdock root miso), which is made with plenty of burdocks they grow themselves. The crispy texture of the dune burdocks and the deep flavor of the blend of four different types of miso are well received. Kinako (soybean flour), butter, and oyster sauce are also included, giving a nod to the taste that cannot be achieved by homemade products.
The “Tottori Rakkyo Chinmi XO Sauce” is also packed with Tottori’s unique flavor, and uses dried shiitake mushrooms from Tottori for the broth. It contains home-made brown-sugar-pickled rakkyo, making it a perfect snack or accompaniment to rice.

The chef’s golden ratio is carefully and painstakingly maintained.

In addition to rice dishes, there are many other basic seasonings such as “Tokusen Kurokoshio”, a well-balanced mix of Hakata salt “Fleur de Sel” and black pepper, and “Chili Mix Spice”, which is useful for seasoning meat.
In the “Tokusen Kuroshokoshio,” the peppercorns are crushed, boiled, and then placed in a colander, a process that is repeated many times. This process removes the peppercorns’ characteristic bitterness, leaving only their aroma. In addition, large grains of salt are carefully ground in a mortar and pestle to a suitable size before being combined with the pepper for a more mellow flavor. Because salt and pepper are so simple, we have taken the time and effort to create the perfect balance so that you will never get tired of using them at your table every day.
The seasonings are not likely to fight each other even when mixed together, and they do not lose their balance even when diluted. The golden ratio is maintained because even the smallest quantities are perfectly matched according to the chef’s recipe. The chef’s recipe is wonderful, and Maeda and his team’s dedication to craftsmanship is evident.

Aiming to create products that enrich the daily dining experience

I recommend you to taste the seasonings as well as the rice dishes. I want people to use them at their tables every day, and they will make their food tastier. If you use our seasonings, you can enjoy vegetables. I would be happy if we could become such a presence,” says Shuji.
In order to be recognized by customers, we need to have our own unique charm and world-class quality. Maeda’s experience as a farmer, Chef Matsushita’s recipes, and his friends who work with him have all come together to create a one-of-a-kind product. Shuji says, “I want to continue to do a good job as a team and deliver the true taste. More and more people will be attracted to Maeda Farm’s seasonings.

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Japan’s best fishmonger in one of the nation’s leading fishing ports

Yaizu City in Shizuoka Prefecture is home to the Oigawa Fishing Port, where shirasu (baby sardines) and sakura shrimp, which can only be caught in Suruga Bay, are landed; Yaizu Port, a base for pelagic fishing, where bonito and tuna are mainly landed; and Ogawa Port, where coastal horse mackerel and mackerel are landed, which collectively boast some of the largest catches in Japan. Sasue Maeda Fish Store, a fish shop located a two-minute drive from the Yaizu Fish Port, is constantly crowded with local customers from the moment the store opens. The store has a wide selection of products and inexpensive prices, as one would expect from a port town. The fifth-generation owner, Naoki Maeda, is “the best fishmonger in Japan” and has earned the trust of top chefs.
His customers include Naruse (Shizuoka City), a famous tempura restaurant that attracts gourmets from all over Japan, Sushi Yoshitake, a three-star Michelin restaurant, as well as NARISAWA, Den, Kiyama, Sushi Shikon (Hong Kong), and many other famous restaurants in Japan and abroad.
My mother carried me on her back and gave me fish fillets whenever I was hungry, even before I can remember. Whenever I was hungry, my mother would give me fish fillets on her back. Of course, I never put soy sauce on them. Perhaps it was because of this that I learned the true taste of fish. To this day, the most delicious fish I ever tasted was the octopus sashimi I had in kindergarten. Even now, I only eat fish. I want to sell only what I think tastes good,” says Maeda.

Facing fish with your life

In the spacious backyard, Maeda-san spends all day long processing fish and shipping them domestically and internationally. The fishmonger’s job is not only to buy fish and then sell them. We look at weather maps to predict where and what kind of fish will be caught, and we figure out how the fishermen caught the fish and the best way to handle and preserve them. For example, the stress on the fish can vary depending on the way the reel is wound. How to deliver the fish to the restaurant or to the customer’s table without stressing the fish. I think it is my job to think about that,” says Maeda.

I also calculate what happens after the fish arrives at the restaurant. “How and when will the fish be prepared and served? I try to assess the condition of the store’s refrigerators and the skill of the chefs. I don’t just want to sell fish; I want to provide delicious fish by looking at the other side,” says Maeda.
Mr. Maeda is called “the best in Japan” because of his superb technique. He quickly places a large flatfish, which is still jumping around, on the cutting board, and in no time at all, he has the fish live-tightened, drained of blood, and cleanly filleted. After sprinkling a little salt on the fillets on the cutting board, the fillets began to move jerkily, as if they were sweating, and began to drain water. This process removes the smell of the fish and allows us to enjoy the fresh taste. Not only is it tasty, but it has a long aftertaste. How to handle the fish, how much salt to sprinkle on it, and how much moisture to retain are all things I have to judge with my five senses. If I take a day off, my senses become dull and it takes me three days to get them back. That’s why I can’t take a day off. I am working with nature, so I can’t give 100 points every day, but I always want to be that way. Such words do not seem exaggerated. People in Yaizu who have such a fish shop in their neighborhood make me very envious.

NIHONMONO – 「にほん」の「ほんも…

幻の豚“中ヨークシャー”を育てる「桑原康」／静岡県富士宮市 – NIHONMONO 最高品質の豚肉をつくるために世界を奔走 「ほら、あそこの豚。しっぽ太いじゃないですか。しっぽが太い豚は、ロース

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Maruhide shoyu – Natural Brewing

Only soybeans, wheat, salt, and water. Maruhide shoyu, a long-established soy sauce brewery in Saga City, Saga Prefecture, established in 1901, insists on natural brewing and two-year aging, which is rare these days.
The soy sauce sold in general is fermented by artificially adding lactic acid bacteria or yeast, or by controlling the temperature of the mash to force fermentation. In this way, the soy sauce is ready in about three to five months, but we use only natural bacteria that live in the brewery, so it takes two years to ferment. It is an old-fashioned way of making soy sauce, but naturally brewed soy sauce made this way has a fruity aroma.

Mellow and refreshing Maruhide soy sauce

Put the soy sauce in a wine glass and enjoy its aroma. Indeed, the aroma of the soy sauce here is different from that of ordinary soy sauce; it is mellow and refreshing. The richness and umami that lies behind the aroma can also be felt. The aroma is better after three years of fermentation, but the umami flavor is lost. The ingredients are also carefully selected, and only whole soybeans are used. The wheat is locally grown in Saga.

Healthy Fermented Foods

It is true that sweet soy sauce is delicious, but when you want to enjoy the taste of the ingredients themselves, such as in protein-rich fish sashimi, naturally fermented soy sauce is the way to go. We also make sweet soy sauce for the local market, but we add amazake to it so that the flavor of the soy sauce itself is not compromised.
Increasingly, television programs and magazines are introducing the health benefits of consuming fermented foods. Fermenting food increases its shelf life, so it has been used as a preservative food since the days when there were no refrigerators. In addition, it also helps the intestines to digest food. In addition, the popularity of restaurants featuring fermented foods is increasing, especially among health-conscious people, as fermented foods help the intestines digest and boost the immune system.

Fermented foods familiar to us on a daily basis

When we think of fermented foods, we probably think of soy sauce, miso, natto, etc. Cheese, pickles, dried bonito flakes are also fermented foods. Cheese, pickles, dried bonito flakes are also fermented foods, as are sake, black tea, oolong tea, etc. In fact, Japanese people eat many fermented foods on a daily basis. In fact, Japanese people eat many fermented foods on a daily basis.
Marushu uses ten kinds of Japanese grains, including soybeans, barley, red rice, black rice, green rice, pigeon pea, millet, and Japanese millet, and each of these grains has its own koji mold attached to it, giving it a deep flavor.

Superb soy sauce that sticks to the old-fashioned way

The wood is cooked on the first floor of the five-story building, and the dried bonito is smoked one floor at a time, taking about a month to reach the desired level of dryness,” said Takeuchi.
A tour of the brewery, lined with large wooden barrels, revealed a rich aroma of fermenting malt. The bacteria that live in this well-worn warehouse and the craftsmanship of the artisans who carefully craft each ingredient and process make the finest soy sauce.

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Stress-free dairy farming using Circulatory Agriculture

Blue Okhotsk Ocean and land lush with trees. North Plain Farm, located in Okoppe town in northern Monbetsu-gun, incorporates circulation style dairy farming and produces milk naturally using pastoral land which is certified Organic with no chemical fertilizers used. 50 milking cows graze in a vast pasture of 100 hectares. Hokkaido in general is well-suited for cows, however there are not many farms who actually allow their cows to graze. At North Plain Farm, each cow is treated with respect and given delicious feed in a calming environment to make the most delicious milk. ”Okhotsk Okoppe Milk” is full of sweetness and fragrance of the pasture.

Creating a product that is simply delicious

The farm has been certified Organic for their processed foods such as cheese, and have obtained Organic JAS certificate for all 3 categories for their fodder and raw milk. This is rare and only the 2nd case in Japan. They showed us the factory and the processing line. Cheese, butter and yogurt using fresh milk is made to suit the Japanese palate. Butter is light and tastes like whipped butter. Cheese is made to be ”easy to understand and eat, like Gouda Cheese ”. Their main product, yogurt, is very popular with the full flavor of raw milk and a slight sweetness reminiscent of the pasture. ”I want to create a product that is simply delicious.” This ideal elevates the quality and creates products that is enjoyed by many.

The exquisite balance of sweetness and richness

When we actually tried the milk, ”The sweetness is really strong when it first enters your mouth. It’s rich but doesn’t have smell,” acclaimed Nakata. The milk tastes different from summer to winter, and has a more refreshing taste in the summer. They not only sell directly, but also partner with the local farmers cooperative to sell their products. Organic dairy farming costs more. To lower their prices, they are creative with the containers. For milk and yogurt, they use simple plastic containers, designed with consideration for distribution.

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“Kura” Designated as Cultural Property

As soon as you step into the ”kura”, you will notice its beauty. The 6 ”kura” are designated Tangible Cultural Property by the Agency for Cultural Affairs. The historic buildings stand grandly with dignity. Ishimago Honten, a ”miso” and ”shoyu” ”kura”, founded in 1855, 160 years ago. It is a brewery that has history, with the Satake family presenting soy sauce to the Imperial family. They make ”miso” and soy sauce seasonally. When we visited, they were in the midst of preparing soy sauce. We were invited inside and were surprised that there were hardly any machines on the premises.

Food items created by the people

Ishimago Honten makes their products by hand. This is strictly adhered to, and even the heater inside the ”kura” was a charcoal stove, with people adjusting the temperature. Soy sauce is also strictly prepared by hand. Steamed soy beans, crushed flour and seed malt were being mixed by hand. While they are being mixed together, careful attention is paid to how it looks and feels. This is also vital during the fermenting process. ”We keep the room warm by burning charcoal and straw, but the temperature adjustment is extremely difficult.” President, Yuko Ishikawa explains. The room temperature is checked every hour. Even where the ”futa” or ”koji” container is placed will affect the temperature, so we move the containers around as well. All the tasks were strictly controlled by human senses.

A mild gentle taste

”Miso” making starts in January. Like soy sauce, the process involves many people. We had the chance to taste the freshly made ”miso” and soy sauce. A mild gentle taste spreads in the mouth. The miso especially tasted like sweet soft Akita rice. I especially recommend the ”tamarimiso”. Ishikawa commented ”There are many uses. It can be used for cooking ginger pork. Or you can add a drop of it in soy milk.” Of course, it goes well with the Akita specialty Inaniwa udon. Soy sauce and ”miso” are essential to Japanese cuisine. They are made slowly with the utmost care. We were able to rediscover the splendor of Japanese food.

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Firm texture that is different from other “fu”

If I were to list the the characteristics of the “fu” made at Okuyama Seifujo, the firmness of the texture will be at the top of the list. Normally, “fu” that you put in soup is characterized by their softness, but the “rokuta fu” made at Okuyama Seifujo, has a very “packed” texture that is attained by maximizing the gluten content, making it rich in protein.
The Rokuta region in Higashine city is known for good ground water from the Ouu mountains, and it is said that you will have good water by digging as little as 3 meters.
As an old story in Rokuta goes, when the lord of Satake clan stayed there he fell ill, but he was quickly cured when he drank from the a well in Rokuta. And at Okuyama Seifujo, they still use the same ground water as the legend to make their “fu”.

“Fu” as a main dish

“Fu”is usually considered to be a supplementary food that’s seen in soup, etc. and rarely considered to be a main dish that receives attention on its own. However, recently it’s recently been taken up as health food.
The Rokuta “Fu” made at Okuyama Seifujo, with it’s firm texture, can be used as a main ingredient in “tempura” or a casserole dish. It also has many applications as snacks and sweets. Crackers, “fu” rusk, “fu manju”, that is made by wrapping raw “fu” around sweet red bean paste, etc, have become popular gifts.
Needless to say, “fu” is a great ingredient in Japanese cooking. And it can actually be used in place of meat. Recipes are available on the Okuyama Seifujo website, so we suggest you take a look.

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Founding a great dorayaki place！

Eigyokudo is located one alley away from the main street of Yamagata. The sweets shop has a long history that goes back to the late Edo era. It was founded as a specialty sweets shop and some of their favorites include their “shiruko” sweet bean soup that is characterized by the not-too-sweet flavoring, and summer time shaved ice. You can taste other sweets like “kintsuba”, “dorayaki”, and “anmitusu” in the café space with “matcha” green tea. Highly visible as you walk into the shop, is the large showcase that displays many kinds of “dorayaki”.
The number one favorite at Eigyokudo is, without question, “dorayaki”. In addition to the normal red bean paste, there is chocolate filling, green tea and bean paste, as well as one with Camembert cheese filling. The popular flavors sell out soon after the shop opens. We too, had camembert cheese filling “dorayaki”. The dough was so soft and moist that just trying to break it in half could crush it, almost like sponge cake. Excellent combination with the firm tasting cheese filling.
In addition of the standard kinds, they sell various seasonal flavors and they accept reservations. We suggest you visit the shop when visiting Yamagata.

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The mythical pork “Kinkaton”

“Kinkaton” is sometimes called “marbled pork” for its sweet and tasty fat. It is native to China, and known as the main ingredient for the Chinese delicacy, Jinhua ham. We visited Hirata Farm who grows “Kinkaton”.
Hirata Farm was started in 1953 in the Shonai region of Yamagata prefecture. In 1974, they started the development of the Hiraboku Sangenton. Sangenton means “pork with three origins”, a cross between Landrace, Duroc and Berkshire breeds. They are fed a special feed, and they are known for their smooth meat texture. Sangenton pork is regarded highly by professional cooks, and it is one of the top branded pork in Japan.
It was in 1988 that they started to work on the Kinkaton. It began with their import of Jinhua pigs from China. They are now growing the original “Hiraboku Junsui Kinkaton (Hirata Farm Pure Jihua Pig)” and the “Hiraboku Kinkaton (Hirata Farm Jinhua Pig)” which is crossed with other breeds for more efficient production without deterioration of meat quality.
Hiraboku Junsui Kinkaton is grown at only two locations in Japan, and its availability is scarce. This is why it is often called the mythical pork.

Trial and error to create additive-free sausage

Hiraboku Junsui Kinkaton is one size smaller than an ordinary pig. So the quantity of the meat is less, making it even scarcer on the market. But the taste of the meat, the fat and the texture are of the highest quality and is extremely popular.
Hirata Farm also produces processed meat products. “I want you to taste this sausage.” Shida of the processing division said as he served us additive-free sausages. This product was based on requests for sausages that could be consumed without worrying about additives. That was 40 years ago. Back then, the safety of foods was not so much in focus. Additive free sausages did not exist.
“You may have the impression that it may not taste good without additives.“ Shida said, but we were surprised at the great taste when we took a bite. “It’s the accumulation of 40 years of trial and error” he said with a smile. Shida told us that Hirata Farm does everything from growing pigs, to packing and processing. “We would like to be an industry model. Including TPP issues.“ he told us.

Refreshing and timeless taste

Hirata Farm has retail stores and restaurants nationwide, including several in Tokyo. Thinking of how they could deliver the deliciousness of the pork, they came up with the idea of opening restaurants and serving them cooked. The popular menu at take-out shops is the potato croquette. The secret to the popularity is the lightness of the minced pork mixed with the potato.
We were also able to taste the meat itself, both the Hiraboku Sangenton“ and the “Hiraboku Kinkaton”.
The texture of the Sangenton and the deliciousness of the Kinkaton fat were amazing. It was impossible to convey the taste with just the word ”delicious”.
However, President Kashichi Nitta told us “What I really want to convey is not just the taste, but also the fact that everything is additive free.“
Nakata had eaten Hirata Farm meat and processed products at restaurants before, but was not aware that they were additive free. Perhaps eating delicious additive free food without knowing that fact is a happy state of things. But it is better if we are able to confirm their safety in advance and eat with a peace of mind. In this respect, Hirata Farm stays particular to safety and takes action to convey that fact.

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Sweets shop expressing the delicacies of Yamagata

BRANDORE is a cake shop that prepares and sells original sweets using high quality seasonal fruits in Yamagata Prefecture.
Nakata visited them at the end of April, when spring had finally arrived in the area. Strawberries, cherries other colorful fruits graced the glass showcase. We could see how immaculately these handmade sweets were prepared. And the balanced sweetness and the perfect harmony of the ingredients made us crave for more.

The pâtissier’s pursuit for quality

Ryuji Komatsu, the owner pâtissier of BRANDORE was born in Nagai. He had won second place on a TV contest of pâtissiers with an artistic “amezaiku” candy craft.
With Komatsu at the helm, all of pâtissiers work on the sweets with high standard of skills and consciousness, and continue to train and challenge themselves. They are dedicated to making sweets that bring smiles on the faces of the customers. BRANDORE provides cakes for day to day as well as wedding cakes.
It is worth a visit when driving through Nagai, and the sign with a cat catches your eye.

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Unique products winning popularity

One of the pleasures of traveling is to encounter delicious food from all over Japan. The ”Bruggeprius” that we visited in Iwate produce and sell bread as well as cake, custard pudding and chocolate. The main store is in Hanamaki city in Iwate Prefecture, and there are also branches in Tsushida, Kaminohashi, and Kawatoku in Morioka city which are very popular amongst the locals.
One of their flagship product ”Baumkuchen” has a great reputation. They have made different varieties and they call themselves the ”Baumkuchen Studio”.
”English Coastline Hard Baum” is a Baumkuchen where the outside is crunchy and the inside is fluffy with amazing harmony. The secret of this deliciousness is the rice powder ”Rikuba 132” which is a rare variety that is cultivated by a contracted farmer in Nitoshi in Iwate Prefecture and local eggs. The other one; ”Soft Baum” features a rich and moist taste. They use different ingredients to create Baumkuchen with different characteristics.

Surprised by the ingredients from Iwate

Dai Takahashi is the current the owner-chef who trained in Tokyo and took over the family business of the confectionary store. When he returned to his hometown, he was surprised about the varieties of delicious ingredients.

”In Iwate, there are many artisanal producers who produce on a small scale. Cream made by the milk from a cow raised in Takayama area in Okunakayama in northern Iwate is rich in fat content and delicious but not too heavy. Now I use it for all products from ”Cream Anpan” (cream and bean paste bread), cake and custard pudding.”

The product you can truly enjoy the cream is ”Iwate Marugoto Cream Anpan”. Even though the flour produced in Japan is decreasing in production, they use flour from Iwate for their bread dough, ”azuki” beans from Iwate, whipped cream that we mentioned earlier made by Takahashi, and so the Cream Anpan is completely filled with ingredients from Iwate. Also, they add the whipped cream after it’s ordered, so you can truly enjoy the freshness.

“A Luxury” in the day to day life

Takahashi says ”By using all the ingredients from Iwate, it is such a luxury to make bread and cake using fresh and safe ingredients not to mention the obvious deliciousness.”
True to the words, the biggest charm of Bruggeprius is that you can see the faces of all the people from the producer of ingredients to people involved in making bread and sweets.
”The producers are working hard by taking very little account of the profit. We want those producers to make ingredients that no one else can make. And we want to develop more new products.” There are many varieties of bread and sweets that we cannot introduce here, but they are all the flagship items that Takahashi and the producers work hard on. They are ”flavors of Iwate” that you should visit when you come to Iwate.

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