In French cuisine, it is called “panda d’or” and is known as the “queen of edible birds” due to its refined and delicate flavor. At Ishiguro Farm in Hanamaki City, Iwate Prefecture, which is also famous for its hot springs, panda d’or have been raised for approximately 50 years, taking advantage of the rich natural environment. Their meat is served at renowned restaurants throughout the country.

The only farm in Japan specializing in Japanese quail, located in a hot spring resort in the mountains.

Approximately 10 km northwest of the center of Hanamaki City, Iwate Prefecture.Nestled in the mountains beyond the “Hanamaki Onsenkyo” hot spring resort, which stretches along the valley of the Ou Mountains, lies the specialized quail farm “Ishiguro Farm.” The farm was founded by the grandfather of the current representative director, Yukichiro Ishiguro, who settled in this area after the war and began cultivating farmland. Eventually, the farm started raising chickens to supply a restaurant operated by relatives in Tokyo.

The farm began raising pheasants approximately 50 years ago. The impetus came when the family’s restaurant opened a branch in Morioka City, Iwate Prefecture, and they decided to create a signature dish that embodied the essence of Iwate. The first candidate was a dish featuring the prefectural bird of Iwate, the Japanese quail. However, the second-generation owner, Eijiro Ishiguro’s son, Shinjiro Ishiguro, attempted to raise quails but found it difficult to breed them, and there was also significant opposition to eating the prefectural bird.

At that time, he heard through a connection that “in France, the ‘horohoro bird,’ which belongs to the same family as the pheasant, is eaten as food.” He obtained a male and female from a zoo in Saitama Prefecture and began raising them. This was in 1973.

Raising the African-native horohoro bird in snowy Iwate

The guinea fowl is a bird of the pheasant family native to Africa. It has been little modified and remains close to its original form, but it has no strong flavor or odor, and is characterized by its tender, juicy, and refined taste.In Europe, particularly France, it is widely enjoyed as a premium ingredient, from high-end restaurants to home kitchens, and is often referred to as the “queen of game birds.” In Japan, it was first introduced during the Edo period by Dutch ships, and the name ‘porporato’ from that period is said to be the origin of the Japanese name “horohoro bird.”

When Ishiguro Farm began raising Holo Holo birds, there were no other examples of them being raised for food in Japan, so it was a trial-and-error process from the start. They began by keeping them in the existing chicken coops on the farm, but the nervous Holo Holo birds would panic at the sight of foxes through the wire mesh or even the slightest noise, causing them to gather in one spot and be crushed to death.Additionally, being native to Africa, they were sensitive to cold, and some died from being crushed while huddling together to stay warm. “Can we really raise ho-ho-birds in this snowy mountain area?” Amidst doubts and uncertainties, Shinjiro’s trial and error continued for several years.

A “floor heating chicken coop” utilizing the natural environment of a hot spring area

“How to protect the delicate birds from the cold.” The solution to this difficult problem was closer than he thought. It was the hot spring that was bubbling up on the property.

One day, while soaking in the “natural hot spring bath” he had installed at his home, Jinjiro thought, “What if I use this hot spring water for heating the chicken coop?” After trial and error, he succeeded in creating a “fuel-free floor heating system” by circulating the hot spring water through pipes installed under the chicken coop floor. Additionally, he renovated the chicken coop into a spacious indoor facility and adopted a “free-range” system, allowing the birds to move around freely and live stress-free.

In this way, Shinjiro established a stable production method for raising chickens. The subsequent economic boom further boosted his business, and the chickens became a sought-after luxury ingredient, with orders pouring in from restaurants owned by relatives and hotels in the Tokyo metropolitan area.

“The unique flavor of domestically produced chickens.” The third-generation challenge.

Born and raised as the third generation of the Ishiguro Farm, Koichiro did not immediately take over the family business after graduating from high school but instead became a ski instructor.He later joined the team of world-renowned skier Yuichiro Miura and traveled the globe on ski expeditions. He returned to Iwate and took over the family farm in the mid-1990s, just before turning 30. At that time, Ishiguro Farm was struggling due to the aftermath of the bubble economy collapse, with orders from its main clients—relatives’ stores and hotels—plummeting sharply.

“We needed to find new customers,” Yukichiro thought. He traveled to Tokyo several times a month, carrying a cooler box filled with Holo Holo chicken meat, and visited French and Italian restaurants. He was often turned away at the door, but some restaurants with a focus on authentic cuisine and chefs who had returned from France expressed interest, asking, “Is there domestic Holo Holo chicken?”

“Some chefs told me to come back after closing, and when I returned late at night, they had even gathered their chef colleagues to meet me,” recalls Koichiro with nostalgia. Some of the young chefs who were apprentices at the time are now top-class chefs using the quail meat. “The connections we made back then continue to be a great support for us today,” he smiles.

The livestock industry is seeing a decline in self-sufficiency rates.

The chickens at Ishiguro Farm are raised on a feed mix free of antibiotics and rice. As a result, they have no unpleasant odor or off-flavors, and their fat is light and crisp. “Some people say that when you crisply roast the skin, it smells like senbei (rice crackers),” says Koichiro with a smile.

When they first started raising chickens, they used only standard commercial feed, but switched to the current method around 2003. The catalyst was the statement, “Livestock farming is lowering the country’s food self-sufficiency rate.”

“A professor at Tokyo University of Agriculture told me that the livestock industry relies heavily on imported feed. The more we raise animals, the more the self-sufficiency rate drops. I had always thought that by raising livestock, I was contributing to increasing self-sufficiency, so it was a shock,” he recalls.

At the same time, Iwate Prefecture was implementing a “rice production reduction policy” to limit the production of rice for human consumption. Ishiguro Farm’s rice fields were also targeted, but Koichiro decided to switch to growing feed rice. He not only used the rice as feed but also incorporated rice husks and straw into the manure, beginning efforts toward a circular agricultural system.

The safety and taste unique to domestically produced products.

It has been over half a century since Ishiguro Farm began raising Japanese quail. While other farms have started raising them domestically, Ishiguro Farm is the only one that claims to be a “specialized farm.”

Currently, the farm ships approximately 40,000 birds annually. While thigh meat is the most popular cut for chicken, breast meat is said to have lower demand. However, Ishiguro Farm’s holoholo chickens receive orders for all parts of the bird. In particular, the breast meat is highly praised, with some chefs describing its juicy, tender, and mild flavor as “similar to whitefish.”

“It is truly encouraging as a producer to hear so many professionals say that our chickens are delicious,” says Yukichiro Ishiguro.Especially when French chefs recognized our chickens, it was deeply meaningful.“ As he mentioned, there is significant interest from restaurants in France, the birthplace of the Horo Horo chicken. When the renowned French restaurant ”Trois Glaces,” which has maintained three Michelin stars for over 50 years, decided to close its Japan branch, they requested to use Ishikuro Farm’s Horo Horo chicken for their final dinner menu and even invited the farm to the restaurant.

Furthermore, in 2025, the farm won the “Terroir Award” in the Japanese edition of the world-renowned gourmet guidebook “Gault & Millau,” which honors locally rooted food production. The award recognized the farm’s sustainable agriculture practices, such as using geothermal heat for chicken farming and cultivating feed rice with chicken manure, which contribute to the production of high-quality meat.

Aiming for Sustainable “All-Domestic Feed”

Ishiguro Farm has established Japan’s first-ever “edible quail farming,” gaining the trust of renowned chefs for its rarity and quality. However, the journey has not been smooth sailing. In 2023, an outbreak of avian influenza at the contracted hatchery resulted in the culling of all chicks. It took a year to rebuild production and resume shipments.

However, as if to save the day, the eldest son, Eitaro, graduated from university in Tokyo and returned home to take over the family business. Now, the eldest daughter is also helping out. Yukichiro jokes, “We were all scattered before,” but he can’t help but smile at the sight of his capable children.

Mr. Koichiro has a goal of raising chickens using only domestically produced feed. In other words, he aims to achieve a 100% self-sufficiency rate. According to statistics from the 2023 fiscal year, Japan’s feed self-sufficiency rate stands at approximately 27%. The majority of this is “roughage” such as grass and rice straw consumed by cattle, while “concentrated feed” like grains and corn accounts for just 13%.At Ishiguro Farm, they currently rely heavily on imported feed.

Still, “We have plenty of farmland, and some people in the area have started growing corn for feed. It’s not impossible,” says Yukichiro, looking ahead. Even if it’s difficult to achieve immediately, he plans to take one step at a time through trial and error. The history of Ishiguro Farm has been woven in this way. “There’s still so much we can do to create something better.We’ll do our best, and then leave the rest to our sons,” says the father with a smile. Shigekazu nods in agreement. The story of Ishiguro Farm and the ho-ho-ho birds will continue.

The post The “queen of poultry” raised in a natural environment with hot springs. Ishiguro Farm’s soft-boned chicken / Hanamaki City, Iwate Prefecture first appeared on NIHONMONO.

“Parma Ham”, one of the world’s three most famous hams

Prosciutto di Parma. Parma ham, also known as Parma ham, is one of the world’s three most famous hams, along with China’s Kinhua ham and Spain’s Jamon Serrano. It is produced in Langhirano, Parma, Emilia-Romagna, northeastern Italy. Most of the Parma hams distributed around the world are produced in about 200 factories located in a village with a population of about 10,000, about 10 km away from the center of Parma, known as the gourmet capital of the world. And it has been there for more than 2,000 years. But how did this small town come to produce the world’s leading ham?

It is the “wind. Parma ham is made without any additives such as nitrous acid, and the only processes are salting and dry aging. The taste of the meat varies considerably depending on the quality of the wind, but the Parma wind that blows in from the clear streams flowing in the beautiful mountains and the indigenous bacteria that exist in Parma make the ham delicious,” says Masayo Tada, the first Japanese to be recognized as a Parma ham craftsman. When he was a university student, he could not forget the taste of Parma ham he had tasted by chance, and at the age of 30, he decided to become a ham craftsman and went to Italy by himself. He went to Italy on his own and knocked on the door of a ham factory in Langhirano, but since he could not speak Italian and had no idea what to expect, he was naturally turned down at the doorstep.
At the time, Mr. Hide was active in Rome, and I saw him as my rival (laughs). After eight months of visiting ham factories, he was finally able to overcome his passion and became an employee of a genuine ham factory, where he worked as a Parma ham craftsman for about 10 years.

When he was finally able to work as a full-fledged craftsman, American capital came in and the wave of mass production arrived in Parma. Productivity came to take precedence over craftsmanship. Mr. Tada decided to return to Japan because he could no longer produce the Parma ham that impressed him so much. After considering various possibilities, he decided to try his hand at making Parma ham in Japan. He spent about three years traveling around Japan in search of a place with a climate and environment similar to that of Parma. Finally, they arrived at Seki-City in Gifu Prefecture, where there were beautiful mountains, clean rivers, and winds similar to those of Parma.

We want to spread “Parma Ham” in Japan.

However, making Parma ham, which has no precedent in Japan, was extremely difficult. In order to be recognized as Parma ham, the ham must be made from pigs that have been fattened for nine months and weigh more than 150 kg. In Japanese pigs, this would mean pigs over 120 kg raised for more than 6 months. Parma ham requires a large pig to produce a delicious ham, so the size of the pig is regulated by law. It is also an absolute requirement that the pork be salted and prepared within 48 hours with the skin still on. In Japan, it is common to remove the skin at the time of slaughter, so it was difficult to purchase and prepare pigs with the skin still on.

After some twists and turns, they were able to obtain pigs, but this time they could not produce the yeast necessary for aging. He thought about bringing yeast from Italy, but he believed his colleagues when they told him, “If you can make it from scratch, you should definitely do it yourself,” and continued to make prototypes. After working in the factory for a long time, miraculously, the moment came when I was able to make it. From there, little by little, I began to be able to express the ham I imagined. I realized that five years had passed since I started ham production in Japan.
It may be cheeky of me to challenge Parma Ham, which has a history of more than 2,000 years, with only about 10 years of experience, but I would like to see Parma Ham regain the good old days and establish a “Japanese ham” to speak to Parma. He says that he would like to establish “Japanese ham” and talk to Parma.
The ham made by a man who was once laughed at as having nothing but passion in Italy brings smiles to people’s faces and speaks more eloquently than words.

NIHONMONO – 「にほん」の「ほんも…

本当に美味しい飛騨牛を見極める・料理人 深尾公則／岐阜県岐阜市 – NIHONMONO 世界からも愛される和牛 牛の味は血統で決まる。その理由は、歴史が物語る。もともと農耕のために飼育されていた和牛

NIHONMONO – 「にほん」の「ほんも…

和牛を知り尽くした職人ならではの定番洋食・洋食つばき／岐阜県岐阜市 – NIHONMONO 完全予約制レストラン「洋食つばき」 岐阜県南部に位置する岐阜市。玄関口であるJR岐阜駅周辺には高層ビルが並

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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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A delicious atelier in Hida Takayama

Curnontue opened for business in 1998 in Hida Takayama.
It is an atelier for making bacon, prosciutto, sausage, and more, using selected Berkshire pork. The owner has great passion for smoked food, and traveled to the Jura mountains in the Conte region of France to receive extensive training.
The mountains surrounding Hida Takayama and the severity of the winter is very similar to the geography and climate of Jura mountains.

Captivating taste of matured meat

In the atelier which resembles a 17th century traditional smokehouse (chue), there are many pieces of meat, all golden brown, hanging from the ceiling. The room is filled with a delicious aroma, and it certainly stimulates the appetite. You can have a taste of the meat right on the spot. The meat that has been smoked for an extended period is rich in flavor, and Nakata enjoyed tasting the meat with a glass of wine.
Products are also available by mail order, and orders from all over Japan are flooding in.

The name ”Curnontue” is an imaginary word, combining ”Curnonsky” – a gourmand who spread the regional cuisines of France to the world, and ”chue”, which is the name of smokehouses in the Conte region where the owner studied smoking techniques. ”Chue” in French also has the meaning ”to have someone surrender”. There is humor in the name of the atelier as well, ” What’s wrong with making you surrender to delicious food?”

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