The Yokote Basin in Akita Prefecture, known as the largest basin in Japan, is surrounded by majestic mountains and is one of the largest breadbasket regions in Japan, with first-class rivers and their tributaries flowing slowly through it.In the Asamai district of the Hiraka Plain in the south-central part of the prefecture, beautiful rice paddies are flooded with water in May.The Asamai Shuzo brewery is located in the center of the town amidst these vast rice paddies.

Amano-do” representing Asamai Shuzo and its commitment to pure rice

The rivers that moisten the Yokote Basin have long created a land rich in blessings, some of which became subsoil water and created the “Biwanuma Cold Spring” spring system.Hiraga, nurtured by abundant nature and blessed with both land and water, was a perfect place for sake brewing, yet there were no sake breweries.In 1917, the Asamai Sake Brewery was established in Hiraka-cho, Yokote City.The brewery has made a name for itself as one of Akita’s representative breweries, winning the gold medal at the National New Sake Competition for the fifth consecutive year, a first for Akita Prefecture.The founder, Munemitsu Kakizaki, named the sake “Amano no To” after an old poem, “The door of heaven quietly dawns and the sun shines through the green leaves of the cedar trees on Mt.Amano-no-do” refers to the “Amano-no Iwato” in Japanese mythology, which is well known to everyone.

All of the sake rice used by Asamai Sake Brewery comes from the Asamai area, which is within a 5 km radius of the brewery, and was first produced in 1988 when the previous president, Hidemori Kakizaki, established the Hirashika-cho Sake Rice Research Association (now the JA Akita no Furusato Hirashika-cho Sake Rice Research Association) to develop the environment for producing sake rice with local farmers.This was made possible by the fertile land of the Yokote Basin.In 2011, all sake was made with junmai (pure rice) in order to reflect the deliciousness and flavor of Yokote’s rice in the sake.Sake is born in the rice paddies” is the company motto, says Tsuneki Kakizaki, the current president, who hopes to pass on the Asamai Brewery’s commitment to rice to the next generation.With rice consumption declining, the situation for farmers is difficult even in Yokote, a major rice-producing region.Therefore, Mr. Kakizaki is still actively calling on farmers in the Asamai Brewery area to produce sake rice for him.

Traditional methods and modern flavors and

Rice brought to the brewery is steamed and fermented in a traditional Japanese kettle, and then squeezed in a koshikibune, an old-fashioned vat.The vat pressing method, which is becoming less common today, is a time-consuming process.Sake bags filled with unrefined sake are stacked in the tank, and at first the weight of the bags squeezes out the sake little by little.After that, pressure is slowly applied to the sake, and each drop of sake is squeezed out.Kakizaki says this is “a necessary process to produce sake that is full of rice flavor.While using local rice and adhering to the traditional style of sake brewing, Asamai Brewery does not only make sake with a traditional flavor.

The tastes of today’s consumers are also important.We are also focusing on creating light-flavored, aromatic, food-friendly sake,” says Kakizaki.While keeping the traditional sake brewing methods that have been used for more than 100 years, Kakizaki aims for a modern, contemporary taste.I don’t know if it’s the best, but the rice and water in Yokote are the best we have,” Kakizaki said.It is the brewery’s job to reflect this in the sake brewing process.We sometimes release sake with a new quality in limited quantities and see how it goes,” says Kakizaki.The brewery’s sake brewing techniques are stable because it has a solid base of high-quality rice and water.Above all, there is much to be gained by continuing to use local rice for many years.By touching and smelling the rice, one can get a good idea of how the rice will turn out that year.The next question is how to work with the rice and how to produce it.

Asamai Brewery’s sake, brewed only with locally available ingredients, is imbued with the spirit and beliefs of the brewers, who were captivated by the beauty of this region and wanted to preserve and pass it on, aiming for “true Akita local sake.

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Kakunodate Sanso Wabizakura, an inn steeped in tradition and aesthetics

Senboku City, located in the eastern part of Akita Prefecture, is rich in nature, with Lake Tazawa, Nyuto Onsen, and Akita Komagatake. Kakunodate, also known as “little Kyoto,” has a different and elegant atmosphere. The streets are lined with blackboard walls, thatched-roof samurai residences, and in spring, weeping cherry trees in full bloom cover the town.

Fifteen minutes by car from the center of Kakunodate, through the peaceful countryside, you will arrive at Kakunodate Sanso Wabizakura. This is the site where the Tozawa clan, which ruled the area, built Kadoya Castle in Jokyu 2, some 800 years ago. Kakunodate Sanso Wabizakura,” a 200-year-old old private house that was moved from Tategeshi (now Shizukuishi Town, Iwate Prefecture), is an inn with dignity and serenity befitting its historical location. With no buildings around, the chirping of birds and the gentle sound of trees swaying in the wind are the only sounds that soothe the body and soul after a long journey. There is also a shrine for marriage built on the grounds, modeled after the Izumo Taisha Shrine, and a leisurely stroll through the lushly landscaped garden is another enjoyable experience.

Healing with Akita ingredients and luxurious hot springs

The food is designed by Hiromitsu Nozaki, former executive chef of the Michelin-starred “Wentokuyama” in Minami-Azabu, Tokyo. Akita, with its rich natural environment, is a treasure trove of ingredients, including fish, meat, and vegetables. Together with head chef Yoshiharu Yabe, who has inherited Mr. Nozaki’s mastery of “healthy and delicious cuisine,” he creates monthly menus from a repertoire of 700 different items, according to the season’s ingredients. The dining room has a private room with a view of the outside, where you can enjoy creative Japanese cuisine tastefully arranged against the beautiful scenery, accompanied by Akita’s local sake, which will make you want to drink more and more. The taste of the food is well-known, and you will be satisfied with the tasteful and luxurious time you spend at the hotel.

There are 10 guest rooms in total, all of which are equipped with a half-open-air bath filled with hot spring water. While the semi-open-air baths in the rooms offer a beautiful view, the private open-air baths, which require reservations, are a must-see. Reservations are made upon check-in, and the baths can be used for 30 minutes free of charge. The liberating feeling of soaking in the baths while enjoying the view of the peaceful satoyama is exceptional. The alkaline simple spring water is soft and mild, and is often referred to as “hot water for beautiful skin.

No matter which type of room you choose, Japanese-style room, Japanese-Western-style room, or Japanese-Western-style room with dining area, you can enjoy this luxurious bath and the peaceful view of the mountain greenery. We also recommend that you step out onto the terrace attached to your room. During the daytime, you can enjoy the peaceful scenery of the satoyama, and at night you can enjoy the star-filled sky. There is no better place to spend a relaxing holiday away from the hustle and bustle of daily life. The inn is the embodiment of the word “heal,” and has a mysterious charm that will make you want to return again. The longer you stay, the more you will feel that not only your body but also your mind will be healed. If you can spare a little time for yourself, please visit Wabi Sakura at least once. There is a healing time waiting for you there, to gently soothe your exhausted body and mind.

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Yatate Pass, which straddles the border between Odate City, Akita Prefecture and Hirakawa City, Aomori Prefecture, was once a major production area for natural Akita cedar. Unlike artificially planted Akita cedars, natural Akita cedars are not pruned or thinned and grow in their natural state. This results in slower growth and narrower annual rings. As a result, Akita cedar is strong, making it an excellent material for crafts and building materials. From National Route 7, which passes through the Yatate Pass, one enters a narrow path leading to the Nikkei Onsen Hot Springs, and from there, the forest continues to grow. Just as the narrowing and darkening road becomes a little disconcerting, a calm Japanese-style inn appears in front of us.

NIKKEI ONSEN” reborn again in Akita

Founded in 1893, “Hikage Onsen” has long been a favorite hot spring of the locals, called “the sacred spring of the three-day turnaround,” where a three-day stay in the hot spring will make even the worst of one’s problems better. Although not a magnificent facility, many Odate residents frequented the onsen because of its hot water. However, due to the effects of the Great East Japan Earthquake and the aging of the building, it closed its business in 2014. Many people regretted the closure of the famous hot spring, and it finally reopened in October 2017. While retaining the atmosphere of a former therapeutic bathhouse, the hotel has been reborn as an inn where guests can spend luxurious time while enjoying the quietness of the forest, with a total of 28 rooms, including Japanese and Western-style junior suites and special rooms with hot spring baths, not all of which are the same type. Of course, you can enjoy the food and hot spring baths not only overnight but also on a day trip.

Healing the body and soul with hot springs and local cuisine

The aroma of sulfur is already in the air when you enter the atrium lobby. The hot spring at Nikkei Onsen is a sulfur-containing carbon dioxide-sodium chloride hot spring. The hot water, which has long been believed to be effective against skin ailments, is rich in salt and strong. The space made of Akita cedar gives off a limpid atmosphere. Sitting on a chair in the lobby filled with the warmth of wood without excessive decoration, the place also feels like a forest of yatate. After checking in, it is customary at Nikkei Onsen to make reservations at one of the four private hot springs. Anbei Yukko “, ” Urukeruke Yukko “, and ” Takimino Yukko ” are all private open-air baths that overlook the beautiful surrounding trees. Each bathtub is overflowing with sulfur spring water containing carbonic acid spring water. The water is a bit hot, but so strong that it seems to reach every bone in your body. The feeling of openness after getting out of the baths is also a feeling that can only be experienced at a famous bathhouse. The private bath ” Menke Yukko” in the indoor bath is a sulfur spring with thick, nigori-tinged water. It is called “medicinal hot water for beautiful skin,” and the thick, smooth water is pleasant to the touch. The slightly warm temperature makes it the perfect hot spring for a long, leisurely soak. After getting out of the bath, it is also exceptionally pleasant to cool down with an ice cream and drink available only for guests in the lobby.

Dinner is not spectacular, but the local cuisine using organic, pesticide-free local vegetables will soothe both the palate and the soul. Hinai jidori chicken, grilled river fish, Akita beef, water spinach, and the famous Akita kiritanpo nabe soup. You will be reminded once again that Akita is a food kingdom with an abundance of mountain produce. As I drifted off to sleep, the darkness had melted away, and the sky was filled with stars. Surrounded by Akita cedars, Nikkei Onsen offers a bliss that cannot be experienced in the city.

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Yamamo Miso Soy Sauce Brewery: The Beginning of Change

The Minase River flows through the southern part of Akita Prefecture, descends through Koan Gorge, enriches the Inaniwa Udon noodle village, and joins the Naruse River in the town of Yuzawa. In 1867, Shigesuke Takahashi, the founder of Yamamo Miso & Soy Sauce Brewery, began making miso and soy sauce near the Minase River. The beautiful water was essential for miso and soy sauce production, and with the river nearby, the products could be transported by boat. After 150 years, Yasushi Takahashi, the seventh generation head of Yamamo Miso & Soy Sauce Brewery, has taken over the business. The name “Yasushi” (meaning “peace and quiet”) is inscribed in his name, but Yasushi first chose the path of change.

He had previously aspired to a career in architecture, but at the age of 27, he returned to Akita to take over the family business. His love for the brewery, which had unknowingly taken up residence in his heart, led him to make the decision: “If someone else is going to take over, I will take over, and if someone else is going to destroy it, it should be my generation. However, the small brewery in Akita, in the northern part of Japan, was feeling a sense of stagnation. Yasushi felt that this was not good enough. He himself was not attracted to the miso and soy sauce business. He decided that he had no choice but to change things himself, and began working alone on the rebranding of the company.

Taking on the challenge of going overseas and revamping the brewery

From the very beginning, he set his sights overseas. He was determined to take on the mission of communicating the proud traditions of Japanese culture to the rest of the world. The soy sauce labels were changed to Japanese-English, an official website was created in foreign languages, and the design that emerged from the process looked 180 degrees different from what had been done before, while retaining the good qualities of traditional industry. No, to the untrained eye, it only looked “different. He clashed with old employees and finally clashed with his parents. Even though he was exhausted and lost, the results of his work encouraged him. In his second year of overseas trade, he began doing business in Taiwan, and the following year he actively exhibited his products at overseas trade shows, making a full-fledged foray into overseas markets. In 2013, the company received the Good Design Award, and became an industry leader. The brewery has also revamped itself into a completely different type of hands-on brewery by planning factory tours that include the garden of the Takahashi family mansion, which has been carefully passed down from generation to generation. In addition, they opened the ” Yamamo Garden Cafe, ” which connects courses only with dishes using special yeast while enjoying the view of the garden.

Behind the transformation, the discovery of yeast “Viamver®” and new possibilities

Behind the cafe’s food offerings is the “test brewing” that Yasu-san has continued to conduct behind the scenes of innovation in a traditional industry. Since taking over the company, Mr. Yasu has experimented with various methods, such as actively using bacteria used in industries other than miso and soy sauce, and adopting technological applications from other industries. These unprecedented experiments led to the discovery that the company’s own special brewer’s yeast strains produce a large amount of umami. Furthermore, many of the yeast strains used in miso brewing are said to be halophilic, meaning that they are active in environments where salt is present. However, this yeast is not only halophilic, but can also live and work without salt, and is a special type of fungus capable of producing nearly 6% alcohol. The yeast, which was discovered through 10 years of trial brewing, was named “Viamver® ” and will be presented at the “Japanese Society of Brewing Science and Technology” in 2020, and will be present in 2022. In 2022, the company was granted a patent for the existence of the microorganism and a manufacturing method for fermented products using the yeast. Using this new yeast, the company has succeeded in converting it into a new fermented seasoning and in brewing natural wine with Viamver® yeast. Currently, the company is also capable of producing bread, butter, and cheese. Furthermore, they are challenging the possibilities of Viamver® yeast by brewing natural beer and doburoku using the same yeast.

Beyond Tradition and Innovation

Yamamo Garden Cafe offers full-course meals using Viamver® yeast not only for meat and fish dishes, but also for desserts and drinks. The company sees pairings and course meals using a single yeast as a new possibility for fermentation, and is working to create an auberge that invites people from Japan and abroad. The brewery offers tours of its atmospheric brewery to give visitors a glimpse of the history of the brewery. He also invites visitors to learn about the evolution of fermented seasonings through cooking while admiring the beautiful garden. Mr. Tai believes that these experiences will help the brewery to remain in people’s memories for a long time and to be loved by them. This is because he believes that the essence of inheriting and passing on the ideas of his predecessors, who have spun out a long tradition, is to remain in people’s memories. Mr. Yutaka adds new scenes to the traditional brewery one after another. He hopes to revitalize the community by fusing tradition, which demands “staying the same,” with innovation, which requires “creating something new,” and hopes to weave a new tradition in the area where he was born and raised. We cannot wait to see what innovations he will continue to bring to the Yamamo Miso Soy Sauce Brewery, and how far its products will go beyond the boundaries of traditional industry.

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Akita’s traditional sake brewery has been in business for over 300 years

Yokote City in Akita Prefecture is the third most heavily snowed area in Japan. The long winter lasts forever under a cloudy sky, and the snow covers the fields, mountains, and towns in a blanket of white. However, deep snow is not only a bad thing. The harsh environment for people also seems to be inhospitable for bacteria, which brings clean, stagnant water to the breweries. Hinomaru Brewery was founded in 1689, the year Matsuo Basho set out on his “Okunohosomichi” (The Narrow Road to the Deep North). The brewery was named “Hinomaru” after the Akita feudal lord Satake, whose crest was “Hinomaru” on a five-pronged fan. In 1943, the brewery was forced to close down due to a wartime business development order, but in 1948, it received permission to increase its basic production volume to 400 koku, reviving a 300-year tradition that continues to this day.

From the street, the Hinomaru Brewery building looks like an ordinary sake brewery, but when you enter the building and pass through a narrow alley-like passageway, you will find a large, solid-looking brewery waiting for you. The name of the brewery is “Gutai,” said Joji Sato, the second-generation head of the brewery after its revival. The town of Masuda in Yokote City has a long history of sericulture and leaf tobacco production since the Edo period (1603-1868), and in the Taisho period (1912-1926), it prospered from the Yoshino Mine. The town’s prosperity also enriched the merchants, who built zashiki warehouses and bunko warehouses in the houses with large lots. In the Hinomaru Brewery’s innards, pillars made of solid material are embedded in the walls. All the pillars are made of Aomori hiba (Aomori cypress), and they go all the way up to the second floor, so they must have cost a lot of money,” said Sato, amazed at the extravagant construction of the warehouses of the time. The extravagant design has a somewhat modern feel to it. The well-balanced combination of the old and the new seems to represent the sake of Hinomaru Brewery.

Hinomaru Brewing” is the result of the needs and thoughts of the brewery’s employees.

Hinomaru Brewery offers more than 60 varieties of sake, including its core brand, “Manzaku no Hana. Mansaku no Hana” is the title of an NHK TV series that was broadcast in Yokote City, Akita Prefecture, in 1981, and is also the name of a flower. The name was given by the first generation of the family. As in the drama, “Hinomaru,” which had been the main brand up to that point, was kept as the main local brand, and the brand for the Tokyo metropolitan area was divided into two separate brands as “Manzaku no Hana” (flower of flowers). Currently, 90% of the company’s sales are accounted for by “Mansaku no Hana.

With a wry smile, the company’s eldest son, Managing Director Koji Sato, explains the increase in the number of items . Of course, the increase was not merely in the number of labels. Sixteen types of rice are used, including Akita Sake Komachi, Kame-no-o, Gin-no-Sei, and Yamada-Nishiki. In addition, there are 16 types of yeast and 10 types of koji, so in order to produce many variations, the number of ingredients is also large. The small-lot production also creates diversity within the “Mansaku no Hana” series, with the “Junmai Daiginjo” releasing a full fragrance, and the “Junmai” carefully fermented at a low temperature, balancing acidity and spiciness and delivering a beautiful sensation down the throat. The sake brewer, a long-established brewery with a history of more than 300 years, must have had deep feelings for “local sake” while pursuing new sake to be enjoyed by sake lovers across the country. It is one of the pleasures allowed to sake connoisseurs to be able to drink up the sake with the story of the brewery and the flavors that have been painstakingly created by changing the methods and tastes of each sake. On the other hand, one thing that has remained unchanged over the past 300 years is the belief that no amount of ingenuity will work unless the ingredients used to make the sake are good. With this philosophy in mind, Hinomaru Brewery continues to brew sake for the enjoyment of many people today, using high-quality underground water from the Ou mountain range and sake rice grown with great care by contract farmers. Hinomaru Brewery’s sake can be purchased at the brewery’s direct sales office or online, and tours of the brewery are also available.

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Asamai Sake Brewery, which focuses on sake brewing starting with rice cultivation / Yokote City, … The Yokote Basin in Akita Prefecture, known as the largest basin in Japan, is surrounded by majestic mountains and is one of the largest breadbasket regions …

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Iburi gakko” was born out of nostalgia for iburi pickles.

Yuzawa City is surrounded on all sides by mountains and is known for its heavy snowfall.Winter comes early and lasts long.It is said that this has given birth to a unique culture of making pickles.The raw material for Iburi Gako is white-necked local daikon radish harvested in the fall.It is not suitable for raw consumption because it is long, pure white, tight, and spicy with little water content, but it is the best material for iburigakko.The Yuzawa area in the southern inland region of Akita Prefecture has an early snowfall and very few hours of sunlight due to its mountainous location.When trying to make takuan pickles, a common winter preservation food, it was necessary to hang the daikon radishes from beams inside the house to dry them, as drying them in the sun was not enough to remove the water content.A sunken hearth was located below, and the fire and smoke took the place of the sun.The strong acid from the smoke sterilized the surface of the daikon and improved its preservation.The strong acid from the smoke sterilized the surface of the daikon and enhanced its preservation.Yoshinobu Kimura, the representative of Kimuraya in Ogatsuno, says with a smile, “Iburi pickles may be the product of such a coincidence.

Iburi pickles are said to have originated as far back as the Muromachi period (1333-1573).The method of pickling varied, and each household had its own taste, which was passed down from generation to generation.However, with the spread of wood-burning stoves in the Showa period (1926-1989), the hearths in many homes decreased and iburi-zuke disappeared.In 1963, Kimuraya established a pickles shop in Yuzawa, taking advantage of the climate and ingredients suitable for making pickles.At first, Kimuraya made pickles of wild vegetables and kasuzuke (pickles with sake lees), but then Kimuraya began to receive calls from people who longed for the tsukemono pickles that had disappeared.Kimuraya began the challenge of recreating and commercializing the family tradition of iburi-zuke.From there, he went through many days of trial and error in order to recreate the fire in the sunken hearth.He discovered that by burning carefully selected hardwoods and drying them over an open fire, he could create a sweet smoky aroma that reminded him of the nostalgic hearth fire, which is unique to Iburi pickles.The smoked daikon is then quickly dipped in rice bran, salt, and pomelo sugar.The Iburi pickles, which are a Kimuraya family tradition, are named “Iburi Gakko” because pickles are called “Gakko” in Akita, and have become a favorite of many people.

Western-style arrangement using “Iburi Goko

The use of coarse sugar for pickles is also a method unique to this area.Yuzawa City once had the “Innai Ginzan” (silver mine), which was said to be the largest silver mine in the East, and the area was prosperous in its own right, so it was easy to obtain sugar, which was a luxury item at that time.This situation helped the use of sugar in pickles, and it became a standard method of production in Akita.The same logic applies to both sugar and salt: osmotic pressure pushes water out of the daikon radish.The difference is whether the flavor is sweet or salty.Kimura says that the reason why people say that iburigakko is easier to eat than ordinary pickles is because the use of sugar gives it a mellower taste.
After pickling, the fish is matured for more than 60 days.When the lactic acid fermentation begins in the barrel, the sound of “kopopop, kopopop” begins to be heard.Finally, the Iburi Gako is ready.
Iburi gakko is now known throughout Japan as a representative flavor of Akita.Iburi gakko has its origins in the “simple taste.There are many delicious foods in the world.I would be happy if people could try something simple like iburigakko once in a while and feel nostalgia,” says Kimura.
Recently, many people have been trying various ways to eat iburigakko, such as with cheese, in risotto, and in ochazuke (rice with green tea).People who like Iburi gakko tell me, “It was delicious when I ate it this way,” he says.
Iburi gakko is a product of the unique environment of Akita’s inland region of heavy snowfall.This winter, too, it has been maturing in the cold snowy country, quietly waiting for its perfection.

The post Smoke and pickle “Iburi Guko” grown by heavy snowfall “Ogatsuno Kimuraya” / Yuzawa City, Akita Prefecture first appeared on NIHONMONO.