Fluffy Shaved Ice

“Please have a taste.” A bowl of ”kakigori”(Japanese-style shaved ice) was served. You could feel the fluffy, not slushy sensation as soon as the spoon was dipped into the ice. “It’s like cotton candy”, commented Nakata. “When we use natural ice instead of ice from an ice-making machine, even ”kakigori” as fluffy as this doesn’t melt so easily”, says Yuichiro Yamada of Yondaime Koriya Tokujiro. This fluffy “kakigori” has been introduced on television and in magazines. It is so popular that in summertime, people line up in front of the shop. Yondaime Koriya means fourth generation ice vender. As the name indicates, Yondaime Koriya Tokujiro makes and sells natural ice. Unlike ice made by ice-making machines, natural ice made from mountain runoff water drawn into a pond and frozen by cold air in the open nature, is rich in minerals. The minerals give the water a subtle sweet flavor. But the biggest distinction of natural ice is its clarity. Unlike the opaque machine-made ice, the block of natural ice that we saw was so clear that you could almost see the other side.

Ice with Daily Lines

“We get lines like these in natural ice”, Yamamoto pointed out. There were actual lines in the ice. The lines are equivalent to annual lines in trees. “A line marks a layer of ice, freezing overnight. The next line is the part that froze during the next evening. ”Instead of annual lines, daily lines are carved in natural ice. Natural does not mean that ice can be left alone on its own. It needs to be nurtured and cared for daily.

Snow is the biggest enemy in making natural ice. When a blanket of snow covers the frozen pond, cold air cannot reach the ice. This prevents ice from becoming clear. And so, whenever it snows, snow must be ”shoveled”. Snow is shoveled away with quick motions throughout the large ice pond from end to end. Yamada says that he is quite anxious during the snowy season. On the day of our visit, a thin layer of ice was being shattered to be flushed away. By doing so, impurities are removed from the ice pond, making the ice clear. Nakata helped out with this routine, which was hard work. Using a long rod with a claw on the end, pieces of ice were drawn close and shattered. Ice is “nurtured” attentively by repeating such actions.

Passion Moves Minds

At present, there are only a few companies that produce natural ice in all of Japan. Although ice making was a popular business in Nikko from the olden days, there are only three businesses left. In 2006, former owner Yoshiara considered closing Koriya Tokujiro due to old age. But Yamada had a strong desire to preserve the culture of Nikko, and asked Yoshiara if he could succeed the business.

“I refused and said this job is too tough” recalled Yoshiara who showed up at the end of our visit. “But you let him succeed in the end. Why?” asked Nakata. “Uh, well, he was persistent.” Yoshiara laughed. In spite of being turned down many times, Yamada did not give up and visited Yoshiara repeatedly.

Yamada wished to preserve the culture of Nikko. But Yoshiara as a craftsman knew that work could not be succeeded without solid determination and passion. It took some time for the two to agree, but what brought the two minds together was “passion”.

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A nostalgic Japanese house

The countryside of Minamiuonuma-shi becomes a snowy landscape during the winter. There stands a heavy structure with thatched roof. This country house was built in 1872. The scenery is nostalgic even though it is unfamiliar to you. A thick pillar and majestic beam, ”ranma” decorated with carvings, the interior with antique nuance, all give the feeling of good old days in Japan. There is a 1500 year old zelkova tree on the premise which have quietly watched over visitors throughout the years. The food made from seasonal ingredients are delicious and carries a warm comforting ambience for the guests.

The luxury of having seasonal ingredients

The course starts with jellied water shield, followed by boiled chrysanthemums, green onions and Japanese ginger with miso dressing, Japanese yam roll, grilled char, so on and so forth. An array of dishes rustic yet flavorful are served. Nakata’s favorite dish was the rice. “”The rice itself is good, it is cooked so that the rice is plump. It’s probably how it is cooked,”” said Nakata as he continued to eat. He was the first person to go for seconds. “”We try to use seasonal vegetables as much as possible, such as mountain vegetables in spring, home grown organic vegetables during summer,”” says the proprietor Naoko Nagumo. “”What is the secret to cooking rice? Could you give me a tip that anyone can replicate at home?”” Nagumo answers, “”Wash rice quickly and soak in water sufficiently. Use good tasting water. It is also important to let the rice stand and let settle after it is cooked.”” I hope the readers will try this.
Not only can you enjoy a meal but you can also stay at Keyakien. You can relish seasonal ingredients and delicious “”sake”” made in Niigata as you appreciate the scenery of each season. When you wake up after a good night’s sleep, you can enjoy breakfast accompanied by delicious rice. One will thoroughly be satisfied with the luxurious time spent at Keyakien.

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Enjoying ”Fukuton” at Tonton-Hiroba

Although not many people know about the pork brand called ”Fukuton” from Hayashi Farm, which is located near Mt. Akagi, it is gaining popularity for its great taste. The fat contained in this pork seems to melt in your mouth, leaving a clean after taste.

The fram opened a restaurant called ”Tonton Hiroba” to try to spread the word about this delicious pork. When Nakata and the staff visited the restaurant, they were served fried pork cutlet, shabu-shabu, and many other pork dishes. Nakata started with the fried cutlet. He said it was very delicious and invited his staff to try some as well as he moved on to the next dish.

Besides these dishes, processed foods such as sausages and hams are available. Their prosciutto received the Monde Selection gold-prize, and their hams and sausages have been awarded many prizes in meat contests around the world, including a contest in Germany. These awards certainly endorse the good taste of the pork.

Learning and experiencing about food

The restaurant not only cares about the quality of their pork. They also care about the vegetables they serve. They either grow the vegetables themselves, or purchase them from contracted farmers. Their policy is to serve food that is safe and healthy, so they disclose the origin of their ingredients.

At ”Tonton Hiroba,” they have experiential programs where participants can experience harvesting crops, learn about foods, or see and touch small pigs. They want visitors to not only enjoy eating, but also enjoy the total experience. These activities will be certainly effective in expanding brand awareness for ”Fukuton”.

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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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Raising Ukokkei in a natural environment

The best selling product at ”Kanazawa Ukkokeian” is ”Ukokkei Castella” made with “ukokkei (silkie fowl) eggs. The castella is not too sweet, moist and very rich.
Learning that ”Kanazawa Ukokkeian” breeds their “ukokkei” in a special way, we requested a visit to their facility. “Ukokkei” are said to be more difficult to breed than chicken, and they also lay fewer eggs. 1 fowl lays only about 40 to 50 eggs a year. Their coop is built adjacent to a bamboo forest and the “ukokkei” are free to roam about, pecking at worms or moving about freely.
The chicks are raised in a clean environment in a separate facility for about 250 days after hatching.
”The feed is all organic, and since we do not feed them any drugs, they need to be kept in a clean environment to avoid disease.” Kawachi, the president told us.

Eggs with a rich and thick flavor

The price of the precious eggs is 500 yen per egg. Nakata treated himself by eating raw on rice. He was surprised at how hard the shell was and how difficult it was to crack. Though the eggs are small, the yolk is large, with the rich “umami” being concentrated in the yolk. This is indeed a lavish treat.
“Ukokkei” eggs have a characteristic of being rich and thick. Therefore when whipped, the egg white becomes very fine and airy, creating a rich flavored smooth-textured castella cake. Besides their famous castella cakes, ”Kanazawa Ukokkeian” also makes both Japanese and Western sweets such as pudding, Baumkuchen, etc. They also sell side dishes made with “ukokkei” eggs and the eggs themselves.
Their products are among one of the favorites as Kanazawa souvenirs, but we highly recommend you have a taste for yourself before giving them all away.

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A Place of Interest in Kyoto

There are many theories regarding the word ”kaiseki”, however the popular theory is that it derives from a Zen monk putting a hot stone (onjaku) inside the inner layer of his kimono (Futokoro） to ease his hunger. ”Kaiseki cuisine” relates to this story as a light meal taken with tea. Another word pronounced the same but written differently with another Chinese character, kaiseki ryori is a meal taken with sake. There are many landmarks that reflect Kyo culture in the city of Kyoto, and ”Kyo Nanzenji Hyotei” is one as well. It was founded more than 400 years ago as a rest house for travelers. It is situated just by the main street of Nanzenji, and the appearance still takes on the traditional style, where they have a bench, straw sandals, straw hat, and water jug just as it would have 400 years ago.

Enchanting Hospitality

The tea houses of Hyotei are all Japanese traditional tearooms, built apart from each other. Guests are able to enjoy their meals in refined lit rooms, listening to the soft ripples of the undulating water in the garden full of beautiful greenery. The oldest tea house, ”Kuzuya” was built more than 400 years ago. You will be entertained by the solemn ambience inheriting the tradition that have existed through the manners, atmosphere and the served dishes. The annex is built in a more casual setting with a choice of either dining on Japanese style tatami mats or at the table and will be served the Shokado bento box or the famous ”Morning rice porridge”. The secret recipe to their signature ”Hyotei egg dishes” are only handed down to one person in the next generation. Kyo vegetables from contracted farmers are used in each of the dishes, such as the Kamo egg plants, Shogoin turnips, Tanaka chili peppers, adding gracefulness. All these things put together can be enjoyed in addition to their generous hospitality. ”We will continue doing what we do best in our own modest way, offering the finest of Kyoto cuisine while remaining true to our traditions and preserving the philosophy of the tea ceremony.” as quoted from Hyotei’s website. You need to actually experience the harmony of their cuisine and ambience of the facility to be truly impressed as ”Kyo Nanzenji Hyotei” has been so for such a long time throughout the generations.

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“Regular Classic” Convinces Gourmets

Katsura river flows at the foot of Arashiyama Kyoto. On the right hand shore near Matsuo bridge is the renown ”Tempura Matsu”. There is a large lantern with the word ”Tempura” hung by the entrance, to greet the customers. It is a famous restaurant, where gourmets of Kyoto frequently visit repeatedly. It started off as a restaurant specializing in tempura, but now mainly serves kaiseki cuisine and course dishes.

Creativeness Stimulates Appetite

Their creativeness does not limit itself to authentic Japanese and uses herbs and bechamel sauce to stimulate appetite. In the summer, somen noodles are decorated on a plate made of ice. Seasonal tempura is tilefish, wakasagi, mixed tempura of sakura shrimps and asparagus. The intense natural flavor of vegetables are drawn out just perfectly. The famous season icon hamo, is said to be the best when they have been caught after they grow in waters during the rainy season, is also served ingeniously. Fresh ingredients served in original style is appealing to their regular customers. Lunch course start from 5000 yen. Why not pay them a visit on your next trip to Arashiyama. They will welcome you with their big lantern.

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“Food” Links Producers to the Consumers

Izumisawa Farm is a pig farm as well as producers of rice. They used to share excess pork that they couldn’t consume themselves with their neighbors. Soon with the neighbors’ encouragement, they started to produce ham and sausages to be sold. It has been 25 years since they opened their store, now with a restaurant as well.
As this was the sequence of events to their opening, their quality of pork is outstanding. At Izumisawa Farm, all their pigs are fed with inhouse produced feed, and they take a full month more than average to raise their pigs. This way, they can raise marble meat, sweet and savoury. Obviously with this meat, what else can you expect than delicious ham?
”Baaku” holds an autumn annual event called the ”Syoku no Ranhansha”with neighboring producers and restaurants. Participating producers serve dishes using the ingredients they raise, have workshops dismantling pork, etc. A good opportunity for producers to meet their consumers. Participants have been on the increase, with 2000 people gathering last year. Ham made from pigs that are raised in the vast pasture at the base of Mt. Kongo. Enjoy a taste of this delicacy yourself.

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Appreciating old Japanese-style houses

An old Japanese-style house standing on the street close to Hase Temple. You may miss it as you enjoy strolling in the countryside. ”Ichinyoan” is a ”soba” shop using an old renovated Japanese-style house that was built 150 years ago. The interior is modern and simply designed, which is another appealing feature of the shop.
The ”soba” buckwheat is milled inhouse and thus has strong fragrance. The ”soba” noodles are cut very lean and narrow, making it easy to slurp down. ”Soba” can be enjoyed once in your mouth and then when it slides down your throat.
Another popular dish that is served is the ”shojinzen”. Fresh vegetables are elaborately prepared, a treat for the eyes as well as for the palate. There are customers that pay a visit just for this ”shojinzen”. It is advised to make a booking in advance.
Inside, besides seats on the tatami mats, there are table seats, but the seats on the porch are highly recommended. Enjoy the view of the garden while you enjoy your meal with a sip of ”sake”. Get a little drunk and then your senses will wake up, stimulated by the aroma of the ”soba”. What a treat!

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The famous pasta

The Italian restaurant ”Siesta” is so famous that when people want to eat pasta in Wakayama, they say ”Eat here!”. The restaurant is always filled with customers, and is very busy.
It started as a cafe 9 years ago. When they started, the pasta dishes were the most popular, so they reopened as a pasta specialty restaurant. Certainly, once you try the chewiness of fresh pasta, it is to crave for.
The sauce which uses a lot of local ingredients from both the ocean and the land, is also part of the appeal.

Ultimate sweets made from local ingredients

Next to the pasta restaurant, there is a dessert specialty shop, ”Astro Siesta”. Their cheesecake is very popular. People make long lines to buy this cheesecake, so you have to go very early in the morning and line up or they will be sold out. It is the same when they sell at famous department stores.
It is thick and quite sweet. But it is not heavy. This taste comes from high quality ingredients acquired locally, such as free range eggs from Makiba ranch in Oishi plain, honey from mandarin orange flowers of the Nishibayashi apiary, and thick milk from Kimura Ranch. This store is a must visit when visiting Wakayama.

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