Mamma Farms Rice

The earth is warming, and Japan is no exception: during the first 100 years of the 20th century, the average temperature in Japan increased by about 1°C. In Tokyo, the average temperature rose by about 3°C during the same period due to the heat island effect, and the trend has not changed since the 21st century. In Tokyo, the heat island effect has caused the average temperature to rise by about 3°C over the same period, a trend that has not changed since the 21st century. As a result, it is said that areas suitable for rice cultivation have shifted from lowland areas known as rice-producing regions, such as the Shonai Plain in Yamagata Prefecture and the Ishikari Plain in Hokkaido, to inland high-cool regions such as the Hida region in Gifu Prefecture, northern Nagano Prefecture, Gunma Prefecture, and Minami Uonuma in Niigata Prefecture.

Some people ask, “Is it still possible to grow rice in the high mountains? Some people say, “Can you still grow rice in the high mountains? But I have a feeling that it is becoming popular among rice lovers,” says Tatsuki Kobayashi, a rice farmer in Gifu Prefecture, near the Alps. Kobayashi is the owner of ” Mamma Farm, ” a small village in Takayama City, Gifu Prefecture, near the Alps, that continues to win top prizes in national rice competitions year after year. Originally a fattening cattle farmer, he switched to rice farming with his friends because it seemed like a better way to communicate with end users. The specially cultivated rice “Inochi no Ichi” produced by Mr. Kobayashi and his colleagues is moderately chewy and sticky, and has a surprisingly rich sweetness, which is evident even after the rice has cooled. Some people say that one bite of the rice “overturned their concept of rice. Yukimanma,” another hot rice variety from Mamma Farms, has a cloudy white color like glutinous rice when milled, and is gaining popularity because it is more sticky than ordinary Uruchi rice and does not lose its taste even when cooled. Even when eaten unpolished, the rice has a strong sweet taste and chewy texture, and has won awards at competitions.

Why Rice Cultivation Succeeded in Hida Takayama

But why did Mr. Kobayashi, who has little experience as a rice farmer, succeed in Hida Takayama, which is not well known as a rice production center? One reason is that Mr. Kobayashi and his group of farmers started rice farming using only organic fertilizers and minimal use of pesticides in order to protect the village, which had been cultivated by their predecessors and nurtured into soil suitable for rice cultivation. That they naturally gathered together a group of like-minded people who wanted to protect the insects and the natural environment and produce safe and secure crops. In addition, the environment was cool at night even in summer, which allowed the rice to breathe well and not consume excessive amounts of starch, which facilitated the slow and concentrated flavor of the rice. The clean soil, moderate hours of sunlight, and mineral-rich snow-melt water flowing from the Northern Alps are all factors that add up to produce delicious rice. In 2013, Mr. Kobayashi launched the ” Hida Takayama Delicious Rice Project ” in order to share the know-how of rice cultivation and pass it on to the next generation. Together with other volunteers, he aims to realize sustainable agriculture that continues to produce high value-added, safe, and secure rice, and to train future generations.

The name “Mamma Farm” is said to reflect the wish that “the rice is just as it is in nature, just as it is in life. Mr. Kobayashi hopes to continue to convey the importance of taking life, which the Japanese people have long cherished, through the act of eating rice. In today’s society, where trends change quickly, and smartphones are flooded with a vast amount of information, it is difficult to focus on one thing at a time, making it especially difficult to remain steadfast in what one is doing. Mr. Kobayashi is a Hida native who believes in working diligently and honestly, and he is dedicated to rice farming. Just like the many artisans who support Japan’s rice cultivation, the back of a person who can love nature in a natural way is a very big person.

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In a corner of a historic inn, time that had stood still has begun to move again at “sugino… Naraijuku is located in the south of Shiojiri City, Nagano Prefecture. The old post town, which was one of the eleven Kiso inns along the Nakasendo route fro…

The post Phantom rice grown in a high-cool climate with large temperature differences, Mamma Farm, Mr. Tatsuki Kobayashi / Takayama City, Gifu Prefecture, Japan first appeared on NIHONMONO.

Auberge is a French word that refers to a restaurant with accommodations in the suburbs. In Japan, French cuisine became popular during the high-growth period, and auberges began to open in rural areas in the 1980s, in the midst of the bubble economy. The difference between an auberge and a hotel is that an auberge is a facility where meals, not lodging, are the objective. The best part of an auberge is that you can taste the local ingredients and rest comfortably because it is basically located in a place rich in nature.

Taste the food and rest well in Gifu

Auberge Genju opened in August 2020 along the Seseragi Kaido (Seseragi Road), which connects Hida Takayama and Gujo Hachiman in the northern part of Gifu Prefecture and is famous for its autumn leaves. The hotel is located in the “Furusato Park” in Kiyomi-machi, Takayama City, Gifu Prefecture, a mountainous area at an elevation of 800 meters above sea level. The dome-shaped paramodern building with a beautiful curved roof clad in red rust warmly welcomes guests. The concept of “paramodern ” was proposed by Shuhei Endo, one of the internationally acclaimed contemporary architects who designed this auberge. The characteristic design of corrugated steel plates (a corrugated building material) is in harmony with the surrounding mountains and river while maintaining functionality to withstand large amounts of snowfall, and the texture and aroma of the Hida cedar and cypress used abundantly in the building provide a high quality of comfort. The hotel is located in the Hida area of Hida City.

The foundation of the hotel is “Shokugaku”, or the enjoyment of food.

Owner Nobuhiro Kojima’s concept of cuisine is “shindo fuji. He carefully selects ingredients from the nearby cities of Takayama, Gujo, and Gero in the hopes that his customers will become healthier by eating seasonal ingredients from the land. He makes numerous trips to the production sites, and based on the words of the producers and his own experiences there, he creates dishes that are full of nourishing flavors to nourish the body and soul. The basis of his cuisine is “Shokuraku,” a food culture advocated by Masatake Fukumori, a potter at Doraku Kiln, an Iga pottery kiln that has been in operation for seven generations in the village of Iga, Mie Prefecture, and is known as the “Rosanjin of our time. He walks in the fields and mountains, listens to the whispers of nature, picks trees and flowers and arranges them, and enjoys cooking according to the season. Eat well, drink well, laugh well, and sleep well. In order for guests to experience “Shokuraku,” a redefinition of Japanese food culture, I needed to understand the essence of the bounty of this land better than anyone else. And so, at Tokuyama-zushi, one of Japan’s leading Japanese-style auberges, he continues to learn from the owner, Hiroaki Tokuyama, how to deal with the local climate and ingredients, embodying “Shokuraku” on a daily basis.

The next day, after a peaceful sleep after being satisfied with dishes using mountain delicacies, wild game, and river fish nurtured in nature-rich Gifu Prefecture, the murmuring of the Maze River and the air created by the mountains stocked with natural beech forests will lead you to a refreshing awakening. This is an exceptional experience that will bring a sense of “peace” to a mind and body exhausted by daily life. The special cuisine and travel experience in a secluded place will give you a precious time away from the hustle and bustle of the city and the notifications on your smart phone to come back to yourself.

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Smoke stretches to Hida mountains “Curnontue” 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,…

The post Auberge Genju, a modern architecture in Hida Takayama, Gifu, Japan first appeared on NIHONMONO.