Oishii#19 ebook

ISSUE 19 October-December 2018 MCI(P)021/08/2018

Nyuto On

O nsen’s

trail

Finding bliss in Akita’s famous hot spring town

A touch of

MAGIC

Fab flavours by Spago Singapore’s Chef Greg Bess

THE

Sweetest THINGS

Preserving the autumn harvest’s best treats

Sips, snacks

and so much more

Cheers to our fave izakaya hotshots

Be our OISHII member for FREE and get exclusive benefits!

I baraki

Prefecture

IBARAKI, is Japan’s number one producer of melons.

ASAHI Melon is a famous melon in IBARAKI.

Sweet and juicy

ASAHI MELON

from Ibaraki will be available in Singapore in October!

NUMAJIRI SANGYO CORPORATION 783-12 ENOKIDO TSUKUBA CITY IBARAKI 305-0853 JAPAN m-toyoda@numajiri.co.jp (Mr.Toyoda)

contents

02

A feast for fall Celebrate the harvest season, with its abundance of fresh produce and peak

04

08

flavours.

Food fairs for autumn

10

12 16

with flavour and nutrition.

The healing waters of Nyuto Onsen Delectable culinary offerings

Tantalise your taste buds at

and hot spring baths—what’s

these events in Singapore

not to love at this hot spring

and Japan.

village in northeast Japan?

Drinking for the sake of it

31

More Singaporeans are wants to cater to them.

Embracing the flavours of the world

Bending towards the future keeping a woodcraft

32

tradition alive.

Eat, drink and be merry

A new dish at Spago Singapore

Indulge in a variety of bar

is inspired by Japanese flavours

bites and alcohol at these

and ingredients.

izakaya venues.

The dish pictured on the cover is specially prepared by Chef Greg Bess.

16

Meet one of the few artisans

enjoying sake and one hotel

10

Sweet like sugar Dried treats that are packed

36 38

That’s a wrap!

Planning to give a present?

Wrap it with cloth.

Have a rice day

32

More ways to love this staple food, as these recipes show.

31

1

opening notes

A feast for

Fall

Autumn is truly a spectacle for the senses and the season for satiating all of your cravings.

T

he feel of a cool, crisp day, after a sweltering summer. The crunch of leaves underneath your feet. And the bright hues of a stunning season— leaves once green now ablaze in vivid red, orange

A Postcard from Japan OISHII reader Kash Koh shares with us his favourite memory of autumn in Japan. He says, “Though the Biei Blue pond was man-made to protect the nearby village from a volcanic eruption, the river that fed it turned it blue. Thanks to this unexpected act of nature, the pond is a magnificent sight.”

2

beautiful is Takayama’s Hachiman Matsuri harvest festival, famous for the giant gilded floats that contain karakuri dolls and are decorated with paper lanterns.

DELIGHTS FOR THE PALATE So what can you find during the harvest season? This is the best time to enjoy the shun or peak freshness and flavour of the abundant fruits and vegetables, such as apples, persimmons, grapes, sweet potato and pumpkin.

One autumn fruit is yuzu or Japanese citron. The zest is beloved for its distinctive aroma, used in clear broths, suimono (clear soup) and chawanmushi (steamed egg custard), or mixed with sauces to make a dip (yuzu ponzu) for dishes such as shabu shabu.

Other autumn vegetables at their peak flavour include the smoky-flavoured matsutake (pine) mushrooms, which can be notoriously expensive, but are often favoured in a simple soup known as matsutake dobin mushi. Pumpkin is another delicious autumn produce, seen in snacks such as deep-fried, sweet and crispy pumpkin croquettes (kabocha korokke), and in dishes like pumpkin curry.

But the staple ingredient during this time is, of course, rice and many people look forward to the arrival of the first harvests of rice, or shinmai. This “new rice” is said to be moister, sweeter and softer than the rice harvested all year round.

And what is made from rice? Why, sake, of course!

Autumn is the traditional time for rice wine, as sake is brewed in winter, pasteurised and aged in spring and summer, and ready to drink in autumn. Two limited-edition, seasonal brews are hiyaoroshi and akiagari, which are traditionally matured to be released in autumn. Hiyaoroshi is pasteurised only once and has a fresh, balanced taste; akiagari is pasteurised twice and is noted for a milder, more mature flavour.

Whichever you choose, you can be sure of their distinctive taste. Check out our annual Oishii Kanpai! sake event this issue for more about sake. Enjoy!

TEXT DENYSE YEO

and gold.

These are the clearest signs of autumn in Japan, when the temperature dips and the humidity lifts. Ardent fans of the season would have checked out the official fall foliage forecast, hunting down the best spots for koyo (autumn leaves). The koyo season usually starts in mid-September in Hokkaido and continues southwards towards Kyushu.

Besides scouring for koyo, the Japanese also celebrate the most important aspect of autumn — the harvest. One seasonal sight that is no less lovely than koyo is otsukimi, or moon gazing. Japan’s version of the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival, this tradition is marks the harvest moon and gives thanks to another successful seasonal harvest.

Matsuri or festivals are held during autumn to celebrate the bounty of the land. One of the country’s most

Oishiisg Instagram Contest Share your goodness with OISH And stand a chance to win

II today!!!

a Canon EOS M100 (Worth

The 16th shot starts now!!! The contest

will end on 1 December 2018,

$799)!!!

5pm (Singapore time)

CANON EOS M100 (WORTH $799)

<HOW IT WORKS>

, etc...) an (eg. food, places, people, culture Jap ut abo like you t wha of tos pho #oishiicontest19 Step 1: Take you like on Instagram with the tag as tos pho y man as ad uplo and Step 2: Get creative

9. ine vol.20, issued on 1 January 201 gaz ma HII OIS on ced oun ann be Winners will ails. ail or phone on prize collection det em via ted tac con be will s ner win All

CONGRATULATIONS! This photo was taken at the Motonosumi Inari Shrine, the last stop of our day trip in Yamaguchi.

The shrine is well-known for its 123 red Torii gates that overlook the Sea of Japan. Many believe that a walk through the tunnel of red gates will bring good luck!

- blackramen The entire composition of this photo is very impressive and the contrast of the colors are also beautiful. The person jumping in the picture looks like floating in the air, and it’s very neat happening in the space! Well done blackramen! – OISHII editorial team

HOTARULILY

RUNNERS UP

THE FINALISTS

Congratulations to the 2 winners!!

They will each walk away with vouchers worth $100.

bryan.tws

yagizaneo_photography

hanamelia007

sharonauyong

citylex

the12thstoreypictureroom

<Terms and conditions>1.Please do not post any photographs that are obscene, vulgar, pornographic, hateful, threatening, racist, sexist, discriminatory, or which otherwise violate any local or international laws. 2.You must be the copyright owner of any works submitted and you also confirm you have the necessary permission from people who may appear in the photo.

3.Photos uploaded to the contest cannot be deleted and may remain published. 4.By entering this contest you agree that any winning image or runner-up images you submit may be used by OISHII magazine solely for the purpose of this contest or future contests and no other purpose. 5.The judges’ decision is final and they do not engage in communication with regard to entries.

6.Prizes are subject to availability and OISHII has the right to substitute any prize for a comparable prize of equal value without prior notice. 7.This contest is currently open to residents of Singapore. 8.OISHII has the right to vary or amend the terms and conditions of this contest.

For updates on the contest, please visit our Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/oishii.magazine) By entering this contest, you are deemed to have understood and agreed with the terms set out above.

yagizaneo_photography

bryan.tws

events

Food fairs for autumn

The season’s harvests bring their own special flavour to these food and drink events in Japan and Singapore.

Hokkaido Fair in Yoyogi 2018 5 to 8 October 2018

TOKYO, JAPAN

In Tokyo and can’t make it to Hokkaido? No sweat. This huge annual outdoor food event at Yoyogi Park will feature more than 100 vendors selling, count them, over 400 food dishes from Hokkaido. It’s a foodie lover’s dream come true, with specialities such as seafood, sashimi, ramen and even melon ice cream all in one place to check out.

TOKYO, JAPAN Tokyo Ramen Show 2018 25 October to 4 November 2018

Odawara Oden Fesival 6 to 7 October 2018

Held at Odawara Castle Park, this speciality food festival is for oden fans. The Japanese dish consists of different ingredients, such as konjac, daikon (radish), eggs and fishcakes stewed in a light dashi broth. Although different regions offer different oden ingredients, the festival here will offer the famous plum miso made from plums from the local area.

CHIBA, JAPAN

This exclusive trade show is aimed at those keen on importing Japanese food and beverage products. With more than 600 Japanese F&B companies looking for export opportunities, the fair promises to be an exciting event indeed, if last year’s success is anything to go by. In 2017, more than 1,500 international food importers and buyers visited the show, and over 20,000 food items were showcased.

4

OSAKA, JAPAN

Take part in western Japan’s largest food business exhibition, in association with Osaka Restaurant Management Association. Don’t miss out—learn about the latest trends in the industry, from food services to home-delivered meals, and keep abreast of the newest products, menus and solutions.

KANAGAWA, JAPAN

Japan’s Food Export Fair 10 to 12 October 2018

The World Food and Beverage Great Expo 2018 23 to 25 October 2018

The biggest ramen event in Japan celebrates its 10th anniversary in a big way. Slurp on 36 different regional ramen dishes as well as unique collaborations by famous ramen shops. Only the best ramen shops are allowed to take part and you can vote for your favourite ramen at this 11-day event held at Komazawa Olympic Park.

Food Japan 2018 25 to 27 October 2018

SINGAPORE

Specialising in Japanese food and beverages, this exciting trade show promises to showcase some of the most authentic Japanese ingredients and food available, along with culinary techniques and equipment. There will be cooking demos and classes as well. Discover Japanese ingredients, seasonal produce, regional specialities and much more at this wide-ranging exhibition, which aims to bridge F&B businesses in Japan and ASEAN.

Japan Nabe Festival 30 November to 2 December

TOKYO, JAPAN

Dedicated to the popular Japanese stew named nabe, this three-day event at Hibiya Park will see vendors from all over Japan present their versions of the dish.

Expect crowds: Last year, more than 280,000 people turned up to feast on nabe and enjoy performances by comedians, street performers and more.

Sake

Celebrate the Day of together, Kanpai!

Did you know that 1 October is World Sake Day(Nihonsyu no hi)?

Scan QR code for past OISHII KANPAI! event video!

First celebrated in 1978, after declaration by the Japan Sake Brewers Association. By now, it’s celebrated not only in Japan, but all over the world. There are some reasons why the date of 1 October was chosen.

First, this date marks the start of new sake-brewing season that lasts all the way till April the following year. And as the beginning of Autumn, it also happens to the best season to sample a variety of sake when spring’s young brews mellow and start to become more complex, as the variety known as Hiyaoroshi or Akiagari.

As the 5th round of OISHII KANPAI!, we have done KANPAI! with many friends and partners last five years at many different venues in Singapore. It’s really our pleasure to see more Sake lovers spreading Sake culture widely with joy here. For this year, we are proud of having a partnership with Millennium Hotel Group again bringing more than 30 different kinds of Sake to you to taste. Many of the Sake labels are presented in Singapore as the first time. So why not, please join the event and KANPAI! together!

Join us for our 5th anniversary event

OISHII KANPAI! 2018

Free flow premium sake + Singapore local delight buffet ▶ Date: Monday, 1 October 2018 ▶ Time: 7pm to 9.30pm (Door open 6.30pm) ▶ Venue: Grissini, Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel Singapore Website: http://www.celebrateatgcw.com/aspx/grissini.aspx Address: G/F Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel Singapore, 392 Havelock Rd, Singapore 169663 Tel: 6233 1100

▶ Ticket price: S$120nett Oishii member: S$100nett

For more ticketing details, log on to https://oishiikanpai2018.peatix.com Singapore River

Kim Se ng

GRAND COPTHORNE WATERFRONT HOTEL SINGAPORE

kK

im

St

ad

Ro Jia

Sign up as an OISHII member to get promotion code!

Zion

Hav

eloc

kR

Road

oad

events

Drink To This!

Let’s

Sake culture is growing by leaps and bounds in the world. Find out what’s all about celebrating the Day of Sake. a new sake brewing season lasting all the way till April the following year. October also marks the start of autumn, a time when spring’s young brews mellow and start to become more complex.

Coincidentally, the Japanese character for sake, 酒, contains 酉, the chicken, which happens to be the 10th animal

101

Sake Appreciation

Ready to venture into the wonderful world of sake? This guide will get you started.

Before the first sip …

1. Take note of the sake’s colour and transparency.

Sake connoisseurs usually use a wine glass or a glass with “legs” to help evaluate the colour of the sake.

2. Take a big whiff.

Different sakes have different aromas, including a fruity aroma known as “ginjo-ka”, and the rich aroma of aged sake.

Tasting notes The taste of sake is usually evaluated on the following scales: Sweet/dry, rich/light, with/without umami. Generally, the

6

sign in the zodiac thus corresponding October’s numerical order.

OISHII has organised and supported KANPAI! events in Singapore since 2014. Join our OISHII KANPAI! event at Grissini, Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel, or at any associated restaurants to find out more about sake!

more acidic the sake, the less sweet it tends to taste. Sakes with a high amount of alcohol, sugar, acid, or amino acids will have a rich flavour. However, do take note that sakes with a high amount of amino acids (which give them that umami flavour) tend to taste rather unpleasant if they have been aged.

Warm or cold?

It usually depends on individual preference but as a rule of thumb, ginjo-shu, which has fruity aromas, is best enjoyed cool. Aged sake with high acidity is usually more delicious when served warm (at temperatures of no more than 45 degrees Celsius), while sakes with light and delicate flavours should be drunk at cooler temperatures of about 35 degrees Celsius.

TEXT GRACE YEOH

E

very 1st October, the sakeloving world celebrates World Sake Day (Nihonshu no Hi).

First celebrated in 1978, the occasion was declared by the Japan Sake and Sochu Makers Association (JSS) for a number of reasons.

Firstly, this date marks the start of

Kanpai!

Let’s KANPAI together at our associated restaurants on 1 October!!!

Each restaurant will provide one complementary cup of sake at Kanpai time!

Monzushi Singapore Sumire Yakitori House

Kanpai Set $40nett

Kanpai Set $18.80++ (U.P.$25.20)

KANPAI! Time 8pm Opening hours 6:30pm-11:30pm Address 13 Neil Road Singapore 088810 Reservation Necessary Tel 6227 7088 Website http://www.monzushi.com

KANPAI! Time 7.30pm Opening hours 5pm-10.30pm (LO. 10pm) Address 80 Middle Road #01-88/89 Singapore 188966 Reservation Walk-in Tel 6338 9963 Website http://www.sumire.com.sg

House Sake(Hot or Cold) + Edamame + Takowasa + Salmon Skin

3 kind of assorted appetizers + Japanese Sake

Tommy’s Sake Bar

Echigotei

KANPAI! Time 8pm Opening hours 11:30am -2:30pm / 5:30pm-9:30pm Address 182 Cecil Street #01-09, Singapore 069547 Reservation Walk-in Tel 6203 5457 Website http://www.tomisushi.asia

KANPAI! Time 8pm Opening hours 3pm-11:30pm (LO. 11:15pm) Address 35 Cuppage Road Cuppage Terrace S229459 Reservation Walk-in Tel 6333 4633 Website http://www.tomisushi.asia

Takeda Shoten

Kazu Sushi Grill Sake

KANPAI! Time 8pm Opening hours 12pm-2:30pm / 4:30pm-10:30pm Address 1 Tras Link #01-08 Orchid Hotel Singapore 078867 Reservation Walk-in Tel 6444 0880 Website http://www.takeda-shoten.sg

Tsukune Ichigo

KANPAI! Time 8pm Opening hours 6pm-11:30pm (LO. 10pm) Address 399 River Valley Road Singapore 248295 Reservation Walk-in Tel 6736 1340 Website https://www.facebook.com/TsukuneIchigo.sg

KANPAI! Time 8pm Opening hours 11:30am-2pm / 6pm-10pm Address 5 Straits View #01-14 Marina One The Heart Singapore 018935 Reservation Walk-in Tel 6282 8141 Website https://www.facebook.com/KazuSushiGrillSake

JUN Oden & Sake Bar

KANPAI! Time 8pm Opening hours 7pm-11:00pm Address 150 Orchard road #02-21 Orchard plaza S238841 Reservation Necessary Tel 9625 1224 Website https://www.facebook.com/JUNSAKEBAR Check out our Oishii Kanpai facebook page for more detail informations

7

interview

Drinking for the Sake of it

Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel Singapore General Manager Cheong Hai Poh talks about Singaporeans’ growing love for sake.

C

M

Y

The Oishii Kanpai! event, which is into its fifth year, will be hosted by Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel Singapore.

8

MY

restaurants, he adds. Today, Singapore is one of the top seven importers of sake.

“As more Singaporeans travel to Japan, they have also become more exposed to different types of sake and their tastes have become more sophisticated. Younger drinkers in the 25-35 age group are now going to cocktail bars to try mixed and flavoured sake in the world.”

Keen to cater to the changing tastes of this discerning clientele, Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel Singapore is now working on introducing its own sake offering at the Tempo bar.

“We want our guests to enjoy sake, whether they are popular ones that are easy to drink, more classic ones or even cocktails. We also want sake to be paired with our heritage food, like a bowl of laksa. Drinking sake with food brings out a different flavour in the food compared to wine.”

To generate awareness of the beverage, the hotel is hosting the annual Oishii Kanpai! event that will see sake brewers and distributors showcasing their offerings at the hotel’s Italian restaurant, Grissini on 1 October—which marks the first day for brewers to prepare new sake in the coming year.

“With this event, we hope to bring in new varieties of sake and also different methods of tasting. For instance, we might have blind tastings that can create more excitement for the audience!”

Scan QR code or log on to https://oishiikanpai2018.peatix.com for more OISHII KANPAI! 2018 ticketing details.

CY

CMY

K

TEXT FRANCIS KAN

A

s a three-decade veteran of the hospitality industry, Cheong Hai Poh’s first love on the job was housekeeping, but over the years the General Manager of Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel Singapore has developed a keen interest in the tastier food and beverage (F&B) side of things. Most recently, his taste buds have been piqued by the elegant flavours of sake.

He says: “My first job in the industry was working part-time at Orchard Hotel in housekeeping. I gained a lot of knowledge from the experience; l learnt about fabrics, the quality of the bedsheets and most importantly, about the people I worked with. It was what first got me excited about my career.

“My experience with F&B started when I became a management trainee at Orchard Hotel and helped to open Hua Ting, which is one of the most famous Chinese restaurants in Singapore today. I asked the chef from Hong Kong a lot of questions and what I learnt was enough to write the menu!”

After that, Mr Cheong moved around to different roles, from front desk to catering sales, but he always had a nose for the latest trends in F&B, which—together with the rooms—he describes as the body that holds together a hotel. What he noticed about 10 years ago was the fast-growing popularity of Japanese food and, consequently, sake.

He explains: “In the ’80s and ’90s, Japanese food was considered a very expensive fine-dining cuisine, but it has since become more accessible with more restaurants opening.

This trend has also helped to promote Japanese culture here.”

Sake has also become more popular as more Singaporeans become exposed to it through Japanese

CM

artistic

creation

flavours of the world Embracing the

CHEF GREG BESS Chef Greg Bess is the 38-year-old Chef de Cuisine of Spago Dining Room by Wolfgang Puck. He trained at the Le Cordon Bleu culinary school in Pasadena, California, before joining the original Spago in Los Angeles in 2004 at the age of 23. After three years, he was promoted to Sous Chef.

Six years later, he moved to Singapore to help set up the steakhouse, CUT by Wolfgang Puck, as the Executive Sous Chef. He crossed over to Spago Singapore when it opened in 2015. Bess loves Southeast Asian cuisine and is fascinated by local flavours—when he first came to Singapore, he fell in love with kaya, or coconut egg jam, and laksa, which led to the creation of Spago Singapore’s laksa spring roll.

Spago Dining Room by Wolfgang Puck is located at Sands SkyPark, Tower 2, Level 57 Marina Bay Sands, 10 Bayfront Avenue. Tel: 6688 9955

10

TEXT SITI ROHANI PHOTOGRAPHY RAYMOND TOH/VINEYARD PRODUCTION

“S

pago has always been about embracing different influences. Just as Singapore is a great cultural mash-up, so is Los Angeles, which is home to the original restaurant.

We’re surrounded by many different cultures, flavours and cooking styles.

The binchotan-grilled mackerel with pickled cucumber is inspired by Japanese flavours and ingredients. I wanted a dish that was a little heavier on the palate for fall, which was why I chose the oilier mackerel. However, I also wanted to have some balance in the menu and provide options that won’t make you feel like you’ve overindulged.

The dish took about four months to perfect. I started with the idea for the sauce, but I didn’t know what to pair it with. Then we got this amazing fresh spotted mackerel from Japan. It’s grilled on binchotan charcoal to impart a rich, smoky flavour, which went perfectly with the sauce. But it needed something else, and we found that pickled cucumbers were the perfect foil for the deep umami of the sauce and the fish.

The sauce is dashi-based, fortified with caramelised fish bones and leeks. It has a slight smokiness from bonito flakes, and the parsley and seaweed puree gives it a vibrant green colour.

The pickled Japanese cucumbers have been marinated with ginger, vinegar and soy sauce. Then I add daikon, mint and baby shiso leaves, mustard flowers and seagrass. I finish it off with drops of miso and orange oil. Even though the colours make it look like a dish meant for spring, the richness of the dashi and smoked fish makes it very savoury and autumnal.”

n g i a p m a c p i h s r e b m e M I I H S I O Join our and win fantastic pr izes!

Gift 1

Promotion period:

from now till 31st October 2018, by 5pm

20 lucky winners who sign up as a new OISHII member during January promotion period will stand a chance to win a packet of

2kg Japanese rice from Fukui Prefecture. *Winners will be announced on 1 November 2018. Other T&Cs apply.

Gift 2

Promotion period:

Sponsored

by ThinkRice

1st till 30th November 2018, by 5pm

Stand a chance to win a $100 voucher valid at Shunjuu, Koji Sushi Bar or Echigotei, highly rated Japanese restaurants in town, when you sign up as a new OISHII member during November promotional period. We have 10 vouchers to give away!

*The choice of either one of two restaurants is arranged by OISHII, vouchers are not interchangable, and winners will be announced 1 December 2018. Other T&C apply.

KOJI SUSHI BAR

SHUNJUU

ECHIGOTEI

Hurry now and sign up at https://www.oishii.sg/member/ to win prizes!!! *Prizes are only applicable for residents of Singapore.

■ OISHII member benefits 1. Get exclusive information

Receive our OISHII newsletter to be informed of our Japanese seasonal events and Japanese culinary culture bi-weekly. You can also get free news alerts, promotions at F&B outlets, delicious DIY Japanese recipes and more!

2. Special events

Specially for OISHII members,we will be organising regular events and seminars in the near future. Watch this space!

3. Join the community Meet like-minded people and learn more about Japanese food and culture.

■ Follow us on Facebook and Instagram

We post about Japanese food, culture and eateries in Singapore. So follow our Facebook and Instagram page, and be one of the first to know about it! *Join our Instagram contest and win a Canon EOS M10! See Page 3 for more details. https://www.facebook.com/oishii.magazine/

“OISHII” ‒ a magazine dedicated to the many culinary and gourmet wonders of Japan, from Singapore to the World.

Instagram: @oishiisg

Subscription

OISHII magazine subscription is available for delivery to Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand.

For more enquiries, please email to: oishii@mediajapan.sg

MEDIA JAPAN PTE LTD Cover1 Oishii18_Summer 2018 to NPE_Denyse-r1.indd

1

2018/06/14

9:55:43

ROC: 200308937E Address: 4 Leng Kee Road #04-12 SiS Building Singapore 159088 Advertising Enquiries: +65-6748-1822 Email: oishii@mediajapan.sg Fax: +65-6748-6133 http : / / w w w. as i ax . biz http : / / w w w. oish i i.s g

COUNTRY

ANNUAL FEE

Singapore

S$ 30.00

Malaysia

S$ 60.00

Indonesia

S$ 90.00

Thailand

S$ 90.00

*GST (7%) is not included in price above.

flavours

Sweet like sugar

If there is one season for foodies to look forward to in Japan, it is autumn, when the sticky heat and humidity of summer lifts and cooler, crisp weather arrives.

12

TEXT DENYSE YEO

T

he Japanese believe this season stimulates the appetite and inspires people to cook over a hot stove again.

Autumn is even known as â&#x20AC;&#x153;the season for eatingâ&#x20AC;?, especially with the abundance of seasonal ingredients.

At the markets during this time of the year, aki no mikaku, or the delicacies of autumn, are aplenty.

Think delightful fresh produce that tastes best during this time, such as crunchy chestnuts, honey-sweet persimmons, hearty sweet potatoes, earthy mushrooms and plump, nutty pumpkin.

Because of the abundance of these autumnal foods, people preserved them for winter, when fresh produce would not be available. For instance, drying food, such as sweet potatoes and persimmons, in the sun preserved them, reduced the amount of moisture that would otherwise allow harmful microorganisms to spread, and helped to enhance the flavour.

Beyond preserving foods for the winter months, these dried sweet foods like hoshigaki (dried persimmons) and hoshi imo (dried sweet potatoes) also have a long history as a substitute for sugar. Before sugar production began in Japan in the early 17th century, hoshigaki and honey were the only types of sweetening there. Even the white sugary powder on the surface of hoshigaki and hoshi imo was once a prized sweetener all those centuries ago.

These days, these preserved sweets are still beloved by many Japanese, young and old, despite the popularity of Western-style sweets and desserts. Like many people around the world, the Japanese enjoy these dried foods for their sweet taste as well as for their nutritious benefits, such as dietary fibre, minerals and antioxidants.

There are now almost as many types of dried foods in Japan as there are of fresh produce. Still, some of the most traditional sweet preserves of autumn are chestnuts in syrup (kuri no kanroni) and, of course, hoshigaki and hoshi imo.

These can be eaten on their own and are also used as ingredients in Japanese traditional sweets called wagashi.

Kuri no kanroni W Sweet like sugar

hen autumn arrives, kuri (chestnuts) begin to ripen, ready to be picked. Kuri is a favourite flavour of the season, long cultivated in Japan as a staple food for centuries. Today, some Japanese still go hunting for chestnuts in the forest. Kuri are usually eaten roasted, steamed, baked or cooked with rice.

But the bounty of kuri in autumn can also be seen in a wide variety of Japanese sweets. One of the most popular is kuri no kanroni (candied chestnut compote), whole, peeled chestnuts that have been preserved and bottled in syrup. The mustard-yellow hue of these jewel-shaped chestnuts is all natural and traditionally comes from simmering the chestnuts using dried gardenia pods. The syrup itself is light and sweet, made from barley malt (mizu ame) instead of regular sugar.

Kuri no kanroni is used in many types of wagashi that are eaten throughout the year as well as in red bean paste desserts. One popular wagashi that uses kuri no kanroni is mizu yokan, a chilled red bean jelly dessert with chestnut that is eaten in summer.

Many people also enjoy eating kuri no kanroni on their own, especially as a treat for osechi, the traditional

New Yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s meal in Japan. Another favourite is as a New Yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s dish called kuri kinton, or mashed sweet potatoes with chestnuts.

Considering the work that goes into peeling and simmering whole chestnuts, kuri no kanroni can be quite expensive. You can find them in Japanese supermarkets.

But do note that these are quite different from another type of chestnut confection, the Japanese-style marron glacĂŠ, or candied chestnuts, that are much sweeter than kuri no kanroni.

Small bottles of kuri no kanroni hold about a dozen of these petite chestnuts. After opening, keep refrigerated in their syrup and use within one month. Treat yourself to kuri no kanroni by eating them on their own with a dessert fork or spoon. The chestnuts are sweet enough and do not need to have the syrup from the bottle poured over them.

13

Hoshigaki

B

right orange with glossy skin, persimmon is a popular autumn fruit in Japan. Deliciously juicy and naturally sweet on its own, persimmon is also a favourite seasonal snack when it is peeled and dried. Known as hoshigaki, dried persimmon is a treasured delicacy because of its intense sweetness. Besides Japan, dried persimmon is found in China, South Korea and Taiwan too.

The traditional Japanese process of making hoshigaki is remarkably laborious and timeconsuming. Whole shibugaki (bitter persimmons), too bitter to be eaten on their own, are first peeled then hung and air-dried for several weeks. These fruits are then gently massaged every few days until the tough inner pulp is softened. The hoshigaki is ready to be eaten when the pulp is set and the sugars in the fruit form a white, frost-like dusting on the surface.

The result of this hard work is an acorn-shaped dried fruit that is loved for its caramel-honey taste and gelatinous texture. Unlike many types of dried fruit, hoshigaki is succulent, chewy and moist. It also has an intensely sweet, persimmon flavour, along with complex notes of gingerbread and cinnamon.

Because of this beautiful flavour and sweetness, hoshigaki is a favoured ingredient in wagashi. The Japanese even have a saying that good wagashi should not be sweeter than hoshigaki as anything sweeter would be overwhelming and unrefined. Hoshigaki is also used as an ornament in traditional Japanese New Yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s decorations as it is associated with good luck and longevity.

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no wonder that dried persimmon is so popular in Japan. Many Japanese even make their own hoshigaki. Drive through the countryside in autumn, and you will see pretty strings of hoshigaki hanging to dry under farmhouse eaves, where they will get plenty of sun and breeze and are protected from the rain.

Instead of making your own, you can find hoshigaki in fruit shops and department stores, either on ropes or in small plastic packages. Different regions of Japan also have their own type of hoshigaki, so check them out when you are visiting the country during this time. Eat it on its own as a snack or savour it with green tea.

14

Sweet like sugar

S

atsuma imo (Japanese sweet potato) tastes very different from the variety of sweet potato found in Singapore. With its high water content, satsuma imo is very sweet, with a smooth and creamy texture when cooked in simmered dishes or as tempura, or simply roasted.

Satsuma imo is also used in traditional Japanese confections, such as hoshi imo, or dried sweet potato. The Japanese have long loved to eat hoshi imo. Some experts say that the practice of drying sweet potatoes first started in the 18th century and grew in popularity during the Japan-Russo War of the early 20th century, when soldiers would eat it as a snack.

Ibaraki prefecture, northeast of Tokyo along the Pacific coast, is by far the largest producer of hoshi imo in the country today. Ibaraki produces about 80 per cent of dried sweet potato, which are then sent all across the country. Its cold, dry climate and fertile soil help to produce some of the best satsuma imo for drying in Japan.

Making hoshi imo is simple yet time-consuming, and does not require any chemicals. Harvested satsuma imo is first steamed, peeled and sliced, then sundried for about a week during the colder months. Like hoshigaki or dried persimmons, hoshi imo is ready when the sugars from within come to the surface like a white dusting.

Nibble on a long, thin slice of hoshi imo, and you

will find a sticky, slightly chewy texture similar to dried mango, with a chestnut-like aroma and a sweet, intense flavour. Dried sweet potatoes are also nutritious as they have no cholesterol, and are rich in vitamins B2, C and E, potassium, and dietary fibre.

In Japan, you can buy many kinds of hoshi imo, although the most popular is the simple, sliced variety.

Many supermarkets and convenience stores sell them.

You can eat hoshi imo on its own as a tasty, nutritious snack. It goes perfectly with a cup of great tea too. Some Japanese also enjoy toasting or grilling hoshi imo before serving to bring out its sweet potato flavour. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s enough to make you want to eat hoshi imo over and over again!

Hoshi Imo

15

feature

Nyuto Onsen The Healing Waters of

TEXT MATTHEW FAM PHOTOGRAPHY KATSUHIKO SATO

T

16

o experience the wonders of hot springs and delectable mountain produce, we’re travelling to northeast Japan in Akita Prefecture. Nyuto Onsen Hot Springs Village (nyutoonsenkyo) is home to a tapestry of ryokan onsen (a Japanese inn with hot spring baths) dotting the lush beech forests.

Although the countryside is often difficult to get to, Nyuto Onsen Hot Springs Village is hardly inaccessible—after landing at Haneda Airport in Tokyo, hop on a 3-hour bullet train ride to Tazawako station. The village is just a further 30-minute drive and is located in the southern region of Towada Hachimantai National Park.

Overlooking the natural bounty of Akita is Mt. Nyuto. At 1,400m high, it is said to resemble the elegant silhouette of a reclining lady. Apparently, the tip of this mountain resembles a nipple—hence its name. You can even catch a glimpse of the spectacular mountain range as you trek from one onsen ryokan to the next.

The mountainous region is famous for its locally-grown Akitatomatchi rice, used in a local delicacy called kiritampo; and from her largesse, pure spring waters that provide catchments of Japanese yamame trout and iwana char. Mt. Nyuto’s spring waters also nourish its surrounding greenery and support a lavish ecosystem of flora, such as matsutake mushrooms and yamanoimo (a mountain yam potato)—these are some must-have autumn ingredients in your trip to the Japanese heartlands.

But it’s not just the region’s culinary offerings that will win you over. Nyuto Onsen Hot Springs Village is a union of seven ryokan onsen, each with their own unique features, ranging from traditional tatami mat rooms dating back to the 1600s to modern facilities fit for a family stay. We recommend visiting a series of them to get a more rewarding experience.

And let’s not forget its star attraction: the glorious hot spring baths! Whether you’re looking for smooth skin that friends will envy or cures for ailments, these healing waters will reinvigorate your city-worn body. Within each ryokan, there are even baths with varying mineral and colour profiles, so don’t forget to try them all. Multiply that by seven, and you’d be well on your way to becoming an onsen connoisseur!

Turn the page to discover more about this beautiful, must-visit region!

Ganiba Onsen Ogama Onsen Magoroku Onsen Tsurunoyu Onsen Kuroyu Onsen Taenoyu Tsurunoyu Annex Yamanoyado

Nyuto Onsen Kyukamura

Nyuto Onsen Lake Tazawa

17

feature

Bounty

Nature’s

Many ingredients used in Akita’s cuisine are sourced from the prefecture’s mountains and lush, fertile lands.

A

stay in any one of Nyuto Onsen Village’s ryokan will pamper you with scrumptious local delights.

At Tsurunoyu Onsen, you’ll get to enjoy one of the mountain region’s culinary treasures—Yamanoimonabe (mountain potato soup). In this dish, you’ll relish a comprehensive variety of Akita’s produce.

Its main ingredient is Yamanoimo, a mountain “potato” (it actually belongs to the yam family!) that’s larger, darker and coarser-skinned than your average household variety. Many chefs in Akita make use of this ingredient to make the special potato balls stewed in Yamanoimonabe. We speak to one of them from Tsurunoyu: “After removing its skin, we slice and then mash the Yamanoimo. We don’t use

18

regular or sweet potatoes because their starch breaks apart when boiled and this doesn’t give the balls a firm structure. The potato balls are then kept in the fridge overnight to maintain their shape. Next, we add them in boiling water without adding extra seasoning. They have a fresh taste and chewy texture,” he shares.

The soup is stewed with other fresh produce from the region: shimeji and enoki mushrooms. At Tsurunoyu’s dining rooms, you’ll also get to enjoy Iwana fish cultivated from Sendatsu River. Sendatsu’s clean and clear waters are said to give the fish a mild, pleasant taste without any strong, fishy odours. Joining this medley of flavours is a healthy portion of sliced burdock root and fresh mitsuba (a type of wild Japanese parsley).

For a taste of carb heaven, look no further than Japan’s famed rice variety, the Akitatomachi. Fluffy and mildly sweet, this short-grained rice is a premium selection that’s usually harvested from endSeptember. We’re told that November yields the best harvest, so to taste the freshest batch, visit the region in the following months. The region’s famed rice is also used to make Kiritanpo, a hollow, cylindrical tube made from mashed rice. Traditionally, it is toasted on a skewer over fire or soaked in broth.

Here, you get to enjoy the steamed rice in a bowl, or through another one of Tsurunoyu’s specialities—deep-fried Akitatomachi rice balls stuffed with burdock, shiitake and dashi. So order up a pot and savour the best of Akita’s produce!

Tsurunoyu This cultural gem dates back to 1638!

At 380 years old, Tsurunoyu Onsen is not just the oldest onsen in the village; it also has a local myth to boot. According to folklore, a hunter named Kansuke spotted a flock of cranes (tsuru) healing their wounds in the spring waters of what is now Tsurunoyu. Since then, the place has become a prized spot. In 1701, the grand old dame began its operations as a ryokan for hot spring treatment.

While these rooms lack the sleek furnishings of Tsurunoyu’s premium options (think high ceilings, elegant interiors and sliding doors that open out to private streams), the exquisite view more than makes up for it. Be sure to book them well in advance, though. Mr. Sato tells us the centuries-old quarter is the most popular of the lot.

These rooms are rich in history

Water way to go!

Each nook and cranny of this cultural gem unfolds into quaint alleys of well-preserved buildings and river landscapes. The magic happens right at the entrance—the row of buildings flanking the entrance path was part of the onsen’s original structure in the 1600s.

So keen is Tsurunoyu on architectural integrity that its maintenance workers have to change the roofs’ pampas grass and beech bark covering every four to five years! “To preserve the landscape’s authenticity, we even installed underground cables instead of electrical poles,” shares Mr. Kazushi Sato, chairman of the Tourism Association of Senboku City and owner of Tsurunoyu.

At Tsurunoyu Onsen, you’re spoilt for choice with up to four classes of spring waters across 11 baths. “Black” water warms you up and is said to improve fertility, whereas its “white” water counterpart improves skin texture with its high sulphur content.

To ease your urbanite pressure, try the onsen’s Nakanoyu water.

Found in small baths, the water mitigates symptoms of stress. Lastly, check out the Utase section, where a stream of water falls from an elevated area, providing a massaging effect on your shoulders, back and waist.

Mr. Kazushi Sato, the owner of Tsurunoyu.

Try Tsurunoyu’s original sweet delights!

From left: morokoshi, warabi tataki karinto and vanilla ice cream.

Yamanoyado annex is just a stone’s throw away!

While there are several annexes within Tsurunoyu Onsen, don’t miss Yamanoyado close by. It houses 11 rooms and An, a dining hall that is open to the public during lunchtime (try their Yamanoimonabe!). Another must-try dish is their speciality recipe—deep-fried Akitatomachi balls stuffed with burdock, shiitake mushrooms and dashi.

Check out our OISHII TV on YouTube for the awesome video clip!

19

Kuroyu feature

Mrs. Ikeda shows us the onsen’s special boiled eggs. And don’t forget Kuroyu’s original merchandise—kawaii!

It’s photo ops aplenty as you walk through Kuroyu Onsen. Don’t miss its dramatic hot spring fields too!

E

stablished in 1674, Kuroyu Onsen is one of the oldest ryokan among the association of seven. The place is steeped in history—it was initially opened for Lord Satake of the Edo period (1603-1867), and even went by a different moniker.

Mr. Yasuhisa Ikeda, CEO of Kuroyu Onsen, tells us its original name: Kamenoyu (turtle clan). “We changed it to Kuroyu, which means black hot springs,” he says. “Kuro means ‘black’, but also sounds like kuru which means ‘calm’ and ‘come’. This auspicious double meaning prompted the name switch,” says Mr. Ikeda. The third-generation owner has been CEO of Kuroyu for 18 years now.

Mineral goodness in every tub Unlike other onsens that irrigate hot spring waters from a long distance, Kuroyu’s virgin spring waters are located on-site.

“Kuroyu Onsen is located deep within Nyuto Onsen Village, so it’s close to the mountains and two hot spring sources. Thus, we have a rich amount of hot water,” shares Mrs. Yoshiko Ikeda, okami of Kuroyu Onsen.

This means the mineral content of Kuroyu’s baths is more potent. You can even feel this as your feet grazes the thick, muddy layer at the bottom of the tub!

It’s not just the mineral content of spring waters that soothe your tired body. At Kuroyu, you’ll also find a unique water massage feature in one of its indoor baths. There, you sit on wood stumps in the bathing area as a narrow,

20

elevated stream of spring water falls on your back like a calming massage. Next, proceed to the outdoor baths for a close encounter with nature, be it under a blanket of stars or surrounded by lush greenery.

Your Instagram-worthy shot As you stroll through the complex, don’t forget to snap away at Kuroyu’s dramatic yubatake (hot spring fields at over 90 degrees Celsius). You might even catch a glimpse of yumori (onsen manager) using their long poles to stir and distribute nutrient-rich sediments from the bottom of these pools!

The yubatake don’t just make for a social media spectacle—they’re natural heaters too. In them, you’ll find hoses irrigating spring water from the mountaintop to Kuroyu Onsen. As these hoses pass through the yubatake, the water that passes through is naturally heated and used within the facility.

Check out our OISHII TV on YouTube for the awesome video clip!

Budget or bungalow, a stay at Kuroyu is a must!

There are a variety of accommodation too—you’ll find traditional tatami rooms, beds in the newly-renovated wing and even a secluded bungalow originally built for the emperor’s brother! Guests who include seasonal set meal plans during their stay are treated to two meals per day, prepared by local housewives using local ingredients.

Looking for an economic option? Stay in the 16-room annex recommended for longer, recuperative stays. These cost S$50 per night, excluding meals and room service.

Taenoyu Live it up in luxury with this ryokan onsen’s girlish, whimsical charm.

T

aenoyu is the classy pick of the pack with its luxurious interiors and stunning room views. Plus, with a whopping eight baths—each with its own spring water properties— you’ll get a myriad of health benefits at your disposal.

Usually, baths are either designated as male-only or female-only.

But at this onsen, the baths switch designations during scheduled times of the day. Couples can even enjoy the privacy of outdoor, mixed baths under a blanket of stars at night.

Afterwards, treat yourself to Taenoyu’s impressive kaiseki-style dinner. During autumn, their kinoko-jiru (assorted mushroom soup) is especially popular!

Pamper yourself in the gold and silver baths Aptly named the gold and silver baths, these outdoor pools could very well be fit for royalty. After all, it was awarded “Best Outdoor Bath in Japan” for winter! You get to soak in its healing waters amid nature’s backdrop of a roaring waterfall and majestic river landscape.

The gold bath gets its moniker from the reddish hue caused by iron deposits. This lustrous onsen has an acidic pH value of 2.9 and is known to alleviate rashes and dry skin. Ladies who long for smooth and supple skin, this is the place for you! Feeling stressed from the bustle of city life? A dip in Taenoyu’s silver pool is your answer—it soothes away anxiety and insomnia.

A spiritual connection Taenoyu’s indoor pools are just as glamorous— the first thing that strikes you is its luxurious wood panelling, natural light from an air vent and a soft glow that lends a moody elegance to this hot spring. It even comes with wooden racks for you to recline on as you soak up the nourishing waters.

You’ll also find an ancient stone relic that is hundreds of years old. It has a faded pattern of spirals and dots carved on it. It’s said to be a praying stone for mountain water—proof of the historical and spiritual relationship between nature and the Nyuto Village people.

Sumptuous kaiseki-style dinner

Check out our OISHII TV on YouTube for awesome video clip!

21

feature

Kyukamura Nyuto Onsen

It’s the best of both worlds— where modern amenities meet traditional onsen!

I

f the breathtaking circuit round Nyuto Onsen Village leaves you craving for modern amenities—don’t despair.

Nyuto Onsen Kyukamura is an oasis of modernity in rural Akita; it’s the answer for those seeking a retreat, while enjoying the spoils of a modern-style hotel.

Founded in 1967, the onsen was initially named after Lake Tazawa to leverage the famed landmark’s status of being the deepest in Japan. But in 2007, the establishment swopped its former title for the present homage to Mt. Nyuto.

It’s time for a family vacation!

If you’re worrying about the logistics of a family vacation within the depths of Akita’s mountains, you’re in luck— Kyukamura is a convenient base camp and a great first stop. After all, chartered buses leave Tazawako train station to Kyukamura once every hour from 6.50am to 5.30pm.

Itaya zaiku (Itaya bark craft)

Colourful yukata to choose from for your stay

22

Check out our OISHII TV on YouTube for the awesome video clip!

The establishment has 38 rooms on three floors decked with in-suite toilets (three of them have showers), so it’s convenient for the wheelchair-bound or elderly. Families can also enjoy activities like craft workshops and—for adults—sake-tasting sessions.

Amenities galore And did we already mention its modern facilities? Ranging from a spacious lobby to lounges, you’ll feel nestled in modern-day comforts as you overlook the majesty of Akita’s wilderness.

Plus, their dining hall has a comprehensive spread of Western cuisine and local delights. If you’re looking for authentic Akita delicacies, look no further—try their Kiritamponabe (kiritampo soaked in warm, comforting broth).

Hike to your heart’s content Nature buffs will also be delighted to know there are daily hiking tours conducted at various timeslots from 7am. Among the four different treks available—spanning from 30 to 90 minutes in duration—you’ll get to view scenic beech forests and small rivers from Mt. Nyuto. The stream waters are so clear, you’re even welcome to take a sip from its waters!

Have it both ways Kyukamura doesn’t stint on offering guests an authentic experience just because it’s equipped with hotel-like facilities. Its gender-segregated onsen comes with three baths each (two indoors, and one outdoors) and is fed by two spring water sources, so you get to pamper your skin with a variety of water profiles.

Akitainu soft ice cream

Sake tasting corner

Ogama

Will Soothe Your Wearied Feet Its complimentary foot baths make this a well-deserved rest point for hikers!

H

iking around Nyuto Onsen Village can take a toll on your tired feet, so why not try out Ogama Onsen’s complimentary foot baths? Just a 10-minute soak in this tub can uplift your energy, improve blood

circulation and skin conditions. We’re told that the owner discovered this foot-bath concept 14 years ago from Nagano Prefecture.

Since then, he installed a row of them for the community to enjoy.

Located in the southern part of the Nyuto mountain range, Ogama Onsen is largely made from exquisite cedar wood— a construction material that’s conserved and rarely used today.

In 1977, the owner acquired an abandoned primary school building and brought over the entire wooden structure

before reconstructing it at its current site. The establishment even maintains the old school signs! In homage to the building’s scholastic roots, you’ll also find a shrine outside with a statue of Kinjiro Ninomiya, a renowed farmer’s son who studied hard and became a respected lord in the Edo period (1603-1867).

The four onsen here are evenly split between male-only and female-only baths, so there’s enough to go around.

Check out our OISHII TV on YouTube for awesome video clip!

Venture Into The Mystique Of

Magoroku This elusive ryokan is a hidden gem within Nyuto Village’s beech forests.

I

f a rustic village by a dramatic river is your idea of an Instagram-worthy shot, then snap away at Magoroku Onsen.

Established in 1906, it is the only ryokan not accessible by car, so you’ll have to walk approximately 18 minutes from the nearest bus stop to catch this stunning sight.

Magoroku’s healing waters are known to offer a string of health benefits like improving one’s longevity, fertility, stomach and intestinal problems, and cuts. According to its owner, Mr. Magosuke Taguchi, local myth has it that a couple, who didn’t have children for many years, finally conceived

after a dip in the onsen!

Its seemingly magical qualities are also said to predict the weather! The springs turn a darker, foggy hue when bad weather looms, and—as if by some mysterious force—turn clear when the sky tames.

“We often get mountain trekkers who drop by our onsen for a night’s stay while touring the onsen of the region,” shares the fourth-generation owner, who is 91 years old.

And it’s no surprise why—the hiking trail to Mt. Nyuto is just a stone’s throw away.

Mr. Taguchi’s favourite season?

Springtime, he shares with a smile on his face.

“Springtime is my favourite season here. It’s when bamboo shoots and mountain vegetables sprout.” These small, thin shoots are commonly used in freshly-cooked dishes at the ryokan too.

Check out our OISHII TV on YouTube for awesome video clip!

23

feature

Ganiba

Named after the river crabs, this haven is a home away from home.

I

t all began when a doctor discovered a miraculous hot spring by a stream in 1847. Hence, Ganiba Onsen (translated as “river crab onsen”) was established. During summer, you’ll find river crabs frequenting its nearby steam.

Today, you can retrace the doctor’s footsteps as you stroll behind the building’s beech forests in your yukata. Keep your eyes peeled for the hot spring by the stream—that’s where the original discovery was made! The unisex pool has sulphur-packed, clear waters—a rare combination, according to our guide— to rest your travel-worn bodies.

Flower of the onsen Yunohana, otherwise known as “flower of the onsen”, is a white sediment found in Ganiba’s hot springs.

From far, these thread-like deposits create the appearance of delicate petals floating in the hot springs.

It’s a tell-tale sign that this onsen is rich in sulphur. “The waters in our bathing pools are near the source of the hot spring, so they are rich in minerals.

The mineral content in these waters oxidise to form these ‘flowers’,” shares its okami, Ms. Misako Kikawa.

A series of six other baths are accessible through a sheltered walkway leading to the building’s annex.

These pools are fed by three hot spring sources, so their water profile varies.

There, you’ll find stone and cedar wood baths that tend to a variety of ailments. “In our ladies-only bath, the pH value of water is 8.7 and more alkaline— perfect for women looking for soft and smooth skin.”

Home sweet home “I want people to feel comfortable and relaxed, as they would in a beloved relative’s home,” says Ms. Kikawa.

She tells us that out of Ganiba Onsen’s 17 rooms, eight have in-suite toilets and one room comes with twin beds. “Hopefully, through our onsen baths, people will learn more about the beautiful culture of Japan.”

Onsen !

Visit All Seven

With each stamp, you’ll get a complimentary day onsen pass.

With its bright colour and distinct tub ornament, you can’t miss this Yukemuri-go shuttle bus! It ferries guests from onsen to onsen.

24

If you’re feeling adventurous, grab an exclusive Nyuto Onsen Village stamp booklet. Each booklet costs 1,800 Japanese yen, and is a great way to save money if you plan on visiting all the onsen within the village.

To get your hands on one of these booklets, you’ll have to do an overnight stay in at least one of Nyuto Onsen Village’s seven ryokan.

How this works is simple: Upon visiting an onsen, you’ll get a special stamp on your booklet and a complimentary day’s use of the onsen’s bathing facilities. After the stamp has been redeemed, normal entry fees of 520 to 800 Japanese yen apply, depending on the onsen.

Each page of this booklet can even be detached and repurposed as a one-of-a-kind postcard. So feel free to write about your experience and send someone a heartfelt note!

With a year’s validity on this booklet, you’ll have more reasons to come back to this quaint village!

Check out our OISHII TV on YouTube for the awesome video clip!

feature

Akita

People

Faces of

Kyoko Sato, okami of Taenoyu

Having spent 26 years taking care of guests, Taenoyu’s affable owner knows all about the importance of good service and the must-visit towns in Akita!

What makes Taenoyu so special?

In the past, onsen were often treated like a gentlemen’s club. I thought, “Why not give this place a feminine touch instead?” So here’s an onsen marketed for women—and run by a female owner! On top of that, each of our 17 rooms has a different feature to enjoy various aspects of the Akita landscape, be it the lush mountain slopes or vast landscapes.

What is the most important aspect of service?

Our guests spend their precious time with us, so we have a responsibility to create beautiful memories for them. We practise omotenashi, that is to give an attentive, caring attitude, so tourists feel at ease.

We also try to talk to guests in our Akita dialect for more authenticity, for example, “manzuigukite kedansu”, which loosely translates to “welcome from far away”.

How do you maintain premium service standards?

Every morning, we have a 30- to 40-minute meeting with the entire staff. We go through our feedback forms and figure out ways to continually improve our service. We train staff to always say “thank you”, and remind them to keep smiling.

Is Taenoyu closed during winter?

The roads are cleared of snow, so you’ll be able to access our hot springs even then! During winter, we get snowfall of up to 1.5 metres high, so most of our low-rise annexes will be partially submerged.

This thick blanket absorbs sound, so you will be transported to a world of peace and tranquility. You might even see steam dramatically emerging from the snow!

Mr. Yasuhisa Ikeda, the owner of Kuroyu Onsen

A third-generation owner and active member of the Onsen Association, Mr. Ikeda talks about how the group found its roots and its plans on reviving onsen as a popular mode of medical treatment.

How did the idea for an onsen association come up?

The seven onsen in Nyuto Onsen Village have different types of hot springs—each with its own unique features. Thus, we wanted our guests to visit all of them to experience the full spectrum of their goodness. From a business point of view, everybody benefits as it’s easier to coordinate marketing efforts.

Traditionally, who has made up your onsen clientele?

In the past, a major proportion of our clientele were made up of rice farmers who stayed in the ryokan after the harvest season. Soon after, onsen became popular as a rest stop among hikers. Then in 1997, the Akita Shinkansen (a high-speed rail line) commenced operations, bringing even more people to this hidden gem!

Has their profile changed in recent years?

As the Baby Boomer generation begins to age, fewer of them visit onsen. So we substitute this loss with clients from overseas, such as Thailand, Taiwan and Singapore, among others. We also focus on the affluent, health-conscious visitor who enjoys hikes and personal wellness.

The Senboku City government has registered this region as a place specialising in onsen. We hope this will attract more guests.

How can onsen be regarded as legitimate medical treatment?

We are working with the Ministry of Health in Japan to subsidise up to 30 per cent of the cost of onsen treatments under citizens’ health insurance. This way, we can revive the the onsen’s reputation as a place of treatment and attract guests who come for medical relief.

25

N y u t o O n s e n ’ s F u l l Ye a r

feature

►Iwana (char) and mountain spring water Best eaten grilled, Iwana is found in the region’s sparkling spring waters.

SUMMER

(June to August) Lush beech forest

Green leaves and spring water

SPRING

Nyuto Onsen (March to May)

►Nemagaritake (Sasa, bamboo grass) This bamboo shoot is especially soft and fragrant!

All year round

Surrounded by mountains and forests, Nyuto Onsen Village offers scenic sights and rich harvests in every season. ►Variety of mushrooms

The mountains are home to a wide range of mushrooms, best cooked in nabe.

AUTUMN Rotenburo (outdoor onsen)

(September to November) Coloured leaves

WINTER

(December to February)

►Nabe (hotpot) and Atsukan (hot sake) Warm yourself up with some comforting nabe and atsukan!

26

Souvenirs

feature

Inaniwa Udon

Biwa-masu don (Biwa-masu sashimi and rice)

What sets this Akita udon apart from its tubular counterpart is the noodle’s flat, thin shape. And true to the pride of Akita’s harvest, this noodle is made from domesticgrown wheat. It is hand-pulled and dried, giving you a silky and chewy texture. In addition, sea brine is incorporated for a savoury hit.

Akita With Love From

Bring back fond memories of Akita Prefecture with this assortment of treats!

Iburigakko

Eat like the locals with a serving of scrumptious Iburigakko. Literally translated as “smoked pickles”, this pickled daikon radish is sold in a vacuum-sealed bag. It is sliced and normally enjoyed as an appetiser. Its smoky flavour complements a hearty bowl of Akitatomachi rice—try it!

Kiritampo Set Enjoy Akita’s culinary delights with these ready-to-eat cylindrical rice cakes. A set comes with 10 packets of stock and 10 kiritanpo sticks. It serves five to six people, so gather your friends and recount your visit to Nyuto Onsen Village over a warm meal.

Honey Fruit Vinegar This vinegar comes in a variety of fruit flavours and is manufactured using locally-grown produce such as muscat grape and yuzu. Known for its high-antioxidant and gastrointestinal health-boosting properties, this drink contains the sweetness of honey and the tart goodness of fruit.

Morokoshi Sweets Try this trio made from white broad bean, red bean and matcha powder. The confectionery has a hard, crunchy bite and a powdery texture, which melts into a sweet and creamy paste in your mouth. It’s the perfect treat with a cup of hot green tea!

Onsen Bath Powder Take home the onsen’s miracle power in this packet of bath salts.

You’ll get the best of Nyuto Village’s seven onsen in a single sachet. Simply pour the contents in a warm bath and soak in this potent mixture of mineral goodness for rejuvenated, supple skin.

As it is sulphur-free, babies over three months old can use it too.

27

listings

feature

Nyuto Onsen Villege Tsurunoyu Onsen 50 Tazawako Sendatsuzawa Kokuyurin, Senboku City, Akita 014-1204 Tel: 0187-46-2139 An,Tsurunoyu annex Yamanoyado 1 Tazawako Sendatsuzawa Yunotai, Senboku City, Akita 014-1204 Tel: 0187-46-2100 Kuroyu Onsen 2-1 Tazawako Obonai aza Kuroyuzawa, Senboku City, Akita 014-1201 Tel: 0187-46-2214

Ganiba Onsen Tazawako Sendatsuzawa Kokuyurin, Senboku City, Akita 014-1204 Tel: 0187-46-2021 Nyuto Onsen Kyukamura 2-1 Tazawako aza Komagatake, Senboku City, Akita 014-1201 Tel: 0187-46-2244 Taenoyu Onsen 2-1 Tazawako Obonai aza Komagatake, Senboku City, Akita 014-1201 Tel: 0187-46-2740 Magoroku Onsen Tazawako Sendatsuzawa Kokuyurin, Senboku City, Akita 014-1204 Tel: 0187-46-2224 Ogama Onsen Tazawako Sendatsuzawa Kokuyurin, Senboku City, 014-1204 Tel: 0187-46-2438

Shopping Inaniwa Udon Kiritampo Set Morokoshi Sweets Onsen Bath Powder Souvenior shop at Nyuto Onsen Kyukamura

Honey Fruit Vinegar Yama no Hachimitsuya 163-3 Ishigami, Tazawako Obonai, Senboku City, Akita 014-1201 Tel: 0187-43-3838 Sight Lake Tazawa Tazawako Tourist Information Centre 68 Osaka Obonai, Senboku City, Akita 014-1201 Tel: 0187-43-2111

Iburigakko Souvenior shop at Kuroyu Onsen

M

Y

Special Thanks:

CM

Mr. Takahiro Takeuchi Chairman of Nyuto Onsen Association Nyuto Onsen Kyukamura

MY

*different brands of products are available at each onsen’s souvenir shops

How to get toNyuto Onsen

BY TRAIN Hop on JR bullet train, Akita Shinkansen Komachi (こまち). The nearest station for Nyuto Onsen is Tazawako station. Three is hourly service from Tokyo to Tazawako via Sendai and Morioka. The journey takes roughly 3.5 hours from Tokyo, 2 hours from Sendai and 40 minutes from Morioka. Book your seat in advance, as seats on all Komachi trains are reserved.

Japan Rail Pass is accepted.

BY AIR Nearest domestic airport is Akita airport. The flight takes 65 minutes from Haneda airport or 1 hour 25 minutes from Kansai airport. From Akita airport, there is a direct train service, Akita Airport Liner Nyutogo by JR, which is a 2-hour ride to Tazawako station.

From Tazawako station, take a direct bus to Nyuto Onsen. The journey takes 55 minutes via Tazawa lake.

28

DROP BY LAKE TAZAWA Visit the deepest lake in Japan! Here, you’ll find the distinct golden statue of Tatsuko, the legendary beauty of Japanese folklore. Apart from historical sites dotted round the lake’s perimeter, you’d also be treated to Lake Tazawa’s spectacular views.

*Dial from Overseas to Japan +81 (Country code) Area code (omit first zero) Land phone number

C

CY

CMY

K

Check out OISHIITV on YouTube!

Welcome to the official home of OISHIITV on YouTube.

This OISHIITV channel is the most comprehensive collection of official channels you’ll find in OISHII magazines.

Inspired by OISHII magazine? Watch clips from our recent features on attractive regions and cities in Japan as if you are virtually traveling with us, and learn what they can offer to you.

To continue your journey to find more rich culture and tradition of Japanese food, culture and places to visit, log in to https://www.youtube.com/user/OISHIITV/

Scan this QR code and get connected to OISHII world now!

Instructions: 1. Install a QR code scanner on your smartphone. (various scanner applications are available for the major smartphone operating systems) 2. Launch the QR code scanner application.

3. Let the built-in camera in the smartphone scan the QR code.

Latest Clips from Nyuto Onsen Channel - The Healing Waters of Nyuto Onsen - Nature’s Bounty - Visit all seven onsen!, etc ... * Find & scan QR code on page 17- 24

Other Channels

- A Nara Escape - Yes,Yes, Yamanashi!

- Fascinating Fukui - Oigawa Railway: A Journey To Remember - Hello, Koto!

- Hooray for Hamamatsu!

- A Kiss to Kagoshima - Tasty travels around Tokushima - A City of Many Faces Komatsu - Experience the Spirit of Shiga

Information enquiry :

MEDIA JAPAN PTE LTD.

4 Leng Kee Road #04-12 SiS Building Singapore 159088 TEL : 6748-1822 URL：www.oishii.sg

cool bites

future

Bending towards the

Learn how magewappa artisan Yoshimasa Shibata is keeping Akita woodcraft tradition alive in everyday modern life.

A painstaking craft Sticking with the craft hasn’t been easy as Mr. Shibata shares. Magewappa is a painstaking technique. Bark from 200-yearold Akita cedar trees is first thinly shaved, then boiled in water. The wet wood is carefully bent, tied with bark from cherry blossom trees and hand-shaped into a product. This traditional craft has not changed for over 400 years and is today a vanishing trade.

Yet Mr. Shibata has worked hard to revive the interest in magewappa. When he began displaying his wares at department stores 10 years ago, he noticed that textile craftsmen who produced modern handbags using traditional materials did a roaring

trade. So he began thinking about modernising magewappa, by making contemporary items, such as bento boxes, instead of traditional sushi containers and tea ceremony boxes. He also decided to set up a store outside Akita in bustling Tokyo.

He says: “What’s most important is that people continue to use magewappa products. We had to create items that people today want to use and make them desirable. For instance, sure, plastic lunchboxes are much cheaper than magewappa ones. But if you use a magewappa lunchbox, the quality of Akita cedar wood helps improve the flavour. It also absorbs extra moisture and prevents spoilage so that the food can be kept longer.”

These lunchboxes are now his best-selling items and are so popular that there is a three- to four-month waiting list. Mr. Shibata makes 1,000 handcrafted bento boxes every month, with each taking about two weeks to create. He also makes beer mugs and coffee cups using the magewappa technique.

Living the dream Beaming with pride, Mr. Shibata notes that when he first started, it was only his parents and a few staff in the business. A decade on, he now has 18 employees, mostly in their 20s to 40s, along with a number of women. “More people are interested to learn this craft. I am very pleased

that people are willing to come down and learn from us, which helps Akita as the prefecture has an ageing population and fewer workers.”

Just this past August, he expanded his Akita store, which also functions as his head office and studio, to include a gallery showcasing magewappa products for sale along with an experience facility of its craft.

Mr. Shibata hopes to use this space to exhibit similar woodcraft techniques from around the world. He also intends to add a similar event and gallery space to his shop in Tokyo in the future.

Wiping tears from his eyes, he says: “I remember my father at his workshop in our home. As a child, I would go to him in the morning, telling him that breakfast was ready and seeing him in his uniform hard at work at this messy job. But I always saw him smiling and enjoying his work happily, and I have always thought that this must be a dream job.

“He has always dreamt of opening a gallery, and I’m very happy because his dream has become my dream and now it’s a reality. If we keep working in this way focusing on our magewappa, all will be fine.”

TEXT DENYSE YEO

I

f you’ve travelled to Japan, chances are you’ve seen the uncoated cedar wood bento boxes in souvenir and handicraft stores. But these aren’t any ordinary lunch boxes. Instead, these handcrafted items, created by artisans in the Odate area in Akita prefecture, are among some of the most sought-after traditional Japanese products today.

The craft of using Akita cedar wood and transforming them into silky smooth products such as bento boxes is called magewappa (meaning “bent wood” in Japanese), and is practised only by a handful of certified traditional craftsmen in Japan.

One of these magewappa artisans is Mr. Yoshimasa Shibata, owner of magewappa speciality store Yoshinobu Shibata Shoten, who is continuing the business started by his father in 1964. He says: “Akita cedar is one of the most beautiful materials in Japan, and is very strong. Other types of wood from elsewhere have a rougher texture that aren’t as easy to craft with.”

A two-tier magewappa bento box. The smaller top tier can fit into the bottom tier.

31

masters

Sumire Yakitori House

EAT, DRINK and be

MERRY Echigotei

That’s what you can expect when you head to an izakaya restaurant.

32

TEXT SITI ROHANI PHOTOGRAPHY RAYMOND TOH/VINEYARD PRODUCTION

I

f you want a fun night out partaking in good drinks and food with your friends, you can’t go wrong dining at an izakaya. It’s a type of Japanese eatery similar to a gastrobar, where you can enjoy a large variety of alcoholic drinks that go well with the food served.

Izakaya are very common in Japan and can range from smaller, intimate venues to larger chain restaurants. They are usually found near busy train stations and entertainment areas and tend to be very lively places. If you’re after quiet conversation, this may not be the place for you!

A typical way to start the night at an izakaya is to order drinks together with bar snacks and appetisers. Drinks include sake, beer, wine, shochu and cocktails, while the food is served in sharing portions that can be served quickly, such as edamame or pickled vegetables.

It has become just as important for an izakaya Grand Jeté Izakaya to be recognised for its good food menu as for its drinks selection. As the night progresses and more drinks are served, customers tend to order grilled or fried items like yakitori, korokke (croquettes) and fried ebi (shrimp), or even a stew, to help soak up the alcohol. Typical izakaya dishes include gyoza, hot pot, salads and noodle dishes.

Some places, like Echigotei, offer bottle-keep services where you can store your unfinished bottle of shochu till the next time you visit. Grand Jeté Izakaya has private rooms where you can entertain discreetly, while Sumire Yakitori House has a two-hour all-you-can-drink promotion.

It’s time to eat, drink and be merry as you check out these izakaya venues in Singapore.

Eat, drink and be merry

E

chigotei is the only izakaya under the Tomi Sushi brand, which first started in Niigata Prefecture in 1954. There are now 21 Tomi Sushi outlets in Japan and three in Singapore. Echigotei has been around for four-and-a-half years and considers itself a hybrid sushi and izakaya restaurant.

Tell us a little about yourself.

I was born in Tokyo and am 41 years old. I have been in this line for 15 years. I started as a server and really liked it, but realised that I needed to know how to cook if I wanted to start my own restaurant.

What have you learnt about being a good izakaya chef?

You need to be flexible because you should be able to cook what the customer wants to eat. If there’s something you want in your dish, feel free to check with the chef. If we have the ingredients, we can make it.

What’s on the menu at Echigotei?

We started as a sushi restaurant, so we serve authentic sushi and good-quality sashimi. We also serve yakitori and other izakaya dishes. I take care of the small appetisers, or otoshi, which I change every couple of days.

Takeshi Shiko Chef, Echigotei

What special ingredients do you cook with?

We use sakura chicken from Japan, which is imported chilled. Our fish is also imported fresh from Tokyo’s Tsukiji market, Niigata and Hokkaido.

What sets Echigotei apart from other restaurants?

We bring in fresh fish from Japan on Tuesdays and Fridays. You can order a whole fish and let the chef know how you want it done. It can be grilled, stewed or even served as sashimi. The price depends on the size and type of fish.

What is the secret to a successful izakaya?

Having good food is important, but more than that, it’s about making sure that the customers have a good time.

We have counter seats—I like to talk to my customers over the counter and get to know them as I’m preparing their orders.

What’s your favourite izakaya dish?

Dried leatherjacket fish. It has a very strong flavour and goes very well with sake.

Echigotei is located at Cuppage Terrace, 35 Cuppage Road. Tel: 6333 4633

33

Joseph Loke

Chef and Operations General Manager, Sumire Yakitori House

T

his year marks the fifth anniversary of Sumire Yakitori House, the first outlet outside of Japan. The chain originated in Tokyo in 2009 and now boasts 86 outlets in the country. The Singapore restaurant serves more than 200 customers during peak hours, and many enjoy the yakitori menu.

How would you describe the food you serve?

An izakaya is mainly for having drinks, but I find that local customers donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t drink as much. Our Japanese customers like the food to be a little saltier as they usually have it with drinks. But Singaporeans find it too salty, so we have to make some adjustments.

How was the menu here created?

The basic yakitori menu comes from our parent restaurant in Japan. When I came on board two-and-ahalf years ago, I introduced some new dishes. Some of our local creations include foie gras, aged beef tongue and takoyaki (octopus balls).

What are the most-ordered items?

The yakitori platter is good for groups as it comes with several different types of skewers. The Cheese Curry Bakudan is also very popular. In the middle of the potato croquette is an onsen egg that oozes when you cut through it. Many people like to take photos and videos of the dish.

What ingredients are exclusive to this restaurant?

We use Daisen tori stock, which is made from chicken that is available only in Japan. Our special yakitori sauce, or tare, is also imported from Japan. We make it less salty and a little sweeter to suit local tastes. We also use shio dare, a special sauce recipe from Japan, and drizzle it over cabbage. A lot of our customers like it.

What is essential for good yakitori?

The ingredients must be fresh and of a good grade, which is why we get fresh chicken and not frozen from our suppliers. The meat can be drizzled with sea salt or dipped in tare for more flavour. The grilling technique is also important.

Do you need any special skills to grill yakitori?

Our chefs are specially trained in our Japan restaurants. Every part of the chicken requires different timing and temperature, so the chefs need to shift the skewers to different parts of the grill to ensure theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re cooked perfectly.

Sumire Yakitori House is located at #01-88/89 Bugis Junction, 80 Middle Road. Tel: 6338 9963

34

Eat, drink and be merry

T

his is the second dining establishment

by Koji Toyomaru, who has been in Singapore for 30 years and in the food manufacturing business for over 20 years. He started Grand Jeté Izakaya in February this year and offers more than 60 food items as well as an extensive drinks list. He also runs Grand Jeté Café & Bar in Ngee Ann City.

Koji Toyomaru

Director, Grand Jeté Izakaya

How did you come up with the different menu items?

It’s always through discussions with the okami, or restaurant manager and hostess, as well as through customer requests. Singaporeans are still not familiar with the izakaya concept, so we decided to introduce it by using higher-end izakaya items, such as steak and chips. It’s not usually on an izakaya menu, but there are a lot of Europeans in this area so we thought they would like it.

What do you usually recommend to customers?

I recommend the panko fried shrimp, which is very popular. The difference is we use fresh panko, not dried, to get a nice crunch. The shrimp is imported from Mexico and is sweeter because it’s from the sea. Another popular item is curry rice.

We also serve chikuzenni, a chicken and root vegetable stew that’s a speciality of Kyushu island, where I was born. The flavour is strong and a bit sweet. It’s a traditional dish served during New Year.

Are there any other special ingredients you’d like to highlight?

We use pork cutlet from Miyazaki Prefecture, and we make our special curry sauce in-house, which takes 12 hours to cook.

Tell us about some of the drinks you offer.

We bring in Spanish and French beer, because of our foreign patrons; Japanese customers also like Spanish beer. We serve Spanish cava, which goes very well with sashimi. One of our most popular sake is the Dassai 23 from Yamaguchi Prefecture— this is what former United States President Barack Obama drank when he visited Japan.

What makes Grand Jeté Izakaya different from other restaurants?

We are very open to customer feedback and we can change to make ourselves better. We strongly believe in making our customers happy.

Grand Jeté Izakaya is located at #02-07/09 Aperia Mall, 12 Kallang Avenue. Tel: 6702 4589

35

That’sWrap a

dining etiquette

Try your hand at furoshiki, the long-lost art of cloth wrapping that is making a comeback in Japan. special furoshiki cloth, made from recycled plastic bottles, to promote its use in the modern world.

36

C

M

Y

CM

MY

CY

CMY

K

A CLOTH WITH PLENTY OF USES Furoshiki can range from small, hand-sized fabrics to huge, bedsheet-sized cloths, although the most common sizes are 45x45, 68x68 and 75x75 cm. Stylish and environmentally friendly, the versatile furoshiki can be used in myriad ways: •Gift-wrap all kinds of items, from books and bottles of wine to fruit and flowers.

•Wear it as a scarf or bandana.

•Wrap and transport your bento lunch box.

•Use as a table mat for a picnic.

•Fashion as a shopping bag, purse or handbag.

•Display as a wall hanging.

•Transform it into a book cover.

TEXT DENYSE YEO

H

ave you heard of furoshiki? The traditional Japanese fabric has long been used as an elegant alternative to wrapping paper.

Often featuring beautiful designs and patterned with good luck symbols including cranes or fans, this square piece of fabric can be used to wrap all sorts of gifts. Made out of material like silk or cotton, it can also be tied in multiple ways to create different shapes, such as bags and bento box wrappers.

Until the middle of the 20th century, furoshiki was very much a part of everyday life. Its origin is said to date back to the 8th century, when people in the upper classes used it to wrap and carry clothes, gifts or other goods. The practice spread to the working classes during the Edo period (1603-1868), as public bathhouses became popular and people used furoshiki both to wrap their belongings and as a mat while they undressed. (Furoshiki, after all, literally means “bath spread”.)

When plastic bags were introduced in the post-war period, the time-honoured furoshiki practice almost disappeared from everyday life. But now, as more people become aware of the environmental damage caused by plastic bags, furoshiki has gained attention as an eco-friendly alternative to carry and wrap almost anything. In 2006, a Japanese Environment Minister even created a

Knotty and nice If you’re giving a Japanese person a present, consider wrapping the gift in traditional furoshiki for a special touch.

Japanese people tend to put a lot of care into the appearance of a gift. What’s on the outside is just as important as what’s inside. There are even customs associated with furoshiki gift wrapping. Wrap it the wrong way and you might cause offence.

Furoshiki is a highly aesthetic practice, and many styles are prized for their intricate patterns and designs using colours that convey different meanings. As a result, colour plays a huge role in furoshiki gift wrapping. Red, for instance, symbolises strong positive emotions such as energy and vitality, yellow denotes beauty, refinement and cheerfulness, and blue denotes purity and cleanliness. On the other hand, white and black should be avoided, as they are funerary colours.

What also makes furoshiki special is the way that it is knotted and whether it is knotted correctly. You’ll find more than 100 various ways to tie a furoshiki, but the most

fundamental knot of all is the ma-musubi (square knot). This knot is preferred because it is tasteful, strong and easier to untie. You’ll see other symbolism elsewhere in a furoshiki-wrapped gift too, such as in the number of pleats a furoshiki has. An odd number symbolises joy.

One furoshiki etiquette rule still leaves many Japanese tied up in knots.

The reason for their confusion? Some say that a gift wrapped in furoshiki means that the receiving party is expected to give something in return, wrapped with the original furoshiki. Others believe that it is perfectly acceptable to keep the furoshiki since it is part of the gift. What is not up for debate: If you receive a gift in furoshiki wrapping, control your excitement. Do not open it in front of the giver. Instead, wait till you get home to unwrap the present.

At its heart, furoshiki is laden with meaning and remains a deeply personal gesture when presented as part of a gift.

On its own, it is versatile, practical, eco-friendly and artistic. So it’s no wonder that furoshiki has evolved from its humble beginnings as a bath mat, and is now one of the most popular mementoes of Japanese culture and heritage.

Sake fans, don’t miss out !

Take your pick from our selection of rare sakes that are difficult to find anywhere else. Kanpai!

Top choice for tuna fans!

Tuna Sashimi Steak

While stocks last.

Fresh Pacific Bluefin Tuna Cross-Section Cut Sashimi Enjoy the taste of every prized part of the BLUEFIN TUNA SASHIMI

HIMONO-YA SINGAPORE

酒とフードメ ニューはウェブサ イトからご覧いた だけます！

TEL: 6235 9110 (after 2pm) Website: singaporehimonoya.com

11 Unity St., #02-14, Robertson Walk, (S)237995 Opening hours: Mon - Sun, 6pm - 12am (L.O. 11pm)

recipes ...

Presents Cocopelli

Mikiko’s Kitchen

Certified professional vegetable sommelier and athlete food meister Mikiko Mogami shares one more reason to love Japanese rice.

Have a Rice day

“I

n Japan, autumn is the harvest season for rice. One special way to enjoy Japanese rice is to try it in the form of kiritampo. This sticky tubular rice cake snack is a speciality of Akita Prefecture, which is also where I’m from, as it uses the famous white rice grown locally.

Kiritampo is made from the first batch of cooked new rice that has been pounded until it is “half killed”—when it is sticky and easy to shape. It can be eaten on its own, grilled and glazed with miso sauce or taken in a hotpot dish.

Literally meaning “cut arrow case” in Japanese, kiritampo was named for the bear hunters of Akita long ago, who hunted their prey with bows and arrows in the cold mountains. For food, they would take these easy-to-carry rice cakes that would be delicious as a snack and nutritious if added to a warming soup.

These days, you can taste kiritampo all year round if you visit Akita, although home cooks prefer to make this snack in autumn.

During the chill of winter, most people also love adding kiritampo to a hotpot of chicken stock, mushrooms, Japanese leek and Japanese parsley.

When making kiritampo, remember to use salted water to wet your hands. Otherwise the rice will fall apart and the surface of the kiritampo will not be smooth. And although kiritampo is known for using Akita rice, don’t worry. You can make kiritampo at home with just about any type of white rice.”

Ingredients (8 servings) 800g cooked rice Salted water, as required 8 disposable chopsticks

Directions

1. Pound the rice until it is halfmashed.

2. Wet your hands with salted water and divide the mashed rice into 8 equal portions. Gently form into round shapes. Place each rice piece on the tip of a disposable chopstick and gently stretch out the rice down the chopstick, moulding it with your hands.

38

From time to time, wet your hands again with salted water. Leave a space clear at the bottom of the chopstick to make it easy to hold it.

3. Heat a frying pan or hot plate, and cook the rice sticks. Roll them over from time to time to turn them until they are golden brown all over.

4. When cooked, remove the disposable chopsticks from the kiritampo while the rice is still hot.

Hold the base of the kiritampo and slowly pull away the disposable chopstick by twisting it.

Note: You do not need to remove the chopsticks for the miso tampo recipe on the right-hand page.)

TEXT DENYSE YEO RECIPES COCOPELLI

Kiritampo (Mashed Rice Sticks)

M i k i k oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s K i t c h e n

Kiritampo Nabe (Hotpot with Mashed Rice Sticks) Ingredients (3 to 4 servings)

200g chicken thigh meat ½ burdock root 1 green onion (spring onion) 70g seri (Japanese parsley) or substitute with tang-oh (garland chrysanthemum) 200g konnyaku threads 100g maitake mushroom (Hen of the Woods mushroom) or substitute with enoki or shiitake mushroom 800ml water 1 tbsp powdered chicken stock 1 tbsp soy sauce 3 tbsp sake 2 tbsp mirin Pinch of salt 6 kiritampo

Directions

1. Cut the chicken thigh meat into bite-sized pieces.

Shave the burdock root thinly. Slice the green onion diagonally. Chop the Japanese parsley into 3-4cm sprigs. Slice the konnyaku threads into easy-to-eat lengths.

Remove the knob at the base of the maitake mushroom and peel off mushroom pieces from the cluster.

2. Put the starred ingredients ( ) in a pot and bring to the boil. Then add the chicken thigh meat, burdock root and konnyaku, and simmer for about 3 minutes.

3. Cut the kiritampo pieces in half and place in the pot. Add the green onion and mushrooms.

4. When everything in the pot is fully heated through, add the seri. Turn off the heat and serve.

Miso Tampo (Miso-Glazed Mashed Rice Sticks) Ingredients (2 servings) 25g miso 1.5 tbsp sugar 1 tbsp sake 2 tsp mirin 2 sticks of kiritampo

Directions

1. Place the starred ingredients ( ) in a bowl and mix together.

2. Coat the kiritampo with the sauce made in Step 1 and cook on the grill. Turn from time to time. Cook on all sides until fragrant.

About Mikiko Mogami

Mikiko Mogami is a renowned Certified Professional Vegetable Sommelier and Athlete Food Meister from Akita Prefecture. She creates menus and advises athletes on their nutritional needs when they are competing. Mogami is a keen advocate for including more vegetables in our diet and regularly contributes articles on the subject. She also presents lectures and conducts TV and radio interviews. Her motto is to help everyone enjoy vegetables and eat well.

Mogami works with Cocopelli, a brand that promotes produce from Akita Prefecture to the rest of Japan. She helps to creates recipes that showcase the wholesome products. All Cocopelli products are carefully selected to reflect the beliefs and passions of the people who produce them. Website: http://azuma-trading.co.jp/cocopelli

39

Publisher Takeshi NAITO MEDIA JAPAN PTE LTD 4 Leng Kee Road #04-12 SiS Building Singapore 159088 Tel: +65 6748 1822 E-mail: oishii@mediajapan.sg Website: www.oishii.sg Editor-in-Chief Chiharu KUWAJIMA Editorial Partner Unicorn Publishing Designers Emily Ng Natsuko HARAOKA

Shun: The best in season Yaki-imo, Japanese sweet potato baked in a stone oven, which is very creamy and sweet.

Photographers Japan: Katsuhiko SATO Singapore: Raymond Toh Printed in Singapore NPE Print Communications Pte Ltd

Distributor NPE Print Communications Pte Ltd Advertisement Enquiries E-mail: ad@mediajapan.sg Oishii is the publication under Media Japan Pte Ltd. While every effort has been made to ensure that information is correct at the time of print, Media Japan Pte Ltd cannot be held responsible for the outcome of any action or decision based on the information contained in this publication or any websites and publicity materials associated with it. The publishers and authors do not give any warranty for the completeness or accuracy for this publicationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s content, explanation or opinion. All rights are reserved and no part of this publication may be reproduced in part or in full without the formal written permission of the publisher. Trademarks, logos, copyrights, and depictions contained herein are the properties of their respective trademark and copyrights owners.

Š Media Japan Pte Ltd. All rights reserved.

MCI(P)021/08/2018

SUMIRE YAKITORI HOUSE

is an established izakaya restaurant with more than 80 stores in Japan. Here, you can try a unique mix of classic favorites and innovative Japanese dishes.

Sumire Yakitori Platter 8 Skewers ($19.80) / 12 Skewers ($29.80)

Aburi Salmon Mentai Mayo Roll

4 pcs ($8.90) / 8pcs ($16.80)

Wide selections of Value

Cheese Curry Bakudan Croquette $9.80

Lunch Set available

from

$9.80

Join us for Weekday Happy Hour!

Special promotion OISHII read for ers only!!

Monday (all day) Beer Tuesday till 19:00 Wednesday Ladies Night Thursday free flow drinks Daily till 19:00 – Beer

$4.90 1 for 1 for all drinks *excluding bottles 1 free drink $25 for 2 hours $4.90

Present Oishii Magazine cutout or a screenshot and get a plate of Fried Salmon Skin (worth $4.80) for FREE!!!

SUMIRE YAKITORI HOUSE 80 Middle Road #01-88/89 Singapore 188966 Tel +65 6338 9963 Opening Hours: Mon - Thurs 11.30am – 3.00pm (LO: 2.30pm) 5.00pm – 10.30pm (LO: 10.00pm) Website

www.sumire.com.sg

Fri - Sat 11.30am – 11.00pm (LO: 10.30pm) Social Media

@sumiresg

Sun, PH 11.30am – 10.30pm (LO: 10.00pm)

@sumiresg

New Concept SAKE BAR

NOW OPEN at Frasers Tower!!!

A wide selections of Sake from Niigata and quality food to choose from

182 Cecil Street #01-09, Singapore 069547 Tel: 6203 5457 Stamp rally Implementation period:

31st December 2018 Card valid until:

31st March 2019

Tomisushi 65th anniversary special project

“Mampuku”

stamp rally is now on!

Collect stamps at each Tomisushi outlet and get rewarded with the Tomisushi voucher for next visit use.

めざせ全

店制覇！

新 潟・長

まんぷく スタンプ ラリー

岡・上 越・長

野・松 本・シ

ンガ ポー

ル

グル ープ

HP

www.tomiz

ushi.com

全店 制覇！

め ざ せ

Tr y to co

nquer al

毎日更新

l the stor

e!

*The voucher can not be used at "Tachigui Tomizushi" and "Kura" outlet.

Founded in Niigata in 1954

TOMI SUSHI was first opened in Niigata Prefecture in 1954. The prefecture’s stark temperature differences between seasons produce their best-known rice, KOSHIHIKARI, along with many famed SAKES. In addition, Niigata has numerous varieties of marine products. In this blessed region, we have devoted ourselves to serve the best food each season. We have traditional NIGIRIZUSHI, course meals and all kinds of side dishes. Here, you can taste good SAKE from Niigata too. It’s our pleasure to serve genuine Japanese food to the people of Singapore, so you’ll get to enjoy the most delicious cuisine from Niigata!

Millenia 9 Raffles Boulevard #02-12/13 Millenia Walk S039596 Tel: 6238-1123 Opening Hours:11:30-15:00 (L.O.14:30) 17:30-22:00 (L.O.21:30) NOVENA 238 Thomson Road #02-76/77 Novena Square (VELOCITY) S307683 Tel: 6255-2355 Opening Hours:11:30-22:00 (L.O.21:30) KATONG

30 East Coast Road #02-14/15/16 KATONG V S428751 Tel: 6348-7897 Opening Hours:11:30-14:30 (L.O.14:00) 17:30-22:00 (L.O.21:30)

35 Cuppage Road Cuppage Terrace S229459 Tel: 6333-4633 Opening Hours:15:00-23:30 (L.O.23:00)

http://www.tomisushi.asia/