Oishii#24 ebook

ISSUE 24 JANUARY-MARCH 2020 MCI(P)025/08/2019

Hello 2020!

A guide to

celebrating the Japanese New Year

FEED ME, KONBINI Our fave cheap eats from onigiri to oden

ON THE

SPICE TRAIL THE EXPERTS REVEAL WHAT MAKES A GREAT HOKKAIDO CURRY

CHEF BEPPE DE VITO

“Like the Japanese, I share the same respect for seasonal ingredients!”

AICHI AWAITS

Life is

brewtiful Why we can’t get enough of Japan-style cafés

JOURNEY INTO MIHAMA, SOUTH CHITA AND BEYOND Scan the QR code to catch up on back issues of OISHII magazine

PUBLISHER Takeshi NAITO MEDIA JAPAN PTE LTD 4 Leng Kee Road #04-12 SiS Building Singapore 159088 Tel: +65-6748-1822 Email: oishii@mediajapan.sg Website: www.oishii.sg

OISHII ISSUE 24

C

NTENTS

02 Let’s celebrate!

A quick guide to the Japanese

EDITORIAL PARTNER Unicorn Publishing EDITOR Denyse Yeo

New Year.

SUB-EDITOR Lela Jalil

04 Ring in the new The season heats up with the

DESIGNER Gina Ang

best food fairs.

PHOTOGRAPHERS Japan: Yumika Taguchi Singapore: Raymond Toh

06

PRINTED IN SINGAPORE NPE Print Communications Pte Ltd

A whole latte love Exploring why Japanese cafés have such a hold on us.

08

Printed by NPE Print Communications Pte Ltd

DISTRIBUTOR Region Periodicals Distributor Pte Ltd ADVERTISEMENT ENQUIRIES E-mail: ad@mediajapan.sg

celebrating the Japanese New Year

FEED ME, KONBINI Our fave cheap eats from onigiri to oden

The dish pictured on the cover was specially prepared by Chef Beppe De Vito.

ON THE

Alluring Aichi Wander through this amazing rustic corner of Japan.

SPICE TRAIL THE EXPERTS REVEAL WHAT MAKES A GREAT HOKKAIDO CURRY

CHEF BEPPE DE VITO

“Like the Japanese, I share the same respect for seasonal ingredients!”

AICHI AWAITS

Back to the land Renowned chef-restaurateur Beppe De Vito reveals the Japanese influences at his new modern Italian restaurant Art.

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ISSUE 24 JANUARY-MARCH 2020 MCI(P)025/08/2019

Hello 2020!

A guide to

33

Life is

brewtiful

Why we can’t get enough of Japan-style cafés

JOURNEY INTO MIHAMA, SOUTH CHITA AND BEYOND Scan the QR code to catch up on back issues of OISHII magazine

is a publication under Media Japan Pte Ltd. While every effort has been made to ensure that information is correct at the time of printing, 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 publication’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, copyright and depictions contained herein are the properties of their respective trademark and copyright owners.

26

How to eat cheap and quick in Japan From onigiri to karaage, the tastiest konbini bites for about $6 or less.

18

30

Spice up your life The experts explain how Hokkaido’s famous soup curry and white curry are made.

34

West side story Try these popular Japanese budget eats in Jurong.

36

The joy of nabe Delicious variations of the Japanese-style hot pot, from sumo favourites to a king crab special.

38

Cook rice the Japanese way A cooking researcher and nutritionist explains how to get the basics right.

40

A real winter wonderland A toast to the Sapporo Snow Festival’s 70th anniversary.

© Media Japan Pte Ltd. All rights reserved.

MCI(P)025/08/2019 OISHII

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O P E N I N G N OT E

Let’s CELEBRATE! The Japanese New Year comes with its own unique customs.

Here’s a quick introduction to some of them.

Japanese New Year celebrations include the display of seasonal decorations such as shime kazari (far left) and kagami mochi (left), along with elaborate osechi ryori meals (below).

I

New Year’s Eve: Omisoka As the calendar winds down after Christmas, many people return to their hometowns and the big cities, especially Tokyo, will empty out. It’s the time to prepare for the end of the year with a series of customs and rituals.

To start the year on a clean slate, families begin to springclean their homes (like the Chinese for Lunar New Year) from 13 December. This is osoji, or big cleaning, when the entire house is dusted, wiped down and scrubbed while clutter is removed in a flurry of Marie Kondo-inspired activity.

As the year’s end approaches, you’ll notice several types of customary decorations in homes and offices. Made from twisted straw and paper, shime kazari or New Year’s wreath hangs on front doors. Another is the two-tiered kagami mochi, built from rice cakes that are shaped like round mirrors and topped with a bitter orange fruit (daidai). This ancient practice is believed to bring happiness and good luck for the months ahead.

On New Year’s Eve, the Japanese gather to eat soba (toshikoshi soba). Believed to have started during the Edo era (1603 to 1868), the tradition symbolises long life and health as people wolf down the extra-long buckwheat noodles.

New Year’s Day: Ganjitsu New Year’s Day arrives, and what a big day it is for the Japanese.

Ganjitsu refers to the 24 hours of New Year’s Day, and many people will use this opportunity to eat customary food with

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loved ones, visit a temple or shrine, and yes, shop!

On New Year’s morning (gantan), people will sit down with their families and have a special breakfast known as osechi ryori.

Served in a large, elegant bento box (jubako) set in the middle of the table are various traditional food items, each representing a different meaning or wish for the New Year. Shrimps symbolise longevity and fish cakes (kamaboko) are lucky, for instance.

Besides the eating, there is also some drinking with otoso, or New Year’s sake. Sharing the same three cups, families will drink the sake in order of age, starting from the youngest person and ending with the oldest. The idea is to let the older members absorb the energy and vitality from the young people.

Then it’s off to a shrine or temple in the New Year’s ritual, hatsumode, during the first few days of January, as loved ones pray together for prosperity, health and happiness. Some of the most popular shrines and temples even organise festivities, including rows of stalls selling food and New Year luck charms.

Something a little more worldly but no less traditional is a trip to the shops for the New Year’s special sales — and for the season’s lucky bags known as fukubukuro. Stores fill shopping bags with leftover products from the past year and sell these at a hefty discount in a custom based on a Japanese proverb: “Nokorimono ni wa fuku ga aru. (There is fortune in leftovers.)”

By 4 January, the celebrations wrap up and people begin to return to their day-to-day lives, their minds and bodies refreshed and ready for a new year ahead.

TEXT DENYSE YEO PHOTOS 123RF

f you’re visiting Japan this time of year, especially in the countryside, you’re in for a treat. Filled with celebratory traditions and customs, the Japanese New Year is a wonderful season. This period is known as Oshogatsu and is perhaps the most important holiday for the Japanese.

EVENTS

RING in the NEW

Ramp up 2020 with these F&B and lifestyle events across Japan and Singapore.

TOKYO

Furusato Matsuri Tokyo Dome, 10 to 19 January This 10-day annual extravaganza showcases smaller-scale versions of the country’s different festivals, all in one place. Apart from cultural performances like those from Aomori Prefecture’s famous Nebuta Matsuri, some 300 food companies from Hokkaido to Okinawa will dish up local specialities.

Wash the fun down with more than 100 varieties of wine, craft beer and liquor. 1,000 to 1,500 yen ($12.50 to $18.80). www.tokyo-dome.co.jp/furusato TOKYO

Tokyo Grand Sumo Tournament Ryogoku Kokugikan, 12 to 26 January This huge event is held every January and is the first of Japan’s six annual Sumo Tournaments (honbasho). Nothing beats the atmosphere of the final matches of the day, complete with cushion-throwing and cheers.

Advance tickets can be bought online. Some tickets will also be released on the day itself, but you have to get to them very early.

Sumo matches take place the whole day, and you can leave and return as you like. 3,800 to 38,000 yen. www.sumo.or.jp/En CHIBA

Inner Beauty Tokyo 2020 Makuhari Messe, 20 to 22 January, 9am to 6pm Expect a host of sourcing opportunities at this annual beauty and health food trade expo held alongside Cosme Tech 2020. Expect to see all kinds of beauty and health foods and drinks targeted at inner beauty, from vitamins and superfood, as well as diet products and ageing care. This year, some 800 exhibitors from more than 30 countries are expected to take part. Free with visitor ticket request at www.ib-expo. jp/inv_en/

OSAKA

Seafood Show Osaka ATC Hall at Asia and Pacific Trade Center, 19 February (10am to 5pm) & 20 February (10am to 4pm) Featuring a bounty from the seas, with seafood products, industryrelated services and many more. In its 17th year, this annual trade event organised by the Japan Fisheries Association takes place alongside Agri-Food Expo. seafood-show.com/osaka SINGAPORE

Restaurant Asia 2020 Marina Bay Sands Expo & Convention Centre, 20 & 21 February (10am to 6pm, trade), 22 February (10am to 5pm, trade and public) The smart kitchen of the future will shake up cooking, food management and other aspects of the F&B industry. This second edition of trade show Restaurant Asia is a dedicated showcase of the future of smart and sustainable F&B solutions and ingredients. restaurantasia.com.sg CHIBA

Foodex Japan Makuhari Messe, 10 to 12 March (10am to 5pm), 13 March (10am to 4.30pm) Now into its 45th edition, this huge annual trade show is said to be Asia’s largest food and drink exhibition from Japan and the rest of the world. In 2020, more than 85,000 visitors and 3,300 exhibitors are expected to take part in this massive showcase featuring products like food processing, bakery and packaging equipment as well as consumer products, food preservation and canning practices. From 4,000 yen. www.jma.or.jp/foodex/en SINGAPORE

Miyajima Oyster Festival In front of Miyajima Pier, 8 & 9 February, 10am to 3pm Oyster fans, put this in your planner.

Miyajima Island in the Seto Inland Sea is renowned for its oyster farms, and February is typically peak season for the mollusc.

The festival is dedicated to this abundance, with freshly shucked oysters, oysters sizzling on the grill, crispy oyster okonomiyaki pancakes, oyster stew and more. Free entry (dishes cost from 100 to 200 yen each). www.miyajima.or.jp/english/event/ event_kaki.html

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FHA-Food & Beverage 2020 Singapore Expo, 31 March to 2 April (10am to 6pm), 3 April (10am to 4pm) Industry professionals, including distributors, importers, retailers and manufacturers, attend this trade show to source for high-quality, new-to-market food ingredients, drinks and fresh produce. This year, also expect to see a new FoodTech Zone, a culinary competition and the inaugural FHA Beer Awards. $80 (free for pre-registered visitors). www.fhafnb.com

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Ayumi Nagami: Able to feel the atmosphere of Omatsuri (Japanese festival), and the contrast is just right.

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INTERVIEW

% Arabica at 313@Somerset

Japanese cafés mix artistic and scientific elements together

A whole LATTE LOVE

Why are more Japanese cafés setting up shop in Singapore?

related to their coffee production. For example, they manufacture their own filter paper to be as natural and chemical-free as possible, and to the thickness they want — all these elements affect the taste of the coffee.

How popular are these Japanese cafés in Singapore?

Actually, Japanese coffee brands have had a presence in Singapore as far back as the 1980s. There was a counter café in Lucky Plaza run by a Japanese gentleman serving siphon coffee with Japanese toast and little snacks from Japan. More recently, we are seeing brands like % Arabica and Omotesando Koffee open here. This is because the younger generation are travelling to Japan — thanks in part to the advent of low-cost carriers — and after experiencing what they have to offer, they become enamoured by the concept and bring it back to Singapore. The Japanese owners themselves are baristas too, who are young (in their 30s and 40s), well-travelled and want to expand their brand as a challenge to themselves.

They are very popular. % Arabica has an outlet each in Arab Street and Somerset, and is opening a third in Chip Bee Gardens.

I think what the Japanese cafés offer is something we can relate to because we are missing it here. They are very artistic and scientific at the same time. In the pour-over method, for example, how hot the water is and the roast and grind of the coffee influence its flavour in the cup. Even how hot water is poured into the filter paper matters. If you sit and notice, the barista uses a circular motion until the water reaches a certain level and bubbles come up — we call this the bloom. The preparation process and meticulous care taken to brew the coffee is a theatrical experience borne from the Japanese tea ceremony traditions.

How different are they from what is already available here?

What do Singaporeans enjoy most about these cafés?

In Singapore, espresso-based coffees are most commonly available. What the Japanese bring are the siphon coffee style, which they invented, and the pour-over concept, which they have further improved from the original version. They have raised these to an unparalleled level of refinement and skill. An entire industry has sprung up in Japan around the paraphernalia

The Japanese have raised (the siphon coffee style and the pour-over concept) to an unparalleled level of refinement and skill.

Firstly, it is the visual aspect. Look at the interior of the cafés. % Arabica, for instance, is very minimalist in style. Then we enjoy observing what the barista is doing — the artistic pride they have in the process and presentation is very much influenced by the Japanese culture of artisanal craftsmanship.

Today, we eat more with our eyes than our stomach. Finally, there is the taste. The Japanese style of coffee uses a lighter roast, which means you taste more of the nuances like the acidity and fruitiness of the beans.

What future trends can Singaporeans expect to see here?

I think you’ll see more smaller independent cafés from Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto trying to come out here in joint ventures with younger entrepreneurs who are involved in the coffee industry.

There is differentiation between them in the type of coffee they serve, such as where they source the beans from and how they roast them.

The Singapore Coffee Association is the Host of Cafe Asia 2020, which takes place at Marina Bay Sands Singapore, Halls B & C, from 20 to 22 February 2020 (Thursday and Friday: 10am to 6pm, Saturday: 10am to 5pm). www.cafeasia.com.sg

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Victor Mah (left), President of the Singapore Coffee Association and ASEAN Coffee Federation, shares why Japanese cafés have such a hold on us.

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ISSUE 24 JANUARY-MARCH 2020 MCI(P)025/08/2019

Hello 2020!

A guide to

celebrating the Japanese New Year

FEED ME, KONBINI Our fave cheap eats from onigiri to oden

ON THE

SPICE TRAIL

THE EXPERTS REVEAL WHAT MAKES A GREAT HOKKAIDO CURRY

CHEF BEPPE DE VITO

“Like the Japanese, I share the same respect for seasonal ingredients!”

AICHI AWAITS

Life is

brewtiful

Why we can’t get enough of Japan-style cafés

JOURNEY INTO MIHAMA, SOUTH CHITA AND BEYOND Scan the QR code to catch up on back issues of OISHII magazine

OISHII is a magazine dedicated to the many culinary, gourmet and lifestyle wonders of Japan, from Singapore to the world.

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CELEBRITY CHEF

BACKto the LAND “I

come from Puglia, which is an agricultural region in Italy. My family farm is there. I grew up on it, and I saw how hard my grandparents worked to care for it. And the pleasure of eating fresh produce in season! Nothing beats it. As a child, you eat strawberries and you know that school is finishing soon — summertime is coming. We used to forage too, for wild dandelion and fava beans, which you cook like polenta with nutmeg, lemon, salt and pepper.

Coming from Italy, we don’t have the veneration of ingredients like the Japanese do. But we share the same respect for ingredients. And I love Japan for it.

The first time I visited Japan was in 2002 to Tokyo. Now I’ve travelled to other Japanese cities like Niseko, Hokkaido, Sapporo and Fukuoka. In fact, I was just in Tokyo in October for the Cook Japan Project (a rotating residency programme featuring more than 35 international

Tuna Belly Carpaccio, Truffle and Piemonte Hazelnuts

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chefs). I make sure to travel to Japan every year.

For me, Japan could not be more different from anywhere else in the world.

Yet, like Italy, it shares that similarity for the love of ingredients and the stories behind them.

In Japan, wherever you go, you are told the stories behind the ingredients.

It’s not just the diversity of food, but also how they handle the food. Above all, there’s the respect and appreciation from diners as well. Just like many Japanese, I get quite excited to learn about a particular vegetable, fish or meat.

My culinary philosophy is simple: to make something out of nothing. Even as a kid, I was always in the kitchen with mum.

I felt intrigued and had a deep connection with food and ingredients. It was fun to transform ingredients into meals.

That’s our job as chefs. We are more like artisans than artists. Artisans will build a chair for someone to sit on. That’s what we do with food as well, and someone is going to enjoy that meal we’ve made. It’s hard work. But it’s a happy process. We make people happy and we get thanked every day.

Best of both worlds At Art, we do our research to find the best possible ingredients, from meat to fish, and even salt. And why not share the beautiful stories behind them, exercising our creativity to use them in unexpected ways and come up with a dish that, at first glance, appears so simple.

For instance, we use organic semolina from Puglia to make the pasta. Our olive oil is from our farm in Puglia, where we have an olive grove of 200 trees. We use organic local honey and our burrata is made in Singapore using fresh milk from the Dolomites.

TEXT DENYSE YEO MAIN PHOTO AND PHOTO OF BEPPE DE VITO RAYMOND TOH/VINEYARD PRODUCTION OTHER PHOTOS ILLIDO GROUP, 123RF

Renowned chef-restaurateur Beppe De Vito reveals the Japanese influences at his new modern Italian restaurant Art.

B E P P E D E V I TO

PASSION MAKES PERFECT It’s no exaggeration to say that chef-restaurateur Beppe De Vito is a busy man. The owner of the ilLido Group not only runs his six restaurants and bars, but he also works in the kitchen of Art, his latest endeavour. The Italian fine-dining establishment had its soft launch in late October in a new location at the National Gallery after a six-month hiatus. It had previously been in Market Street in the CBD. A typical day for the 48-year-old might include lunch and dinner prep at Art, in between back-to-back management meetings and visiting his outlets in the afternoon. With a chuckle, he says: “I’m not fond of meetings. But I love what I do. I love the adrenaline. I get a kick out of food and want to make it better.”

You can see this drive in how he opened his first restaurant in Singapore, ilLido, in 2006, transforming it over the years into a mini-empire with F&B concepts that aim to elevate Italian cuisine in Singapore. The restaurants within the group include Art as well as the one-Michelin-star Italian restaurant and rooftop bar Braci.

Married with four sons aged between 5 and 15, he also has to juggle work and family. He says: “In fact, my oldest is interning for two weeks in the kitchen at Art. He wants to understand what it takes, and I think he’s enjoying it.”

Art took over the dining space that previously housed De Vito’s Aura restaurant in the National Gallery.

It’s the same with the ingredients we use from Japan. We have live scallops and sea urchin from Hokkaido. People here aren’t used to Italian sea urchin, because it has a different colour and smell.

Take this appetiser from our new menu, Tuna Belly Carpaccio, Truffle and Piemonte Hazelnuts. It’s inspired by the best sashimi I’ve had in Tokyo at a restaurant some Japanese chefs took me to that only opens at night. We tasted six types of tuna that had been dry-aged for two weeks. In this dish, we use tuna

3 1

Beppe’s best of Japan

Yuzu

“I fell in love with yuzu citrus years ago.

Even the aroma is amazing — it’s sweet and citrusy. I love using it with herbs and spices. Add it sparingly to dishes and you add freshness. I’ve also plucked them from a yuzu farm in Shizuoka Prefecture.”

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Uni

“When I was younger, I used to forage for sea urchin. I’ve done it in France, the UK and Spain. We used to eat it fresh from the beach. I’ve always loved and used sea urchin in my dishes, like at ilLido previously. At Art, we use it in some of our dishes too. And nothing beats the taste of seasonal sea urchin from Japan!”

belly from Japanese wild-caught tuna, sourced especially by our supplier. The hazelnuts are prepared in three ways: crushed and made into a pesto as well as a cream. With the hazelnuts, truffles and a truffle vinaigrette, this is a simple yet very Italian dish that is also wonderful for autumn and early winter.

We seek the best, whatever we have.

That’s because I want to make Art the best Italian restaurant in Singapore.”

Art is at #05-03 National Gallery, 1 St Andrew’s Road. Tel: 6866-1977

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Tokyo

“This is my favourite city in Japan. It’s like four or five cities in one. I like walking around Tokyo a lot. Every time we visit, my wife and I go to the Omotesando neighbourhood, with its little streets of shops. I also enjoy visiting the food basements at Ginza Mitsukoshi and Shinjuku Isetan, where I can pick up special varieties of soya sauce and aged fish sauce.”

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ALLURING AICHI Go on a holiday of a lifetime in Japan’s rustic heartland.

TEXT CHARMAINE CHAN

NAGOYA TOYOTA

AICHI PREFECTURE TOKONAME

HANDA

MIHAMA HIMAKAJIMA

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TOYOHASHI

AICHI

L

ocated in the Chubu region of Honshu island, Aichi Prefecture is almost smack in the middle of Japan.

The largest city here is Nagoya, while the economic powerhouse of the area is the automotive industry, home to the Toyota Motor Corporation, the world’s largest carmaker.

Leaving behind the urban areas and travelling south down the Chita Peninsula can reveal some off-the-beaten-track gems.

Start your journey in the city of Handa, fragrant with its heady history of brewing some of the best sake and vinegar in the country. Then move down to Mihama, with its idyllic flower and fruit farms extending as far as the eye can see, with fields glazed with the gold of graceful sunflowers under vast blue skies of endless sunshine. Follow the coast down past pristine beaches and crashing waves, all the way to the seaside resort island of Himakajima in Mikawa Bay before making your way back up to Tokoname, with its storied history of pottery making. Located next to Chubu Centrair International Airport, this gateway city is the perfect place to end your southern Aichi adventure.

Through your journey, your taste buds will be taken on a rich odyssey as well. With Aichi’s coastal geography, you’ll find some of Japan’s very best seafood. Meat lovers can also rejoice, as pork from specially bred pigs and beef from cattle unique to the region provide a satisfying experience that cannot be replicated anywhere else in the country. City dwellers will be delighted by sophisticated offerings by chefs passionate about their craft, in charming cafés and restaurants located in small villages, lush gardens and even a converted clay kiln.

Turn the page and let the adventure begin.

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An enduring connection

From an individual named Yamamoto Otokichi to the Summer Olympics 2020, the bond between Mihama and Singapore continues to grow through the years.

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hen the 14-year-old Mihama native named Yamamoto Otokichi started work as a sailor, he had no idea how much his life was to change. His journeys took him to North America, Britain and Macau before he finally settled down in Singapore. And although the sunny isle proved to be the last chapter in his life, the fact that he was its very first Japanese resident, died and was buried there was enough to form a bridge between Singapore and Japan that continues to this day.

“He started a logistics company in Singapore,” says Koichi Saito (left), mayor of Mihama. “The first Japanese company to be launched outside Japan.”

As he goes on to display photos of Otokichi’s grave in Singapore as well as diplomatic receptions in Singapore in 2009 with then-President SR Nathan with a Japanese delegation and the Japanese ambassador, it is clear that SingaporeJapan relations are close to his heart.

PEOPLE

OF

MIHAMA

“Beyond 2020, I would want Singaporeans to know that they are always welcome in Mihama.”

— Koichi Saito, mayor of Mihama

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Mihama and Singapore also started a student exchange programme that has been running since 2005. For example, Ngee Ann Secondary regularly hosts student delegations from Kowa Junior High and Noma Junior High in Mihama, even as it sends its own groups across for cultural immersion programmes that involve the students in everything from orange picking to kendo sparring to participating in the traditional tea ceremony.

Next year’s Summer Olympics and Paralympics are going to bring this relationship one notch closer, as Mihama has been designated one of Singapore’s 2020 Arigato Host Towns, taking care of the Singaporean Olympic and Paralympic contingents. “We won’t be providing the accommodation,” clarifies Saito. “But we will be providing the cultural experience for the Singaporeans.”

This will include putting together an activity-filled programme to educate the visitors on the region’s history and culture, as well as fishing, farming and harvesting experiences. And of course, sporting events that will make full use of the Nihon Fukushi University facilities.

“We will also be organising festivals, welcoming parties and holding receptions for the athletes,” says Saito.

His hope is that the cross-cultural relationship continues beyond the Olympic excitement, well into the future.

“Beyond 2020, I would want Singaporeans to know that they are always welcome in Mihama.”

Mihama Town Hall, Aichi 470-2492

MIHAMA

PLANTING TRADITIONS

Munching on morsels Mihama has excellent snacks — sweet and savoury — to nibble on.

PEOPLE

OF

MIHAMA

AMAKI EIGO

Owner of Joyful Farm Unoike

Cracking good fun One of the most delicious snacks in the area is churned out by Ebisenbei-no-Sato, a renowned maker of prawn crackers. Take a visit to their mega store and factory, where 400 million crackers are made a day, baked fresh by pressing between metal plates heated to 200 deg Celsius. On weekends, they offer visitors a chance to make their own giant cracker (30cm in diameter). Hooded and aproned, you will get to pour a dollop of a thick octopus, prawn, black sesame and potato paste onto a hot griddle pan. After the lid goes down, the cracker is baked for precisely three and a half minutes, before it is removed. You then get to draw a design on it in a sauce, before it is dried for another two minutes, then packaged for you to bring home.

Designing your own crackers at Ebisenbei-no-Sato

52-1 Kittanagare, Kitagata, Mihama, Aichi 470-2403

Sweets for my sweet At the helm of a 150-year-old, thirdgeneration business is Yasuhiro Chaya, who runs Amebun. The little confectionery store is renowned for its taihou maki, also known as the longest sweet produced in Japan. Each one is 30cm long and hand-rolled, with fillings that are also made by hand. Standard items feature sweet red bean and arrowroot, but limited-edition offerings have fillings made from seasonal produce, like yuzu, matcha as well as cherry leaves and flowers. People travel here from across the country to buy this unique confectionery, and Chaya makes 500 to 600 a day to keep up with demand. His autumn offerings of sweet potato and chestnut maki? “I just sold out of them completely,” he admits with a laugh.

66-1 Minamigochu, Tokishi, Mihama, Aichi 470-2402

This spritely and energetic 82-year-old farmer works 5.30am to 4pm every single day, with no time off.

How big is your farm and what does it grow?

It’s 10,000sqm in size and we grow strawberries, oranges, sweet potatoes, Japanese radishes and grapes. Our main crops are strawberries, which are grown in greenhouses.

What does the name of your farm mean?

“Unoike” means “the pond of cormorant”. The cormorant is a native bird of our region and is considered a treasure of our community — its waste is a valuable fertiliser for our crops.

This has been recognised from the Edo period. We have earned money selling it to neighbouring areas, enough money to build an elementary school.

Because of the bird, the use of guns is prohibited here — the sound of it scares them.

You also run a restaurant called Unomi. Why?

Trying the longest sweet produced in Japan, taihou maki, from Amebun

I wanted to serve oshizushi, or pressed sushi, which is a regional speciality. It is a celebration food, made for the new year or weddings. It is time-consuming to make — it takes four people one hour to do one plate. And with the rising demands for speed and convenience, people have stopped making it so it is getting harder to find.

But I think it’s important to preserve the tradition.

10 Nakashinden, Kaminoma, Mihama, Aichi 470-3231

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NIHON FUKUSHI UNIVERSITY

MAKING

A MARK A

s it marks its 66th anniversary this year, Nihon Fukushi University has much to celebrate.

Not only does it boast the largest online student enrolment in Japan (numbers stand at 7,000 currently), it is also the oldest university in the country with social welfare roots. This is something that Mr Satoru Maruyama, the chair of the board of trustees, is understandably proud of. “Social welfare to me is about taking care of the elderly and disabled in our society,” he explains. “So much of our original curriculum was — and is — focused on turning out graduates who can manage homes for the elderly and plan our communities to factor in their needs.”

Since the institution started with the faculty of social welfare (then called Chubu Junior College of Social Work) in 1953, the school has grown to become a full-fledged university with four graduate schools and eight faculties: nursing, economics, sports sciences, healthcare management, international welfare development, child development and health sciences. Today, it sprawls across four campuses in Mihama, Tokai, Handa and Nagoya, with about 12,000 students in total. Each campus has a different focus: Nagoya’s graduate schools, Handa’s faculty of health sciences and Tokai’s nursing, economics and international welfare faculties.

The indoor basketball courts with the jogging track running around its perimeter on the second floor

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PHOTO: FREEPIK.COM

Nihon Fukushi University explores a global outreach as it celebrates its past and looks to the future.

Satoru Maruyama, Maruyama, chairSatoru of the chair of the board of trustees at Nihon board of trusFukushi University tees at Nihon Fuku-

A D V E R TO R I A L

LEFT: The facilities and equipment of the sports sciences faculty make it a popular choice for students BELOW: The gym is filled with everything you could need for a well-rounded workout

The rest of the faculties are at the main campus in Mihama — child development, healthcare management, sports sciences and of course, social welfare. Sports sciences is one of the more newly established faculties, and it offers courses in sports technology, management and education. The facilities are impressive, with extensive playing fields, wellequipped gyms, spacious dance studios and swimming pools, one of which is used for rehabilitative purposes and can be adjusted for depth. Two gleaming indoor basketball courts also sit side by side, framed by a jogging track that runs along its perimeter on the second floor, offering a good view of the action on the court.

Thinking global

All of the courses at Nihon Fukushi are entirely in Japanese, something Mr Maruyama would like to do something about. “We would like to hire Englishspeaking lecturers,” he says. “Or perhaps to add English subtitles for those lectures that are recorded and broadcast.” This is part of the push at the university to help it grow from a local university to a centre of learning with international appeal.

In line with the same outward-looking approach, the university has established links with 13 different universities in nine countries in the region over the years: Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, South Korea, Taiwan, India, the Philippines and Australia. It runs an institution for foreign students called the Japanese Language Education Centre, which takes in about 1,500 students a year. The school has four-year courses that enable foreign students to acquire credits as they gradually transition into an undergraduate course at the university, especially in terms of the language.

Singapore is notably absent from the list of countries the university has established affiliations with. “I would really like to change this,” says Mr Maruyama. “Singapore and Japan have much in common, especially in terms of an ageing population.

As caring for the elderly is a focus here at this university, I believe we could learn a lot from each other in this area.”

A dance studio

The swimming pool on the right can be adjusted for depth

Nihon Fukushi University, Mihama, Aichi 470-3295

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A magical region Aside from food, Mihama and its surrounds in South Chita offer much to see and do. Stay for a few days and enjoy the beautiful beaches, rugged coastline and sparkling sea.

Light of love Built in 1921, Nomazaki Lighthouse is the oldest in Aichi Prefecture.

It is still functioning today, thanks to a 2008 renovation that kitted it out with LED lights and made it more disaster resistant. Standing 18m tall, this lonely sentinel by the sea is popular with couples who believe that affixing a padlock nearby will be good for their relationship. The original fence collapsed with the weight of them, so the authorities have constructed a sturdy one just for that purpose, on the plaza in front, along with a bell called the “Bell of Bonds”. Ring it, put a padlock on the fence and you might be assured of a happy ever after. ck for a padlo Locking e Nomazaki ar th use love ne Lightho

20-1 Iwanari, Onoura, Mihama, Chita, Aichi 470-3236

Monumental man

The inviting hot spring rock pools at Genjikoh

Playing the Heian-era game of Monko

Inn of delight Tourists who love everything Japanese should book a stay at Genjikoh, a traditional Japanese inn on the Chita coast that offers a unique cultural experience. Not only do they have charming Japanese-style rooms, they also boast a bathhouse on the 10th floor with hot spring rock pools, as well as a variety of different tubs — cypress, large jars or even one where you can lie down fully. All these are located on a large balcony so you can enjoy views of the sparkling sea as you soak. Take the experience a notch further by donning a heavily embroidered uchikake (a formal kimono) for a photo (left) or play Monko, a game from the Heian period, where participants try to guess the scent of incense through a series of graceful ritualistic moves. An added bonus? The inn started offering halal meals last year.

Yamamikaigan, Minamichita, Aichi 470-3322

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A visit to the area must include a look at the newly unveiled statue of Yamamoto Otokichi, especially for Singaporeans. The adventurous Mihama native travelled the world, became a British citizen and lived in Macau, but forged enduring ties between our little red dot and Japan by becoming the very first Japanese resident of Singapore. Sailor, trader, translator and businessman, Otokichi is also notable for helping to translate the Bible into Japanese.

Fukushima, Onoura, Mihama, Aichi 470-3236

M I H A M A & S O U T H C H I TA

Marvellous meals

Whether it’s dinner or dessert, here’s what to sit down to in the Mihama area.

Fields of gold From June to December every year, vast fields in Minamichita turn gold, with the graceful heads of sunflowers tilted in exactly the same direction, facing the sun. The stunning sight of this, as well as fields carpeted in different vivid colours when other flowers like Mexican asters and poppies bloom are what attracts droves of people to Kanko Noen Hana Hiroba, a farm in south Chita. For a flat fee, visitors get to roam and take pictures to their hearts’ content, as well as pick 10 flowers to bring home.

If the season is right, they can harvest watermelons and pick strawberries as well. Vegetables are also grown on-site, with Chinese cabbage, radishes and broccoli flourishing in the mild climate and rich soil of the region.

Passionate about parfaits Trained as a pastry chef, Takeji Nagase (above) of Fraisvert Radieux has become more of an ice cream specialist. His dessert café features no fewer than 30 flavours made from scratch, including passionfruit and coconut water. These ice creams form the foundation of his famous parfaits, each one beautifully constructed. For instance, the Tiara Strawberry Parfait (centre) is a study of a single flavour, found in the compote, sponge and ice creams. “One ice cream is made with strawberries from France, the other with strawberries from Japan,” he explains with a smile.

48 Takamidai, Toyohama, Minamichita, Aichi 470-3411

14-1 Tachido, Kitagata, Mihama, Aichi 470-2403

Pleasures of pork Mihama successfully bred a type of pig without the usual six strains of bacteria and launched it in February 2017. The meat from such pigs, called Koibiton pork, is only available at restaurants in Mihama city like Kitajo, which specialises in tonkatsu (left).

Set lunches offer the pork cutlet with a perfectly cooked egg melting its creamy yolk into the accompanying sauce. The batter is crisp and light as air, while the meat is thick, tender and flavourful.

Ready for a soak at Kanpo-noYado, Chita Mihama

Modern comfort Kanpo-no-Yado, Chita Mihama is located by the sea and offers beds, baths and blowout meals — everything a traveller could want. Wash away the grime of the road in the bathhouse on the second floor, with its individual shower stalls and large hot pool. Then head for the 13-course kaiseki dinner served in the dining room (clad in the hotel yukata if you want!) and enjoy a beautiful symphony of food — from fresh sashimi to fish hotpot and rice mixed with chestnuts and mushrooms, an autumn speciality. By the time you sink into your clean, comfortable bed, you’ll be in a state of full-belly bliss.

124-3 Ochasen, Okuda, Mihama, Aichi 470-3233

Shrimply the best Seafood lovers will be in paradise at Uotaro Main Store, with its huge fish market and restaurants. At the BBQ eatery by the beach, you can pick fresh seafood, meats and vegetables for a flat fee. Then head to a table outside, each with its own individual grill for you to grill your selections (right). With a cold beer in hand, salt air in your hair and the quality of the food, don’t be surprised if you eat more than you expect.

32-1 Harago, Toyooka, Mihama, Aichi 470-2414

39-1 Suhara, Okuda, Mihama, Aichi 470-3233

Tomi Sushi

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Highlights of

Himaka Island Explore this tiny isle just off the coast of the Chita Peninsula in Mikawa Bay.

J

ust a 10-minute ferry ride from Morozaki Port in Minamichita, Himaka Island or Himakajima is so small that it takes only about 30 minutes to drive around.

The 1,900-strong population either work in fishing or tourism. A popular summer destination for domestic tourists, people come from all over Japan to enjoy the beaches, snorkel, windsurf, dig for clams and savour fresh seafood.

Spot the octopus and the pufferfish

Octopus dishes are a big feature at restaurants in Himaka Island

Swing over the sea Up on a small hill near Sunrise Beach is one of the island’s most Instagrammed spots. Called Heidi’s Swing or Lover’s Swing (and it can seat two at a push!), it offers visitors the exhilarating experience of sitting in the dappled shade of a tree and flying out over the calm blue waters of Mikawa Bay.

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The island’s undisputed mascot is the octopus, with the pufferfish coming a close second. Even the manhole covers here (left) are festooned with an engraving of tako or fugu. The tiny museum features the pots traditionally used by fishermen to catch octopus (above) as well as displays of fugu art, crafted from exquisitely thin, translucent slices of pufferfish. And of course, both tako and fugu feature prominently on restaurant menus here.

S O U T H C H I TA

Flavours of island life

These must-have food souvenirs from Himaka Island are inspired by octopus and oranges.

Tako manju

Dry your own octopus Many seafood shops on the island offer tourists a taste of what it’s like to prepare octopus (below). The experience involves cleaning a large raw octopus, cutting and slicing it to remove its eyes and brain, then rubbing it liberally with salt before washing it thoroughly under running water. After that, it is marinated in a mixture of soya sauce, sugar and sake, before being hooked up and dried — stretched out to the full width of its tentacles (above). From May to July, when winds are high, drying can take only a day.

Don’t let its name fool you. This sweet, spongy cake isn’t filled with octopus but smooth red bean paste. Named for its shape, not its taste, tako manju is probably the island’s most famous edible souvenir. People come all the way to the island to buy them from Kamome Baiten, a shop offering local snacks. Made fresh at the shop (you can watch the automated process through the glass window at the front), tako manju is packed into boxes of six or 12. Here, the adorable cakes are shaped like mini cartoon octopus. If you’re lucky, you might find one or two shaped like pufferfish in your box.

Tako meshi Raw and marinated octopus is cut into chunks and stirred into this ready mix. Just drop the mix into your rice as it is cooking to add the island’s inimitable flavour to your everyday meal.

Tako curry This convenient curry paste features chunks of boiled octopus from Himaka Island. Place the whole sachet in boiling water for three to five minutes. Then pour it out over steaming white rice and you have a meal to remind you of your time on the island.

Tako furikake

Himakajima Tourism Association, 48 Nishihama, Himakajima, Minamichita, Aichi 470-3504

This traditional Japanese seasoning is made of dried octopus, sesame, potato and seaweed. Sprinkle it over your rice to perk up its flavour.

Minamichita Mogitate Mikan Sake A popular drink in the region is mikanshu no sake, or tangerine sake. Fresh oranges grown in the area are squeezed and mixed with alcohol. The result is refreshing and citrusy, and pairs perfectly with the region’s fresh seafood.

Tako sake Made in Handa city specially for Himaka Island, this sake has a fresh fragrance, a fruity flavour and is extremely easy to drink.

5 Nishihama, Himakajima, Minamichita, Aichi 470-3504 OISHII

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Taste for tradition

Red brick restoration

Quench your curiosity with these gastronomic museums of Handa.

One of the most outstanding buildings in the city of Handa must be the Kabuto Beer Museum, also known as the Handa Red Brick Building. Constructed in 1898, it housed the brewery of a famous local beer that won a gold medal at the 1900 Paris Exposition. Kabuto Beer ceased production in 1921 while the company underwent mergers and rebranding, eventually coming up with the famous Sapporo and Asahi labels. Today, the building stands as a beautifully restored example of Meiji-era architecture, exceedingly rare because of its red brick construction, multi-layered cavity walls and brick-arch floors. The beer resumed production in 2005 in very limited quantities. Order a bottle or two in a Handa restaurant or bar, and enjoy a crisp, refreshing taste of history.

8 Enokishita-cho, Handa, Aichi. Tel: +81-569-24-7031

Savour the flavour

Veering into vinegar You wouldn’t have thought that something as prosaic as vinegar would deserve an entire museum, but when the area is Handa and the vinegar is the famous Mizkan brand, the result is both elegant and effective.

Paying tribute to the roots of a vinegar empire that still dominates today, Mizkan Museum (MIM) utilises interactive exhibits, sophisticated videos, beautifully shot films and fun displays to relive the history of vinegar-making in the area. The museum sits by the Handa Canal, reminding visitors — as does an impressive full-sized wooden replica of a boat inside MIM — of how their products once sailed through the channel and onto the high seas, bringing Mizkan magic all the way from Handa to Tokyo, and all around Japan.

2-6 Nakamura-cho, Handa, Aichi 475-8585

A sip of sake history A sake museum established by Nakano Sake Brewery, Kunizakari Sake no Bunkakan Museum is housed in a 200-year-old building that was used to brew sake until 1972. Check out the huge wooden vats and the giant Amida wheel (3m in diameter) hanging from the ceiling, which once transported the vats from the first to the second floor of the brewery. Don’t miss the fascinating diorama of sake production in the Edo period, with various stages depicted by handmade paper dolls polishing, washing and steaming rice, as well as fermenting, filtering and bottling the alcohol. There is information about the special types of rice that are used for sake making, as well as displays of the traditional tools of the trade, including a cleverly designed porcelain sake warmer. Today, production takes place in premises that are 300m away. Brewery tours and sake tastings can be arranged through advance bookings.

2-24 Higashihonmachi, Handa, Aichi 475-0878

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Started in 1919, Yutaka Foods celebrates its 100th birthday this year. “I can’t really say we’ve been doing what we do for 100 years though,” says Kenji Achiwa, of Yutaka Foods, candidly. “We actually started out selling wood. But looking at trends and anticipating demand, we changed direction about 75 years ago and started making soya sauce instead.” It proved to be a fortuitous switch. Today, the company has grown into a seasoning giant, famous for its dashi soup stocks in powder and liquid form. Also just as well known are its instant noodles and its sauces for grilled unagi and sashimi. In addition to the factory at its headquarters in Taketoyo (along with an office building that is as old as the company — 100 years old!), Yutaka Foods also opened the second factory in Tottori Prefecture just last year.

34-1 Kawawaki, Taketoyo, Aichi 470-2395

HANDA

LUCKY STORIES

Surf and turf There’s no shortage of good food in Handa city. From beef to seafood, there’s lots to satiate your cravings.

Don’t be shellfish Seafood is the order of the day at Uotaro Kura-no-machi where meals don’t come with a side dish but a full appetiser buffet (right) instead. For your mains, take your pick from crispy tempura, boiled or grilled fish, fresh sashimi or deep-fried shrimp. Prefer other dishes? You’re sorted as the restaurant also offers deep-fried pork with miso sauce and Chita beef. Round off the meal with a wide selection of bottled beers, sake and shochu.

1-33-2 Nakamura-cho, Handa, Aichi 475-0873

Let’s meat up In Japan, cows are generally bred for meat or milk. But cattle from Chita are unusual in that they are bred both for milk and meat. The result is delicious. One of the best places to taste Chita beef is Kuroushi-No-Sato, a cosy yakiniku restaurant where you can cook your own meal over a hot grill.

Each diner receives a platter (below) of different cuts of raw beef (some in chunks, some in thin slices), innards, raw vegetables — onions, green peppers, potatoes and pumpkin — as well as rice, pickles and miso soup. Be prepared for tender, juicy beef that explodes in the mouth in a burst of rich flavour.

You’ll walk away satisfied — yet somehow craving more.

4-109-1 Yanabe Nishimachi, Handa, Aichi 475-0966. Tel: +81-569-23-8672

KAWAGUCHI YOSHINORI Owner of Handa Station Hotel

The affable proprietor of this cosy hotel believes that staying at his establishment brings good fortune.

Tell us why you believe your hotel is lucky.

One of my favourite stories is of a time when the famous singer Toshi, from the rock band X Japan, stayed here. When he came here, he had left the band and embarked on a solo career but was struggling and in a slump. He was also going through a bad patch with his wife, who he said was brainwashing him. After staying here, he divorced her, reunited with the band and his career flourished. It is believed that his one night here was the turning point that changed his life.

Could that have been just a coincidence?

Too many good things have happened to our guests. Handa hosts a national high school softball competition. The team from Kyushu, which is not a strong team, stayed here and won!

Also, there is a short film competition held near here every year, and for five years in a row — 2014 to 2019 — the participants who have stayed here have won.

Why do think all this happens to your guests?

I think it’s due to the location of the hotel. We are actually near the Sumiyoshi Shrine and a lot of people come to visit it. We are situated on the road to the shrine, so I think we are a “spiritual power spot”.

511 Miyajicho, Handa, Aichi 475-0902.

Tel: +81-56923-3222

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Stroll through the famous pottery footpath and the lucky cats of Tokoname (right and below)

A walk

through time

Located on the western coast of the Chita Peninsula in southern Aichi, the city of Tokoname has a long and storied history of pottery.

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apan has six cities famous for ceramics, and Tokoname is the oldest, having manufactured pots since the end of the Heian period (794 to 1185). The rich soil of the area birthed a thriving industry. At its peak, the city boasted no fewer than 3,000 kilns, making everything from clay sewage pipes and multi-purpose tiles to decorative lucky cats (manekineko) and delicate tea ceremony accessories.

After World War II, production was modernised and many kilns were shut down to protect the air quality. But that heritage is still in full evidence today, a feature the city celebrates by preserving historic pottery districts and repurposing disused kilns.

One of the best ways for tourists to get a feel of the city is to go on a pottery tour.

Omotenashi Tours offers a range of walking and cycling tours that incorporate some of the must-sees of Tokoname. Highlights include stops at the INAX MUSEUMS (see next page) and the famous pottery footpath, with walls studded with different artistic interpretations of the lucky cat, that culminates with the giant version, called Tokonyan, that stands 3.8m high and 6.3m wide.

There are also strolls through a historic pottery neighbourhood, with old kilns, artisanal studios and charming shops. Snap photos at the picturesque Hop on your bike for a tour through Tokoname Dokanzaka street, lined on one side with earthen to see sights like the Tokonyan cat pipes from the Meiji era, and liquor jars from the Showa period on the other side. The steep path itself is embedded with clay rings, repurposed from the kilns, which makes it less hazardous to walk upon.

Visitors can also get to paint and glaze their own manekineko, pick up ceramic souvenirs and take a break at the Dokanzaka resthouse to enjoy stunning views of the sea while enjoying traditional sweets and sipping tea from a cup that is a beautiful example of the local craft. omotenashi-tour.jp Tel: +81-569-89-2919

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TO KO N A M E

Stay the night

Charming and cultural

Getting to stay in a 120-year-old building is a unique experience not offered by many. But if you manage to snag a room at the Airbnblisted Nincha Guesthouse, you can consider yourself fortunate.

Offering accommodation for no more than five people, Nincha opened in April 2019 and offers guests an authentic experience, with tatami mats, sliding screen doors and traditional futon as bedding. “It took two years of renovation work,” says guesthouse owner Akiko Mase. “I retained the structure and roof but put in new flooring, plumbing and electricity.” She is currently working on the garden and planning tea rooms for tea ceremonies. “I like to keep traditions. I hope Nincha gives people an opportunity to explore a bit more and discover all the things the area has to offer.”

4-113 Sakaemachi, Tokoname, Aichi 479-0836

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Fired up by history

Make an interesting pit stop on your Tokoname tour at INAX MUSEUMS.

Whether you prefer the traditional and unique or the convenient and functional, Tokoname’s wide range of accommodation will have something for everyone.

Convenient and practical

One of the major advantages of J-Hotel Rinku is its location, situated a stone’s throw away from Chubu Centrair International Airport. Indeed, the hotel opened shortly after the airport did in 2006. Today, it has established itself as a handy port of call for visitors, with 180 clean, comfortable rooms attracting everyone from travelling businessmen to air crew to tourists. Don’t miss the hotel’s generous breakfast buffet, offering regional specialities like red miso soup and kushikatsu, deep-fried and skewered pork with miso sauce. Other hot dishes include simmered root vegetables, grilled fish, spaghetti and a selection of omelettes (plain, mushroom or sausage and bacon). Salads with hijiki seaweed, Brussels sprouts and pumpkin, as well as breads, cereals, yoghurts and fruit round off the spread.

3-2-1 Rinku-cho, Tokoname, Aichi 479-0882

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place worthy of more than a few hours is INAX MUSEUMS, which is a compound featuring six buildings. Three of them — the Architectural Terracotta Museum, Tile Museum and Kiln Plaza — showcase the rich history of clay not just in the area but around the world.

Worth a peek is the Kiln Plaza, which is a kiln from 1921 that has been converted into a museum. But it is the Tile Museum that will probably take up most of your time as it houses the fascinating private collection of Masayuki Yamamoto, a tile scholar. His donation to the museum is made up of tiles that date back to ancient Mesopotamia.

Travel through time and around the world as you take in blue tiles from Egypt, intricate mosaics from Morocco, shiny majolica versions from Spain as well as glossy, vividly coloured British tiles that inspired the famous Peranakan ones from our part of the world. Compare blue and white tilework from Holland with porcelain of China and Japan, while marvelling at the different techniques of cutwork, metallic glazing and coloured inlays.

Inspired for more? Head to one of the other three buildings within the compound (the Clay Works and Tiling Workshop), which offer visitors the opportunity to get hands on with classes, workshops and activities. Mould a shiny clay ball or put together your own mosaic creation — and show the world the spirit of monozukuri (the making of things).

1-130 Okuei-cho, Tokoname, Aichi 479-8586.

Tel: +81-569-34-8282

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Tickle your

taste buds The best eats and drinks to be found in Tokoname.

A labour of love

Imagine running a restaurant in a remote village that only serves 16 people a day.

Then winning recognition from both the Gault&Millau and Michelin guides such that there is now a one-month booking wait list. This is exactly what happened to chef Watanabe Daisuke (right), who opened Le Coeuryuzu in May 2017. Serving up innovative French fusion food, he uses only local produce. Formally trained in Nagoya, Daisuke discovered a flair for French cuisine early on. Eating his food is a revelation for the senses. Standouts include guinea fowl from his hometown of Iwate and a divine dessert of figs marinated in wine and sugar. “I’ve never liked to copy anyone,” says Daisuke, describing his style. “I like to create everything myself. This is who I am.”

3-143-1 Kumano-cho, Tokoname, Aichi 479-0817. Tel: +81-569-56-9403

Mad about mochi

Café and shop Ookuramochi is something of an institution, a place to grab a box of sweets or savour them while enjoying a view of the immaculate courtyard garden. Inaba Noritatsu carries on the business started in 1950 by his grandfather, maintaining standards like grinding his own matcha and using rice from a specific farm in Chita for his handmade mochi. “We only use local products,” he says proudly. The shop is famous for Ookura mochi (mugwort rice cakes with sweet red bean filling) as well as shaved ice creations like Matcha Milk Kintoki. Big on tradition, the shop isn’t afraid of experimenting either, offering a unique savoury dish called Kaiunkouhakuzouni — mentaiko mochi with spinach, bonito, fish cake and tofu in clear seaweed dashi. “I created it because I wanted to eat it,” says Noritatsu with a smile.

2-2-1 Koiehonmachi, Tokoname, Aichi 479-0838.

Tel: +81-569-35-2676

Bold look and flavours

For the sake of sake

When you’ve been making sake for 170 years, it’s safe to say you have the methods honed to perfection. Such is the case for Sawada sake brewery in Tokoname, where no detail is overlooked.

For instance, the water is piped in from the Chita Peninsula mountains 2km away and the wooden vats used are constructed out of cedar trees that are at least 100 years old (left). The result is a range of famous sake and plum wines that have been popular for many years — the most famous of which is HAKUROU. 4-10 Koba-cho, Tokoname, Aichi 479-0818. Tel: +81-569-35-4003

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Kyouei-gama bar and bistro has an ambience that is hard to beat. Housed in a converted clay kiln, the 80-seater boasts Meiji-era architecture with retained structural features like the chimney and tunnel arches. The menu has a decidedly European influence — order the prawn and lemon risotto, or a creamy pate with a charcuterie platter that pairs well with the delicious cocktails crafted by an in-house mixologist. Desserts include crisp French toast with piped chestnut and accompanied by pear sorbet.

2-88 Kitajo, Tokoname, Aichi 479-0833

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Taking flight

Take a look at this unique food and activity section inside an airport.

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You can’t miss the Flight of Dreams area (right) at Chubu Centrair International Airport. Opened in autumn 2018, the space is distinguished by a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, referencing how 35 per cent of 787s are built in Japan’s Chubu region. The eateries and bars here also celebrate Boeing’s roots as they’re grouped under a distinct theme — Seattle Terrace.

Ready to go

Shiro dreams of sushi

In 1972, Shiro Kashiba opened a sushi restaurant in Seattle. The Kyoto native, who trained under the legendary Jiro Ono in Tokyo, wanted to introduce Americans to this most beloved of Japanese foods. He was successful beyond his wildest dreams. Now he has opened his first outpost in his home country here at Seattle Terrace. Favourites at Shiro Kashiba Sushi Express include uramaki (inside-out sushi) and Seattle rolls (salmon and avocado sushi).

Second floor, Seattle Terrace, Flight of Dreams, Chubu Centrair International Airport. Tel: +81-569-84-7655

Sip on Seattle craft beer

The only branch of Seattle-based independent beer brewery The Pike Brewing, The Pike here offers six fan-favourite craft beers. These are brewed in the US and imported into Japan, just like the beef used to craft its burgers. While the food is solidly American, the flavours have been adapted to suit Japanese taste buds.

“Our chef was sent to the US to train but he’s made the food more umami,” says Takashi Hoshihara, who runs the establishment. “Now even American customers tell us they prefer the food here!”

As Japan’s reputation for excellent food grows, so has travellers’ demand for packaged premium produce to bring home.

Hence the opening in May 2016 of duty-free shop Oishii Premium Selection, with its selection of beef, seafood and fruit. Helpful information displayed tells you which countries you are allowed to bring the items into. For example, crabs, roe and spiny lobster are not allowed into Singapore, but salmon and scallops are.

At international departures after security check, Chubu Centrair International Airport.

Tel: +81-569-38-7867

Third floor, Seattle Terrace, Flight of Dreams, Chubu Centrair International Airport.

Tel: +81-569-38-7338

Reach for the sky

Cruise control

A station away from Chubu Centrair International Airport is Toyota Rental & Leasing, with its fleet of about 70 cars as well as staff who can speak English, Chinese and Japanese. Another plus is the comfortable lounge (above), with plush couches and thoughtfully appointed bathrooms. If you’ve just stepped off a long flight, you can take a hot shower as the paperwork is prepared. Or just flip through a magazine and enjoy an Americano from the coffee machine. Before you know it, your rental car will be ready.

Officially opened last August, Aichi Sky Expo is Japan’s fourth largest convention and exhibition centre at 60,000sqm, and the only one with a customs-free zone.

There is 50,000sqm of space for trade shows and exhibitions, while a 10,000sqm exhibition hall also makes perfect sense for concerts and shows. A conference centre also accommodates meetings, conventions and corporate events of any size.

5-10-1 Centrair, Tokoname, Aichi 479-0881. Tel: +81-569-38-2361

3-2-10 Rinku-cho, Tokoname, Aichi 479-0882.

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KO N B I N I F O O D

HOW TO EAT CHEAP AND QUICK IN JAPAN

Our picks for the best konbini eats like onigiri, karaage and more.

HIT LIST

In Japan, you can get a lot done in convenience stores, also known as konbini. You can stock up on toiletries, stationery and undergarments, buy bus and train tickets, pay insurance bills and even drop off parcels and luggage for deliveries.

Famished fans also love popping into these chain stores for

the mind-boggling array of affordable, mouth-watering food and drinks. And we aren’t just talking about ice cream, potato chips and chocolates. Here are some tummy-filling meals that you can feast on for 500 yen ($6.20) or less (and have change left for a cup of freshly brewed coffee on the spot too).

Fans swear by the tasty and filling onigiri at 7-Eleven

Onigiri from 7-Eleven Office workers and tourists in need of a quick but satisfying carb fix swear by these neatly wrapped rice balls. These are often encased in roasted seaweed and stuffed with an assortment of fillings like egg and tuna.

One convenience store chain that sells onigiri is 7-Eleven, which some say has the best konbini food in Japan. Its ikura (salmon roe) onigiri is a classic and popular pick, and if you’re lucky, you may come upon the fried rice flavour too. Yes, think Chinese-style fried rice with diced pork, all conveniently housed in a compact seaweed-wrapped pyramid. The best part? No chopsticks required!

Insider tip: Can’t get to Japan yet?

Some 7-Eleven stores in Singapore have local versions of the onigiri… with chilli crab or nasi lemak filling.

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Karaage-Kun fried chicken from Lawson To understand how popular these are, here are the stats: Convenience store giant Lawson is said to sell 500,000 of these sinful crispy, bite-sized nuggets every day.

To keep up with the high demand, Lawson even invented a robot named Karaage-Kun Robo that dispenses your fried chook at selected Lawson stores. Besides regular, spicy and cheese flavours, there are limited edition ones like corn pottage, and seaweed and salt. Psst… American singer Katy Perry is a fan. You can also buy karaage chicken at other convenience store chains. The version from 7-Eleven, for example, is a breaded, boneless chicken thigh (there’s a cheesestuffed option too if you haven’t busted your daily calorie quota). Mini Stop encrusts theirs with fried potato bits for twice the umami oomph.

KO N B I N I F O O D

Feeling peckish?

Grab a meat or fruit sandwich

Chuka-man from most convenience stores These are Chinese-style steamed buns that make a simple, delicious hot snack on a rainy day. They are usually filled with meat, mushrooms and bamboo shoots. But you can go on a hunt and suss out more unusual varieties like 7-Eleven’s Pizza-Man (with oozing cheese and tangy tomatoes, just like a pizza!), Family Mart’s Bolognese (loaded with ground beef or pork, tomatoes and spices) and Lawson’s Uji matcha (powdered green tea) buns.

Oden from most convenience stores

Sandwiches from Family Mart

TEXT PEARLYN THAM PHOTOS 123RF, SHUTTERSTOCK, RESPECTIVE BRANDS

If you love bread and pastries (and also Muji merchandise), a Family Mart store has to be on your itinerary. The chain is reported to have the best sandwiches and buns. Think katsu sando (sandwich with deep-fried pork), melon pan (which generally doesn’t have melon but looks like the fruit) and yakisoba buns (hot dog-style buns topped with fried noodles).

One of the most popular choices is the egg salad sandwich because, seriously, who can resist creamy egg and sweet mayo in between the softest slices of bread? If you visit Japan from January to April, you may also find sandwiches stuffed with whipped cream and seasonal fruit like strawberries. Perfect for those who like dessert as their main course — we won’t judge.

Looking somewhat like our local yong tau foo, Japanese oden is a welcome treat in cold weather. This is why the steaming hot, soup-soaked dish is sold in convenience stores in the cooler months between September and April. A big pot, usually placed near the cashier, holds trays of tofu, daikon (Japanese radish), boiled eggs, fish cakes and konnyaku, all steeped for hours in a fragrant dashi broth. You scoop out what you want and pay by the piece.

Look out for steamed buns stuffed with melted cheese or sweet matcha

Bento sets from most convenience stores For something more substantial than an onigiri, bento sets are a good deal. The more common ones are donburi rice bowls with deep-fried pork (katsudon) or chicken cutlet and eggs. More elaborate options come with six to eight side dishes like potato korokke (croquette), tori karaage (fried chicken), tamagoyaki (rolled egg), mackerel and hamburg steak. After paying, warm up the food in the microwave ovens available at each store. Then tuck in.

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So MATCHA better Take a look behind the scenes at this renowned matcha producer in Nishio city.

Few things embody Japanese culture as much as matcha does.

And few areas are as famous for growing green tea as Nishio in Aichi Prefecture in central Japan, because of its soil and climate. The city is also Japan’s largest producer of powdered green tea.

“I believe they have been growing it in this area for at least 1,200 years,” says Tadateru Honda, president of Aoi Seicha, a hundred-year-old company that’s one of the most established green tea producers in the area. “It is steeped in the tradition and history of this place.”

On a tour of the company, Honda provides a rundown on harvest times, why the plants are tented or shaded from the sun, and how the leaves are picked by hand or machine. All this affects the quality of the tea, which is seen in its colour, fragrance and taste — and eventual pricing.

In the factory, automated grinders are hard at work, blitzing the dried tea leaves into matcha.

“For tea to drink, we use only stone grinders as it grinds more finely and preserves both the colour and the fragrance,” says Honda. “We avoid ceramic, which many companies use today because it heats up during grinding and can destroy the taste and flavour of the tea.”

The shop sells different kinds of green tea, as well as associated paraphernalia like teapots, cups and bowls. Upstairs, a café serves many matcha delights, from cakes to parfaits.

Scan here for more details on Aoi Seicha

7 Kami-Yashiki Kami-machi, Nishio, Aichi 445-0894.

Tel: 81-563-57-2570

The eel deal

Step inside this unagi specialist in Nishio for a taste of the Japanese delicacy.

If you love unagi and are travelling in Aichi Prefecture, try the eel experience known as hitsumabushi at Unagi No Kanemitsu in Nishio. The eel is cooked Nagoya-style — slit along the belly and grilled whole, without steaming. Then it is served diced with rice, broth, unagi sauce and condiments like grated wasabi and chopped green onions.

Also within the complex is its offices and a

factory complete with eel tanks, so that freshness and quality is assured. In addition to processing the eel for use in the restaurant, the factory also produces them for commercial sale. Workers process, package and box the grilled eels, to be sent out for sale across the country. With about 2,000 eels prepared in one hour, the brand is certainly filling an unabashed appetite for unagi.

18-1 Higashi-shita Niwari, Isshiki-cho Isshiki, Nishio, Aichi 444-0423. Tel: 81-563-73-5111

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Spice up your life Move aside, laksa. Three eateries in Singapore give their take on Hokkaido’s famous curry dishes.

SAMA Suage

TEXT DENYSE YEO PHOTOGRAPHY RAYMOND TOH/VINEYARD PRODUCTION

Tengawa Hokkaido White Curry

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okkaido might be the home of seafood, dairy products and miso ramen. But Japan’s northernmost prefecture is also famed for its curry dishes, namely soup curry and white curry. These regional varieties are just as popular, if not more, than quintessential curry rice (kare raisu).

Soup curry (supu kare) is thinner and broth-like, served with coarsely-cut vegetables and a chicken leg. Invented by a Sapporo café in the 1970s, it was inspired by Chinese medicinal soups and curries from Indonesia, Thailand, Sri Lanka and India.

By the 2000s, the Hokkaido capital had become ground zero for soup curry in Japan. Soup curry is a showcase of regional vegetables while also offering diners a tasty kick, with different spices like curry powder, turmeric and garam masala.

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White curry is a newer creation that rode in on Japan’s white food trend in the 1990s and 2000s, which saw a boom in white-coloured food from burgers to tea. It was created by a chef at the Sapporo Prince Hotel, after he became inspired by the snowy cityscape around him. White curry is more similar to curry rice. Chefs use roux thickener along with milk, spices such as pepper, but with zero turmeric. It looks like a creamy stew but tastes like a sweeter, milder yet spicy curry. Like soup curry, vegetables are cut into chunks and flash fried, so their bright colours are set nicely against the dish’s whiteness.

Either way, Hokkaido’s curries are comfort foods not just in winter but throughout the year. Three Hokkaido curry experts in Singapore share their stories of the dish.

CURRY EXPERTS

“We use fresh, high-quality ingredients and serve our white curry warm, not hot, for customers to enjoy the taste better.” thought he could bring it here. Because he worked in Japan, he knew many Japanese friends. He was introduced to a Hokkaido chef with over 30 years of experience, who helped him create the recipe for our white curry.”

Zhong Wan Shan

Operations Director, Tengawa Hokkaido White Curry

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ubbly and chatty, Kunmingborn Zhong Wan Shan might not be your conventional Japanese restaurant manager in Singapore. But her experience running a restaurant in Kyoto for 10 years shines through as she greets curious customers with warmth. Opened three years ago, Tengawa Hokkaido White Curry was started by her Singaporean husband, who works in the food export business. The couple also own a sushi restaurant in Paya Lebar and an izakaya in Kunming.

Zhong, who is fully conversant in Japanese, says: “People are still very curious about this dish, even Japanese people who’ve never seen it before and now have grown to like it. They think it looks like stew but once they try it, it tastes like curry. It’s unusual and nice.”

The first white curry restaurant in Singapore, Tengawa banks on a white food trend that originated in Sapporo and is now popular throughout Japan. Its white curry is similar to conventional Japanese curry but uses milk and lots of pepper. In fact, Zhong hints that a future menu item is on the cards: a twist on another Sapporo speciality, soup curry, although it is not ready at the moment.

How have you adapted the recipes to suit Singaporeans’ taste buds?

“White curry in Japan tends to be mild, thick and milky, maybe too rich. We thought we could make it more enjoyable for Singaporeans. So we experimented in the kitchen for three months until we found the right recipe with the chef from Hokkaido and two other Japanese chefs in Singapore. We created a stronger curry taste that’s less milky. I also created our white curry ramen, which is unique and quite popular with customers.”

Why do Singaporeans like the taste of white curry?

“In the beginning, not many people accepted the taste, so we refined the recipe even further. Now, our customers really enjoy it, even though white curry in Singapore is still very new. I think it’s left a deep impression. It’s also served warm, not hot, and isn’t so spicy, which is good for families. Children and the elderly alike can enjoy it.”

What’s special about your restaurant?

“We use Hokkaido milk, imported squid, octopus and oysters from Japan. We also cook every dish when it is ordered, so customers get their food freshly cooked.

You might need to wait a little if we are crowded, especially at lunchtime, but the wait is worth it.”

What inspired the opening of your restaurant serving white curry?

“My husband tried white curry in Hokkaido a few years ago. The weather was cold but after eating the dish, he felt warm and comfortable. He knew Singapore did not have this dish so he

Tengawa’s white curry is similar to traditional Japanese curry but uses milk and lots of pepper Tengawa Hokkaido White Curry is at #02-16 Millenia Walk. Tel: 6265-1314

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he first taste of Hokkaido soup curry that Nicole Ma had was in Sapporo in 2016 with Japanese friends. A curry lover, she expected the dish to taste like standard Japanese curry on rice. But one spoonful of the thin yet flavour-packed soup, and she was hooked.

“It tasted more like soup than curry, but how the ingredients, herbs and spices tasted lighter than laksa made it more interesting,” she says.

Already an aspiring F&B entrepreneur with dim sum restaurants and a buta don eatery, Ma spotted an opportunity as soup curry was barely known in Singapore. Through a Japanese contact, she met Takahashi San, the founderowner of SAMA soup curry restaurant in Sapporo, which has outlets across Japan and Hong Kong.

A former flight attendant who later studied for a year at Le Corden Bleu’s

culinary school in Bangkok, Ma took six months to confirm the deal with Takahashi San. Her training included three full days learning about soup curry at a SAMA kitchen in Tokyo. In May 2017, SAMA opened in Singapore here to long queues. Ma, who still helps out in the kitchen if needed, says: “We definitely want to expand and want more Singaporeans to know about soup curry!”

What’s the restaurant’s X factor?

“We have four soup bases — tomato, coconut, Japanese and shrimp — that can be matched with your preferred meat, such as grilled pork or hamburg steak.

Our spice level also goes up to 30! Our Japanese trainer came down to test the

The spice levels of soup curry at SAMA go up all the way to 30, for a real fiery kick

Nicole Ma

Owner, SAMA

“We like to think differently and experiment with the menu.” chilli powder, which is mixed using three types of powder. All ingredients are cooked individually. We steam potato and carrot for a sweeter taste. We fry green pepper first because its strong taste will change the flavour of the soup otherwise.

We use Yumepirika rice from Hokkaido.

It’s expensive but quality is very important. Our food must taste like it came from Japan.”

How do you innovate the food at your restaurant?

“We’ve tried soya milk as a soup base.

We’ve also added udon and ramen. After my Japanese business partner tasted it here, he went on to serve ramen soup curry at his outlets in Japan! I’ve also suggested creating vegetarian soup base and they are working on it. Every two to three months, a trainer comes down from Japan to ensure our food’s quality is consistent.”

What do your customers love most about your food?

“Our most popular dishes are marathon chicken, pork oink oink and cheesy bear.

At the start, tomato and coconut were very popular soup bases. Now, all of the soup bases are equally ordered. The soup base is imported from SAMA in Japan and is made with a secret recipe using chicken stock, pork bone and beef.”

SAMA is at #03-26 OUE Downtown Gallery, 6A Shenton Way. Tel: 6224-0590

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CURRY EXPERTS

‘deep-frying’. In Hokkaido soup curry, the vegetables are deep-fried without any batter, so that the original taste and colour is preserved.”

Soup curry at Suage Singapore is a medley of fresh vegetables and meat like grilled pork

How would you describe soup curry to those who’ve never tried it?

“Soup curry from Sapporo has a spicy flavour and aroma, similar to Indian curries. It’s very different from ‘normal’ Japanese curries as we use lots of spices, like cumin, coriander seeds, nutmeg, cinnamon and cloves. Japanese people love this style of curry. It’s like laksa but different. And this is really a complete, balanced meal. It has protein, vegetables and fibre, and isn’t so oily.”

What is Suage’s X-factor?

“The broth-like texture of our soup curry.

We don’t use any wheat flour in our soup stock, which is made in and imported from our restaurants in Japan. The stock is a secret recipe but it is made from chicken, bacon, onion and spices. We also use fresh, colourful vegetables like pumpkin, broccoli and carrots.”

Any secret tips to cooking a great soup curry?

“When it comes to making soup, my best advice is don’t be rushed. Cook it slowly, slowly. Take your time!”

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sk Kataoka Yasuhiro for his favourite Singaporean foods and he quickly rattles off a list.

“I love bak kut teh, laksa, chicken rice, roast duck… even black chicken herbal soup! I like the medicinal taste,” says Kataoka, who is trained in Italian and French cuisines.

He joined Hokkaido soup curry specialist Suage Singapore in April 2019 after a stint as a head chef at a large Japanese food hall here. Previously, he worked in California for five years before setting up his own izakaya in Nagoya for 12 years.

Familiar with spices as he is with European sauces, the 52-year-old seems at home with Suage, which has three outlets in Singapore. He also reveals that the brand is considering opening more stores in Southeast Asia. Suage already

“Although I can’t reveal the recipe, I can tell you that we add a lot of sautéed onions to the soup stock from Japan. We cook onions for five or six hours under low heat, so it reduces, becomes thicker and has a sweet aroma. After that, we add water, bacon and seasoning, which takes us another two hours.”

has one outlet in Bangkok, as well as more than 300 outlets in its hometown of Sapporo.

Suage opened in Singapore in July 2018. Since then, its most popular menu item is soup curry with kushiyaki (grilled chicken skewers). What’s special is that the meat is grilled over charcoal, so the entire dish has a smoky aroma, “like yakitori”, Kataoka says.

Why open this style of restaurant?

“Everyone here is familiar with Japanese curry rice, but soup curry is still a new concept in Singapore. That’s why our Singapore owner (Girish Pradeep Tewani, COO of Uptron Pte Ltd) wanted to bring it here.”

Tell us about the meaning of Suage.

“The name ‘suage’ comes from the Japanese words for ‘natural’ and

Kataoka Yasuhiro

General Manager and Chef, Suage Singapore

Suage Singapore is at #B2-53 Capitol Piazza, 13 Stamford Road. Tel: 6242-4722 OISHII

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NEWS

WEST SIDE STORY These latest Japanese eats in Jurong are worth the trip.

Don Don Donki at JCube has been drawing the crowds as soon as it opened in November and the buzz hasn’t worn off. Housed in the basement, the Japanese discount chain’s seventh outlet is split into a supermarket and a 360-seat food court. What’s enticing people: crispy takoyaki (octopus balls) from Gindaco, with long queues at peak hours. Not forgetting grilled unagi don (from Tokyo’s Tsukiji Market) and an okonomiyaki corner, with rows of the Japanese pancake being griddled. There are also ramen chains Marutama and Tonkotsu King, as well as mackerel specialist Sabar. The supermarket has its own sushi bar offering sushi burgers and oden. Don Don Donki is opening another outlet, focusing on lifestyle products, at Jem in January 2020.

FA_Oishii24_Ad Makita_A5.pdf 1 26/11/2019 AM #B1-51 JCube, 2 Jurong East Central 1.11:26:16 The supermarket opens daily from 8am to

midnight and the food court from 10am to 10pm.

Over at Jurong Point, the multi-concept &Joy Dining Hall opened in October and offers affordable Japanese meals. Four stalls sell ramen (try the tomato cheese one), homestyle meals, beef bowls and yakitori, while two standalone eateries offer pizza and sushi. Getting your food is high-tech here — you either order and pay at a digital kiosk or with a QR code on your mobile phone. What’s high on flavour: the thin-crust pizzas at the Pittarino restaurant. They’re baked fast — 90 seconds! — in a special oven. Try the Bismark, with ham, spinach, soft-boiled egg, mozzarella and Parmigiano cheese. Or go for the gyudon sets at Osaka beef specialist Roman.Tei. Made up of tender beef steak, beef slices or roast beef, the sets come with miso soup and vegetables, and hot dashi broth to pour over your beef bowl.

#B1-47 Jurong Point, 1 Jurong West Central 2, 11am to 9.30pm daily

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WHIMSICAL BREWS W

hen American craft beer culture meets fresh Vietnamese produce, you get Heart of Darkness. Already one of the most popular artisan breweries in Ho Chi Minh City, this gastrobar’s first international outpost brings Saigon’s vibrant craft beer scene to Singapore.

BACKGROUND PHOTO: KJPARGETER/WWW.FREEPIK.COM

INSPIRED BEERS

With names such as Primeval Forest Pilsner and Kurtz’s Insane IPA, the beer line-up at Heart of Darkness reads more like a movie catalogue or fantasy game than a menu.

This is not surprising, given that the gastrobar was named after a classic Joseph Conrad novel about a sailor’s journey up the Congo River. Partner and CEO John Pemberton and Head Brewer Duane Morton are both avid readers and travellers, and this inspires many of their creations.

An award-winning brewery that’s created more than 400 beers since its inception, Heart of Darkness also gets some of its creative energy from collaborations with international breweries such as Evil Twin, Two Roads, Behemoth, Fourpure, Gweilo and Magic Rock as well as local breweries such as Brewlander, That Singapore Beer Project, Daryl’s Urban Ales and Rye and Pint.

Today, the bar at Heart of Darkness offers 30 brews on tap at any one point, including 10 core beers, 10 limited releases, five guest taps and five local collaborations.

Perennials include the effervescent Futile Purpose Cucumber Pilsner, the Dream Alone Pale Ale sparkling with notes of

Heart of Darkness is a prolific brewery and has made over 400 beers since its inception.

tangerine, mango, peach and blueberry, and a beautiful Director’s Cacao Nib Porter.

This last decadent beer features cacao nibs sustainably sourced from small local Vietnamese farmers and goes well with chocolate dessert.

In January 2020, two new golden brews will be introduced as part of the gastrobar’s core range — the Sunset Kumquat Pale Ale and Mellow Pomelo IPA. Their bright fruity notes are perfect for the hot tropics.

NEVER-ENDING CHOICES

Like cuisine, many of these beers are seasonally inspired and feature ingredients at their freshest. These include a special edition Hot & Cold Chilli Pilsner enlivened by a touch of heat from Vietnamese chilli ( ) and a Gliding Dusk Passion Fruit beer that will also be available in January.

Delicious bites at this gastrobar include Chorizo Sausage Rolls, paprika sausage, minced pork and herbs wrapped in handmade puff pastry, Crispy Salted Cauliflower with sour cream and dill, and bite-sized Sliders, which come with a special one-for-one deal on Mondays.

No wonder it is nearly impossible to try Heart of Darkness’ full range within a single session. To cover more ground, order a flight for sampling or ask bar manager Desmond to make recommendations and suggest food pairings. With such unique characters, ingredients and names, Heart of Darkness has a beer for literally every personality type, time of day, weather and mood.

HEART OF DARKNESS IS AT 55 TRAS STREET. TEL: 6208-7940

F L AV O U R S

The joy of NABE When the temperature falls, turn the heat up with Japanese hot pot.

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Full of goodness: Yose nabe Literally meaning “put everything in a pot”, yose nabe brings together all sorts of ingredients, from meat and seafood to vegetables and tofu in stock. Typically cooked in a miso or soya sauce dashi broth, yose nabe is the most basic of nabe yet so flavourful and adaptable too, which is why it is a great nabe dish to make at home.

Fill a hot pot with kombu dashi, add chicken, fish, prawns or mushrooms to deepen the flavour, then put in other ingredients in order of cooking time — tofu and carrots first, then Japanese greens and leeks, for instance. Then season with soya sauce, miso, salt or other flavourings.

To properly enjoy the soup after eating the ingredients, add rice or udon, stir in a beaten egg and let it cook slightly. Tip: The Japanese prefer not to combine meat with fish as they feel it tastes better with only one.

TEXT DENYSE YEO PHOTOS 123RF

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ingapore might have steamboat. But not to be forgotten is the Japanese hot pot known as nabe. Japanese hot pot is a real crowd-pleaser, especially when winter comes around. Warming, comforting bowls of nabe are served communal style and eaten with gusto among friends and family.

A fuss-free favourite, nabe is also one of the most popular dishes to make at home in Japan. Nothing could be more effortless than throwing together cut ingredients with stock in a clay or iron pot and simmering them on a little cooker over the dinner table. What counts is the freshness of ingredients.

Over time, the different regions of Japan have come up with their own specialities of the dish using local ingredients. Take Hokkaido, where seafood and fish have a starring role in the hot pot. Other regional variations include duck or wild boar hot pot in Shikoku, fugu or pufferfish nabe from Chugoku and oyster nabe from Hiroshima. Here are just a handful of the types of nabe to be found in Japan.

F L AV O U R S

Big flavours: Chanko nabe Just like the sumo wrestlers who prepare it, chanko nabe is huge and hearty. Chock-full of ingredients such as meat, tofu and vegetables, the stew was once eaten only by sumo wrestlers (rikishi) to help them gain weight during their training. Rikishi can even wolf down their chanko nabe with up to 10 bowls of rice! While you don’t have to eat that much, a steaming bowl of chanko nabe is perfectly nutritious and warming for cold nights.

Considered to be a type of yose nabe, chanko nabe includes ingredients such as meatballs, chicken, Chinese cabbage, potatoes and udon. These are cooked all at once in dashi flavoured with soya sauce, miso or sake. Beloved by sumo fans, chanko nabe restaurants can be found across Japan. Most of them have been started by retired wrestlers using the original recipes from their sumo stable. In Tokyo, you can try chanko nabe in the sumo district of Ryogoku.

Fit for a king: Kani nabe Kuri

Winter is the best season for crab in Hokkaido and one of the most delectable dishes to try it in is the regional speciality, crab hot pot or kani nabe.

Succulent fresh crab and seasonal vegetables, typically Chinese cabbage, are cooked in a dashi broth with kombu or katsuobushi (bonito fish flakes). To finish off the meal, Japanese diners traditionally make a simple kani zosui or crab porridge with the leftover soup, rice and a beaten egg.

Unlike other varieties of nabe, crab hot pot is typically a one-ingredient dish, prepared with one type of vegetable, to allow the crab’s full flavour to rule. Varieties used in kani nabe in Hokkaido include snow crab, horsehair crab and blue king crab. But the most sought after is the red king crab. Said to be the most expensive variety in the world, it is a mid-winter highlight to be especially savoured in this dish.

The sum of its parts: Motsu nabe If you’re a fan of innards, you’ll love motsu nabe. A Fukuoka speciality, motsu nabe is a unique stew made with offal (motsu) that’s been popular throughout Japan since the 1990s.

Motsu nabe is prepared by putting fresh beef intestines and heart, pork tripe, or other offal, cabbage, enoki mushrooms, burdock, garlic chives, garlic and chilli into dashi made from kombu or katsuobushi. The soup is also flavoured with soya sauce or miso, although some restaurants like to serve it with a vinegary soya sauce. The Japanese like to add champon noodles and sesame into the remaining soup too.

What about the taste? When cooked perfectly, the stew becomes rich, flavourful and tender. Cheap, delicious and nutritious, motsu nabe goes well with sake or shochu. If you’re in the Fukuoka city of Hakata, you can pick up a pack of ready-to-cook motsu nabe from train stations.

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RECIPE

COOK RICE

the Japanese way AYA OSADA

RECIPES AND PHOTOS AYA OSADA EDITED BY DENYSE YEO

In the third instalment of our four-part series on the building blocks of Japanese cuisine, cooking researcher and nutritionist Satoshi Nagata shares why rice is more than nice.

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he history of rice production in Japan is an old one. In fact, the Japanese began to cultivate rice more than 3,000 years ago, with the skill brought over from China then making its way to Kyushu. Rice remains a staple in the Japanese diet.

Today, this ancient practice continues in almost every prefecture in the country. Every spring, farmers begin their preparations to plant their crop: Till the soil, ensure that the seedlings are strong and planted in the fields.

In summer, as the rice grows, farmers tend the field by weeding and managing the water levels.

During the autumn, the colours of the rice fields transform from bright green to golden yellow — a sign that it’s time to harvest. The rice stalks are cut, threshed and dried, and the rice grains stored.

What is removed from the chaff is whole brown rice. Brown rice has vitamins, minerals and dietary fibre, so it is fantastic for a healthy diet. But brown

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rice is not easily digested and can be tough to chew.

It’s why in Japan, brown rice is often polished to become white rice.

Japan is a major rice producer, so it comes as no surprise that the country has an almost bewildering number of rice brands, including famous names like Koshihikari, Sasanishiki, Hitomebore and Milky-Queen.

Just as varied is how white rice is cooked in Japan, as each rice brand has its preferred cooking method.

Even as more people eat bread and noodles instead of rice, rice still has its place in this part of the world and remains the best accompaniment to traditional Japanese washoku cuisine.

Read on for a basic introduction of how to cook rice nicely, as well as for making salt musubi (onigiri or rice balls), yaki-musubi (grilled rice balls) and ochazuke (Japanese rice steeped in tea). The best part is you don’t need any special equipment to try these simple yet delicious recipes.

We offer excellent yaki-musubi with a lot of fermented ingredients, as well as miso soup, in Yanaka-Ginza, Tokyo.

http://hakkodo.tokyo/

RECIPE

CLAYPOT-COOKED RICE

We use the rice cooker most of the time. But using a claypot can also result in great-tasting rice.

INGREDIENTS (Serves 1) 150g rice 200ml water METHOD 1. Wash the rice and soak in water for 30 minutes to 1 hour, then pour into a colander.

2. Put the rice in the pot, add the 200ml of water and cook over high heat for 5 to 8 minutes.

3. When the water is boiling, cover the pot with its lid, turn the heat down to low and cook for 5 minutes.

4. Turn off the heat and let rice steam for another 5 minutes.

YAKI-MUSUBI

Yaki-musubi (grilled rice balls) are delicious and have a lovely fragrance. You can also make them with cold rice.

INGREDIENTS (Serves 2) Sesame oil 2 salt musubi (see previous recipe) 2 tbsp soya sauce 1 tbsp mirin METHOD 1. Pour the oil into a frying pan. Cook one side of a musubi for 5 minutes then cook the other side for another 5 minutes.

2. Mix soya sauce and mirin together.

3. Spread this mixture with a brush on both sides of the musubi and cook for about a minute. Repeat three times.

SALT MUSUBI

The best time to eat musubi, or onigiri, is when it’s freshly made.

If you can only eat it after it turns cold, just add a bit more salt.

INGREDIENTS (Serves 1) Iced water Salt Fresh cooked rice (as much as you like) 2 pieces of nori or dried seaweed METHOD 1. Soak your hand in the iced water and dry your hand with a clean handkerchief.

2. Add a pinch of salt to your hand, take a small fistful of rice and shape it into a triangle with your hands.

3. Pass a sheet of dried seaweed over a flame and wrap it over the rice.

SALMON OCHAZUKE

Ochazuke is one of Japan’s most comforting foods as hot tea is poured over a bowl of rice. You can eat it at the end of the meal but it also makes for a quick and easy breakfast.

INGREDIENTS (Serves 2) 1 salmon fillet, cut into bite-sized pieces Cooked rice Hot green tea

Mitsuba (edible clover) Wasabi Arare (bite-sized rice crackers) Chopped nori or dried seaweed

METHOD 1. Fry salmon pieces. Ensure they are cooked on all sides.

2. Serve rice in a bowl, place salmon on top, then pour the tea.

3. Dress the dish with the mitsuba, wasabi, arare and chopped seaweed.

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P O S T C A R D F R O M J A PA N

A real winter

wonderland The Sapporo Snow Festival has come a long way since it was started by teens 70 years ago.

TEXT CHRIS GLENN

Chris Glenn is an Australia-born, Nagoya-based radio DJ, TV presenter, writer and 27-year resident of Japan. He specialises in samurai history and culture, and is the Nagoya Tourism, Culture & Exchange Special Ambassador, as well as the Sekigahara Battlefield Ambassador.

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Kiyono Okagawa (Instagram: @kkkiyofude) is a Tokyo artist and Tsutefude lecturer who created this calligraphy artwork of the Sapporo Snow Festival specially for OISHII. Tsutefude is a calligraphy technique believed to convey positive messages.

PHOTOS SAPPORO CITY

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apan’s northernmost city, Sapporo, host of the 1972 Winter Olympics, is a freezing place in winter. If you can’t ski or ice skate, there isn’t much to do except watch snow fall, dig your driveway clear of snow and watch more snow fall! So what do you do if all you have is snow? You hold a snow festival!

That’s what a bunch of teenagers decided to do seven decades ago. In 1950, local high school students built six large sculptures of snow and ice in Sapporo’s centrally located Odori Park. It began to be held yearly and became the Sapporo Snow Festival as the size and scale of the snow sculptures and events grew over the years.

Today, the Sapporo Snow Festival is staged on three separate sites across the city. At the 1.5km-long Odori Park venue, you’ll find about a dozen large and over 100 small-scale snow statues along with concerts and events. Close by, over 100 ice sculptures adorn the streets of the downtown Susukino entertainment area, while yet another 40 or so as well as snow slides and snow rafting can be found at the family-centric Tsudome venue.

The snow and ice sculptures are carved in such intricate detail, you’ll marvel at the ingenuity and talents of their creators. Some are huge too, with several measuring more than 25m wide and 15m tall. At Odori Park, for instance, performances are even staged on the sculptures.

Every year, more than two million curious visitors from Japan and around the world visit Hokkaido’s capital for the festival. And this year promises to be bigger, better, colder and whiter than ever before: In 2020, the Sapporo Snow Festival celebrates its 70th anniversary!

The 2020 Sapporo Snow Festival runs from 31 January to 11 February, depending on the site. It is free to enter and is illuminated at night until 10pm. Visit www.snowfes.com/english/ for more information.