Wakayama: The Cradle of Japan's Flavors - Journeys in Japan
Wakayama is famous for shoyu, miso and umeboshi—staples in Japanese cuisine. In this episode, Shizuka Anderson meets artisans and farmers who make them, savors their distinctive flavors, and even gets to make her own.
Visit Yuasa shoyu to learn first-hand about traditional shoyu brewing methods in Yuasa, said to be the birthplace of shoyu.
Don't miss out on this side dish or an accompaniment to rice. This local specialty has been around in Wakayama for over 500 years.
Delight in the area's umeboshi. Wakayama Prefecture is Japan's leading producer of the pickled ume fruit.
From Tokyo, it takes about one hour and 10 minutes by plane to Kansai International Airport. From there, it's about 90-minutes on local trains to Yuasa.
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Japan Times
9 hours ago
- Japan Times
At a mountainside shrine, yuzu candy made by imperial decree
A trip to Kagawa Prefecture's Kotohira Shrine, colloquially known as 'Konpira-san,' is not for the easily winded. Still, each year thousands of pilgrims make the climb halfway up the 538-meter Mount Zozu to pray to the Shinto god Omononushi. To do so, they must ascend the arduous 785 ishidan (stone steps) to the main shrine and another 583 to make it to the inner shrine. The climb is so daunting that, back in the Edo Period (1603-1868), a custom emerged allowing dogs known as 'Konpira inu' to retrieve blessings from the shrine on behalf of those unable to complete the pilgrimage — perhaps the world's first 'spiritual support dogs.' The shrine's pathway, like many others across the country, is lined with shops peddling trinkets and toys; confectionaries such as funebune senbei (boat-shaped rice crackers), matcha and ice cream; as well as local crafts and ceramics. Over the stairs, white canopies shield customers from the hot summer sun and billow on the wind like the sails of the Konpira ships once built here. Pilgrims began traveling to Kotohira in droves in the Edo Period in a pilgrimage dubbed "Konpira-mairi." Dogs are allowed to come and receive blessings for those too ill to make the journey up the thousand-plus steps. | LANCE HENDERSTEIN Readers of Japanese will notice a few storefronts marked with special signs that read 'Gonin Byakushō,' which translates as the 'five farmers' or 'five peasants,' followed by the family names of the respective shopowners. These businesses are run exclusively by the descendants of select local families who were historically tasked with accompanying the deity enshrined at Konpira-san. In 1245, Emperor Go-Saga granted these five families the exclusive right to sell a type of fan-shaped, golden-hued candy called "kamiyoame" in recognition of their loyal service to the shrine. Since then, their small shops and umbrella-covered stalls have sold this yuzu-flavored treat exclusively — a rare, shrine-sanctioned candy monopoly that's unlike anything else in Japan. A legacy in sugar and stone What allows the Gonin Byakushō — and other institutions in the town of Kotohira, including Japan's oldest surviving kabuki theater — to endure across generations? And in a town so defined by history, could today's newcomers be laying the foundation for a legacy of their own? I traveled to Kotohira to find out. "Kamiyoame" syrup is poured into fan-shaped molds before being packaged alongside a small hammer used to break the candy apart and share the shards with family and friends. | LANCE HENDERSTEIN Located on the 69th step leading to the shrine is Gonin Hyakusho Ike Shouten , one of the five storied vendors and kamiyoame candymakers. This lengthy name is shortened and romanized for the benefit of tourists on a sign that simply reads, 'Konpira Ike.' But locals call the shop 'Ike Shouten' for short. The relationships between the five families to the shrine and each other were established long before the emperor's decree. While many businesses with some kind of history try to preserve the look and feel of the past, Ike Shouten is a sleek and modern shop, with stylish design and refined branding that belie its nearly 780 years of history. This styling is the vision of Ike Shouten's 31-year-old owner, Ryutaro Ike, who greets me at the entrance wearing a colorful orange-and-green happi coat of his shop. Once inside, I'm introduced to his grandmother, parents and two young children. Ike Shouten is not just a generational responsibility — it's a family affair. We head to the back of the store through a newly renovated cafe space, which leads into a meticulously landscaped Japanese garden. The carp-shaped banners of Children's Day are flapping in the wind, and Ike's children, the 29th generation, run and play on the steep winding trails as we speak. He says the COVID-19 pandemic, along with other personal events at that time, convinced him to take over the business earlier than expected. 'When the state of emergency was declared in May of 2020, visits to Kotohira Shrine were banned,' he recalls. 'Without the daily interactions with customers and neighbors, I saw the condition of the elderly people here visibly deteriorate. I felt strongly that something had to be done.' Pictured with four generations of his family, Ryutaro Ike (front row, right) is the 28th-generation owner of the Gonin Hyakusho Ike Shoten candy and souvenir store. | LANCE HENDERSTEIN Inspired by the storytelling tradition Kagawa is known for — including its claim as the birthplace of 'Urashima Taro,' the tale of a fisherman who rescues a magical turtle — Ike set out to make the narrative of his own shop clearer. He added windows that let visitors watch as molten kamiyoame is poured into traditional fan-shaped molds, turning the candy-making process into a story they could see for themselves. Ike thinks experiences like this become personal stories, and he's hoping that those who visit Kotohira Shrine and his family's store will become 'little ambassadors' who share these stories with friends at home, along with pieces of kamiyoame as a souvenir. The candy itself already embodies the Japanese custom of o-susowake, or sharing good fortune, a tradition expressed by breaking the brittle kamiyoame into pieces with the tiny hammer tucked inside each package. "People are moved by stories,' says Ike. 'I remember my grandmother telling me about the five farmers and our connection to this history as a young boy. That story planted a seed in me.' Rooted in resilience After leaving Ike Shouten, I check into Yachiyo Kotone , a nearby ryokan (traditional Japanese inn). The black-and-white photographs of the Urushihara family that line the walls of the inn are testaments to the 15 generations that have managed to keep the business going since 1725. The modern iteration of candymaker and souvenir shop Gonin Hyakusho Ike Shouten is located on the 69th step of the stone staircase leading to Kotohira Shrine. | LANCE HENDERSTEIN Originally founded as a sōmen noodle shop called Shiragaya, the family business has weathered pandemics, earthquakes and a brutal world war. Now, Yasuhiro Urushihara is the inn's current CEO, and his wife, Sachiko, serves as okami — the chief manager of a ryokan, a role of great responsibility traditionally held by the proprietor's wife. They now face the challenge of keeping a legacy alive amid a rapidly changing travel landscape. 'Budget travelers tend to avoid ryokan now,' says Sachiko. 'Many travelers want to find the cheapest hotels they can and eat out in town. We encourage relaxing in the hotel itself, bathing in the onsen (hot spring) and staying in your yukata (light kimono) and sandals, enjoying our locally sourced kaiseki (multicourse) meals.' Yasuhiro adds that staffing is a major issue. 'Traditionally ryokan were run by large families and local employees. Our eldest children do help, but we encourage them to prioritize their studies,' he says. 'Many younger Japanese employees will work to save money for a trip and then leave the position when they've saved up,' Sachiko adds. 'We've shifted to hiring outside of Japan, which is helpful but occasionally leads to some misunderstandings. We really appreciate all of our hardworking employees here, though.' The Urushiharas point out that the boom in tourism that has overwhelmed cities like Kyoto hasn't, for better or worse, reached Kotohira. It's another indicator of how unevenly distributed the economics of tourism can be but provides an opportunity for those visiting Japan who want to avoid the crowds, which itself is a selling point. Members of the "Gonin Byakushō" (literally, "five farmers") have traditionally assisted with duties at Kotohira Shrine. For these efforts, in 1245, the reigning emperor gave these families certain privileges such as selling "kamiyoame" candy inside the shrine grounds. | COURTESY OF GONIN HYAKUSHO IKE SHOUTEN Kotohira is, however, beginning to attract digital nomads, individuals searching for travel experiences beyond the major tourist hot spots, and domestic tourists looking to climb Konpira-san, those who made it such a popular destination centuries ago. There are also a bevy of newly opened businesses not owned by the Gonin Byakushō families, like Bar Don't Tell Mama , a whiskey spot that fills a formerly shuttered space in downtown Kotohira, providing some much-needed nightlife to visitors and locals alike. Owner Kyosuke Hideishi is only 29 years old. After three stints in Scotland learning about malt and scotch whisky, he decided to open his dream bar in this otherwise small town. 'The people here are open-minded and loyal. They really encouraged me even though I wasn't from here,' says Hideishi, explaining why he chose this area to start his business. '(Kotohira has) always been a place for travelers and tourists. I think it's a tolerant place. There's a synergistic coexistence here, and it's just the right size for cooperation.' For a town so defined by its main shrine and centuries-old heritage, Kotohira seems to have avoided any loss of character, a fate that has befallen other ancient locations in a wave of overtourism. Instead, it's following a path of sustainable growth, one that — so far — is looking much easier than the climb up the 1,368 steps to its famous shrine. Kotohira and Konpira-san can be reached by train from Takamatsu with JR trains leaving every hour. For more information, visit or
NHK
a day ago
- NHK
Japan's Princess Kako honors Japanese immigrants to Brazil
Japan's Princess Kako, who is visiting Brazil, has prayed for the souls of Japanese immigrants who laid the foundations for the world's largest overseas Japanese community. The second daughter of Crown Prince and Princess Akishino arrived in the city of Sao Paulo on Thursday morning. Brazil is home to more people of Japanese ancestry -- about 2.7 million -- than any other country. Of those, nearly 1.3 million live in the southern state of Sao Paulo. In the capital of the state, the princess offered flowers and a prayer before the memorial monument for Japanese settlers who died in the region. She also visited the Japanese Pavilion, which was built with contributions from immigrants from Japan and the Japanese government. The facility was built entirely in Japanese style and is known for its garden with "nishikigoi" colorful carp swimming in a pond. On the premises are trees planted by members of the Imperial family who previously visited the facility. Princess Kako planted a cherry sapling near the tree her parents had planted 10 years ago. The princess will stay in Brazil through June 15. During the latter half of her trip, she will attend a ceremony in the capital Brasilia to commemorate 130 years of diplomatic ties between the two countries.
NHK
a day ago
- NHK
New Yorkers get a taste of modern Tokyo
With the rise in tourism to Japan, Americans are developing a more sophisticated view of Japanese culture. In response, a retail complex in Brooklyn, New York is luring them with the kind of modern lifestyle products you could find in a stylish Tokyo neighborhood. NHK World's Inoue Yuki reports.
