A long-established Japanese inn welcomes summer nightsWami no Yado KakujoroAt "Kakujoro," the gentle light of the lanterns begins to illuminate the atmosphere inside the building, making it even more enchanting!
Having just come out of the bath, the breeze felt wonderful on my skin, the building was very quiet, and the sounds of insects chirping carried on the cool breeze created a truly soothing atmosphere!
As it gets quite dark and our private room is ready, it's time for dinner! The course we'll be having today is the "Local Fish Kaiseki Oitoji Cuisine," a regional dish that cherishes the bounty of the Atsumi Peninsula, featuring fresh seafood from the nearby waters and local ingredients! The route from Irago at the tip of the Atsumi Peninsula to Ise Grand Shrine, where silk threads were offered as votive offerings, was once called "Oitoji"!
Inspired by the name "Oitoro," we will be presenting a kaiseki meal featuring local dishes made with the bounty of the mountains and sea nurtured in the Atsumi Peninsula, and once again introducing Lade's "Traveling with Tableware Series," which was featured in the first installment of the series, and the ceramic artist who appeared in the first installment...Gaku ShakunagaThe sharp tableware boasts a simple design that eliminates unnecessary elements, and the second project was undertaken by [Name of participant].Kazuhiko ShimooMr. Miss&Saori ShimooThe husband and wife duo of artistsShimoo DesignWe are collaborating with wooden tableware that symbolizes "Japanese beauty" and is both rational and beautiful!
Here too, Tan, a Vietnamese man who works as a waiter, will be serving our dinner!
He's a very pure young man, so please forgive his occasional lack of eloquence!
He is the head of the family, but also a skilled chef.Junji UemuraI asked Mr. [Name] to recommend a sake that would pair well with the food, and he recommended a famous sake from Aomori, "Nishida Sake BreweryWe were served "Denshu Special Junmai Sake" and toasted! This renowned sake, made with "Hanabuki," a sake rice variety from Aomori Prefecture, has a rich flavor and a clean, refreshing taste that you won't tire of!
■ "Appetizer: Grated yam soup" × "Dish:Mt. Sukunaga "The Goblet for Drinking Too Much"
The chilled yam puree, poured into a thin cup by Shaku Nagatake, is topped with okra and has a scallop hidden inside. The smooth, viscous yam slid down the throat, making for a delightful start!
■ "Appetizer: Daily seasonal delicacy" × "Tableware:Mt. Sukunaga Reversible Petri Dish Φ25"
Irago on the Atsumi Peninsula is famous for its shellfish, and since the types of shellfish available vary with the season, this course is packed with shellfish!
From left to right, we have clam temari sushi, mini tomato compote, edamame, grilled baby corn, natural mozuku seaweed salad, and braised pork belly. Each dish has a gentle seasoning that allows you to appreciate the quality of the ingredients, making them perfect accompaniments to drinks!
■ "Sashimi: Seasonal seafood and local vegetables" × "Plate:Shimoo Design KAZARIDAI W500 × D90 × H30"
The head of the familyJunji UemuraEnjoy fresh local fish personally sourced from Irago Market and fresh vegetables from Atsumi, Japan's leading vegetable production area! The exceptionally fresh local vegetables, which are crisp, juicy, and have a sweet flavor, include cabbage, zucchini, green asparagus, and red and yellow bell peppers, and are served with moromi miso and salt to your liking! For the sashimi, enjoy the pufferfish wrapped in green onions with ponzu sauce, the plump white clam, sea bream, and crunchy turban shell with soy sauce or salt!
■ "Grilled dish: Steamed rock oysters" × "Dish:Mt. Sukunaga New release áge Φ30"
These extra-large rock oysters, so big they almost spill out of the dish, are steamed in their shells and served grilled. When you squeeze lemon over them, their sheer size fills your mouth, releasing a burst of ocean flavor!
■Japanese sake "Kokuryu Junmai Ginjo"
This sake boasts the inherent deliciousness of Gohyakumangoku rice from Fukui Prefecture, and offers a refreshing drinking experience!
■ "Hot Pot: Homi Pork Nanban Hot Pot" × "Dish:Mt. Sukunaga Carpenter cuts: Φ30, Φ20
With the simple goal of "safe and delicious meat," this brand of pork from the Atsumi Peninsula is raised freely in open barns without the use of any antibiotics or antibacterial agents to prevent disease.Homi PorkWe're using "Houbiton" pork! Mizuna, white onions, tofu, enoki mushrooms, and carrots are placed on top of the Houbiton pork, and the lid is put on to steam and cook it! Dried sansho peppercorns are finely ground in a mill and sprinkled on top, and you can enjoy the aroma of this Nanban hot pot! The meat is finely textured and has a beautiful pale pink color, and the moist texture is full of umami and sweetness!
■ "Simmered Summer Vegetables" × "Dish:Mt. Sukunaga gen thin bowl Φ23"
Free-range chicken simmered in a light broth with carrots, eggplant, winter melon, pumpkin, and okra, and infused with a hint of yuzu citrus!
■ "Deep-fried conger eel with aroma" × "Dish:Mt. Sukunaga Gen base plate Φ20"
The conger eel is wrapped in perilla leaves and topped with a squeeze of lemon for a refreshing taste!
■ "Rice cooked with whitebait and perilla leaves" × "Dish:Mt. Sukunaga Mars bowl Φ10"
The rice, freshly cooked in an earthenware pot, was topped with a generous amount of shiso leaves, creating a delicious dish where you could enjoy the flavor of the whitebait and the aroma of the shiso. The crispy rice at the bottom of the pot was also superb! I had seconds, but I made the remaining rice into rice balls for a late-night snack!
■ "Tomewan Local Cuisine Happai-jiru" × "Dish:Mt. Sukunaga Gen Bowl Φ11"
■ "Pickles: Homemade pickled vegetables"
The local specialty, Happai-jiru, is said to have gotten its name from the fact that it's so delicious that people end up having eight bowls of rice with it. It's a soup packed with vegetables, and the aroma of the dried sardine broth is sure to whet your appetite! The homemade pickles consist of daikon radish, carrots, and eggplant, and are pickled to perfection, making them the perfect accompaniment to rice!
■ "Sweets and Fruits" × "Container:Mt. Sukunaga New mars flat plate Φ25"
This chilled zenzai (sweet red bean soup) is refreshingly combined with jelly and milk agar, colored to resemble watermelon, melon, cherry, and hydrangea!
After the meal, we had a pleasant chat with the owner, Mr. Uemura, who had some free time, as he shared the history and secrets of "Kakujoro"! Thank you very much!
Apparently, Ms. Uemura originally worked in a completely different field, but after getting married, she decided to take over this inn that her parents had run. However, the inn was in such a dire state at the time that it seemed as if it had run out of business with her predecessors, and was on the verge of closing down. So, she and her husband brainstormed ideas and tried various things, and after many twists and turns, they gradually made improvements with an eye to the future, and have now revived it into the inn it is today!
Although he has now successfully revitalized this historic, long-established inn, Mr. Uemura speaks candidly about the constant hardships he faced when he looked back on those days. His unpretentious and honest demeanor makes him feel like family, and you can even feel a sense of familiarity with him. The warm hospitality and comfortable atmosphere that permeates "Kakujoro" may be a testament to the fact that they are blessed with such a wonderful owner!
Currently, Mr. Uemura represents "Kakujoro" and is busy every day working towards new initiatives as the first step in connecting the younger generation to the future!
I hope to be able to introduce it to you again when that plan comes to fruition!
Wami no Yado Kakujoro
Address: 38 Shimoji, Fukue-cho, Tahara City, Aichi Prefecture
TEL: 0531-32-1155
https://www.kakujoro.com/
