There is a menu of experiences to learn about the little known memories of Japan. Such as a “Rural stay experience” where you can experience the historical rural life, “Jigokumushi cooking experience” where you can experience the hot spring culture with food, “Gyoukoue” a special ritual of Usa Jingu Shrine.
Kagura foods are prepared for all-night kagura gatherings and include simmered foods and sushi rolls made with locally produced ingredients. Essential elements of this sacred cuisine include kappo-dori, chicken steamed in a bamboo container with other ingredients; kappo-zake, sake served heated in a bamboo tube; and kagura udon served with broth made from chicken and burdock root.
Swidden field burning has become rare in Japan, but it remains a regular practice in Shiiba Village. The burning provides excellent nutrients for growing buckwheat, millet, and other grains.
The Togawa rice terraces of Hinokage and the “rice terraces of the Immortals” of Shiiba Village are some of the breathtaking scenery that demonstrate the local farmers’ dedication to rice farming over countless generations.
In Shiiba Village, enjoy kagura cuisine while taking in the ancient rituals of a night kagura performance, or sit down to a soba meal that you learned to make yourself. Let the outdoors refresh you with “forest therapy,” then learn how to roast tea leaves in Gokase or to weave straw in Hinokage. Yet another one of the many activities to enjoy in the area is mushroom picking in Morotsuka Village.
Enjoy ‘Feeding and boat experience’ at Ehime which has the top production of red snapper. Please enjoy these activities that are based on the local food there!
In Yawatahama, the trawling fishery (offshore seine fishing) began in 1918, and the production of fish meat paste products made from a wide variety of fish has been developed. “Jakoten”, which uses so-called “small fish” such as firefly-fish, is famous, and is used as an ingredient in citizen’s soul food “Yawatahama Champon”. The umami that spreads with the crunchy texture is a unique specialty.
The landscape of terraced fields that extend from near the coastline to near the top of the mountain is a major feature of the “Ehime / Nanyo citrus farming system” selected as a Japanese agricultural heritage, and can be seen in various places in Yawatahama city. Above all, the terraced fields of Mukainada are also selected as “88 Scenic Views of Shikoku”, which is a grand title. The scenery pans in front of the ‘Yawatahama minatto’ road station.
In December of 2018, the newly renovated Lantern Onomichi Garden (LOG) opened to visitors. Located on Mount Senko not far from Senko-ji Temple, this former apartment complex offers guest lodgings, a garden, and singular shopping and dining experiences. At the LOG restaurant, seasonal freshness is the focal point of every dish, and each meal is made with ingredients that conjure an image of the locals who produced them. The facility also holds frequent workshops and public events with themes that highlight regional foods, local traditions, and the wisdom of living in accordance with the seasons.
The visual appeal of Onomichi has been likened to “a miniature garden straight from the middle ages.” It is a city where historic temples and shrines—some containing national treasures—line the winding streets, and whose higher slopes give views that look out across the sprawling coastal landscape. Notable artistic figures have also found Onomichi’s scenery captivating: novelist Shiga Naoya (1883-1971) stayed at a residence not far from the LOG, and director Ozu Yasujiro’s 1953 masterpiece Tokyo Story begins here. In fact, the town’s aspect has changed very little from the views recorded in the film’s opening scene.
