During peasant rule, a cuisine known as hoonko was developed. Another specialty to sample is Komatsu udon, made from thin, soft noodles and a broth incorporating dried fish. Komatsu has many wonderful flavors to explore.
A town surrounded by the Central Alps on the west, the Southern Alps on the east, and two Alps. In spring, Takatookohiganzakura in Takato Castle Ruins Park is called the most beautiful cherry blossoms beneath the heavens.
Containing 48 different kinds of moss, Hiyo Moss Garden is one of the most famous moss gardens in Japan. Hiyo Village is a beautiful hamlet with shrines, old traditional homes, and of course the mosses and cedar trees of the Moss Garden.
There are plenty of outdoor activity facilities such as Miharashi Farm, paragliders, SUPs, mountain bikes, and off-road buggies where you can experience harvesting agricultural products and various handcrafting experiences.
Take part in any of more than 50 traditional crafts workshops, such as Wajima lacquerware and Kutani porcelain at Yunokuni-no-Mori Handicraft Village, a center for Kaga handicrafts. One of the most famous cultural traditions is the yearly Hikiyama Children’s Kabuki, in which children perform kabuki on the Hikiyama festival floats. You can also put on the kabuki makeup yourself. Afterwards, try a sumptuous cha-kaiseki meal at a traditional restaurant. You can also tour a sake brewery (and taste the sake!) and take part in a tea ceremony in a teahouse. Hit all the attractions and experience the historical town life of Komatsu.
At an altitude of 650m to 1500m, the sunny weather and cool climate nurture high-quality agricultural products such as highland vegetables and fruits. It has prospered as a post town on Nakasendo since ancient times, and the fermented food culture such as miso-based dishes and pickles is still rooted in the people’s lives. The nutritious carp dish is a local soul food. No wonder it’s a prefecture known for health and longevity.
It is a plateau of Mt. Asama to the north, Mt. Yatsugatake to the south, and the Chikuma River in the center of the Saku Basin. There are many natural hot springs that overlook the magnificent Mt. Asama, whose ambience changes depending on the place, time, and season. It takes pride in the beautiful starry sky with a refreshing climate and a high rate of sunny weather throughout the year.
More than a century has passed since eel and soft-shell turtle farming was developed in the Hamamatsu and Lake Hamana area, and in that time over a hundred restaurants specializing in eel have sprung up. Because the area is situated halfway between Eastern and Western Japan, you can find the eel cuisine styles of both regions in Hamamatsu. In the Eastern style, the eel is slit along the back before broiling, and in the Western style, the cut is made along the belly.
KURABITO STAY is where you can actually experience being a brewer, make sake in the brewery and also stay there. The brewery’s dormitory called Hiroshiki on the brewery site has been renovated into a brewery hotel, making it a accomodation space for those who visit the brewery experience. Throw yourself into being a brewer at the miracle moment sake is produced, sharpen your five senses, and enjoy the great art created by the predecessors.
In addition to alcohol, Chichibu owes several other regional specialties to its mountainous surroundings. Overpopulations of deer and wild boar have begun to damage the forests and the habitats of other wildlife, so in response the local government has begun to promote gibier, or wild game cuisine. Area establishments are now offering specials featuring wild game as a way to increase interest among visitors. Another recent initiative relating to local cuisine is the rise in maple tree cultivation. The climate and terrain of Chichibu are particularly suited to maples, and confectioners have taken to planting them in the mountains to harvest their sap—simultaneously protecting the forests and supporting the rise of a new regional specialty: maple syrup.
