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.
Located at its head, the Onomichi U2 facility has twenty-eight rooms for lodgers, on-site bike rentals, shops, and restaurants featuring hand-selected local ingredients. Visitors seeking a more aquatic experience can book rooms on the “guntû,” a nineteen-room cruise ship that circles the Seto Inland Sea. Passengers can dine on Inland Sea specialties and participate in cultural excursions, like purchasing fish under the guidance of local experts.
Since early times, Sanuki udon has been a staple food for local households. Sanuki Udon is characterized by the firmness of its noodle, and there are various varieties including shippoku udon and uchikomi udon, which are made with seasonal vegetables and meat. A particularly sumptuous take on Sanuki udon is olive beef udon, which brings together the excellence of beef from olive-fed cattle and a premium local wheat called Sanuki no Yume.
Two relatively recent innovations in the grand traditions of Sanuki cuisine are olive yellowtail. Look also for Sanuki San Fruit, locally branded fruits that have been cultivated for sweetness. One other Kagawa dish incorporating seasonal ingredients that must be mentioned is kankan-zushi, sushi made with spring Spanish mackerel caught in the Setouchi area.
Harvest wakame seaweed, catch octopuses with a trap net, or go fishing for sea bream and clean and eat it yourself. You can also learn how to make your own set of chopsticks or participate in a local cooking workshop. There are lots of things to do and learn that will give you a new appreciation for life in a fishing village and the blessings of Wakasa Bay.
Named after Tango, an old province of Japan, Tango barazushi is made in a wooden box. Various ingredients—including mackerel crumbles, which are unique to this dish—are arranged on top of sushi rice. Traditionally, Tango barazushi is eaten on special occasions, and the rice is divided with a wooden spatula and eaten as a family.
Pickling fish or vegetables in rice bran is called nukazuke and is a traditional preservation method in Japan. When made using mackerel, nukazuke is known as heshiko in Kyoto by the Sea.
In Kyoto by the Sea, enjoy the varied scenery that shows how people have lived harmoniously with nature. Two of the finest examples are the Amanohashidate sandbar, which is one of the Three Views of Japan. Another feature to watch for is the fusion of Japanese traditions with those from the West, such as the brick buildings of Maizuru’s former naval base and silk heritage areas like the Former Bito Family House on Chirimen Street (chirimen is a high-quality kimono silk) in the town of Yosano.
Learning how to make new food is a great way to immerse yourself in local culture, and visitors can try their hand at making Tango barazushi or nigirizushi (hand-pressed sushi) with freshly caught fish.
