Hakuba is famous for its winter ski season, but there is plenty to do after the snow melts. Active experiences such as trekking in Hakuba Daisekkei, one of Japan’s three largest snow gorges, rafting on the Himekawa River, and paragliding to see Hakuba from the sky are very popular.
Time seems to pass by slowly in the idyllic countryside and magnificent nature landscape of Satoyama. Take a deep breath, and take in the scent of the soil and greenery. The Ayu yana (a low head dam for sweetfish) is a summer tradition where you can enjoy the splashes of the water and the breeze across the river. While looking out at the clear waters of the Naka River in front of you, you can enjoy the fantastic taste of sweetfish dishes.
One of the valuable early summer experiences include getting muddy while planting rice, and harvesting the golden rice ears. Picking fruits and vegetables are also popular farming experiences as well. We will provide a trip for you to feel that the countryside is your second “hometown” through the heart-to-heart interactions with the farmers.Also, we are able to accept up to 200 participants for educational trips as well.
The variety of alcohol produced in Chichibu is rare for a single region in Japan: sake, beer, shochu (distilled from potatoes or rice), wine, and whisky are all available. Pride in the local products runs so deep that there is actually legislation stipulating that the first toast of any gathering should be made with a Chichibu beverage. The purity of the mountain springs is particularly important to area whisky distilleries, such as the world-famous Ichiro’s. Local whisky continues to win prizes at tasting conventions year after year, and it is scarcely exaggeration to say world-class beverages spring from the land itself in Chichibu.
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.
Wappa-meshi—rice is seasonal vegetables, and other ingredients steamed together in a wooden container. To this day, sake brewing continues in the traditional manner that was developed during the Edo period. As you try each local dish, enjoy how the flavors of the surrounding nature are brought to life.
Aizuwakamatsu’s old samurai residences evoke an image of a bygone warrior era, and the agrarian scenery of rice paddies against the background of Mount Bandai and the Iide Mountains captures the essence of Aizu’s landscape. Tsurugajo Castle, a symbol of the city, provides a wide view of the changing beauty of the seasons in Aizu Basin and the old castle town.
The foods eaten in Aizuwakamatsu follow the seasons: asparagus in spring, tomatoes in summer, rice and sake in autumn, and Aizu Jidori free-range chicken in winter.
Kenchin-jiru is a soup made with Ohtawara’s signature vegetables and seasoned with soy sauce or miso. It is a classic local cuisine that has been enjoyed by many homes since the olden days. It used to be eaten as shojin-ryori (Buddhist vegetarian meal). Since it is a vegetarian cuisine made with plenty of vegetables and mushrooms fried in oil, it is said that kenchin-jiru was an essential dish during the festivals where the killing of animals was prohibited.
The mellow aroma of the cooked rice and the sweetness that spread in your mouth when chewing are sure to be addictive. It is said that delicious rice and water are essential to brew sake. The gentle-tasting local sake is made with underground water with plenty of umami that is polished by a the Nasu mountain range which acts as a natural filtration device. Ohtawara has won numerous awards at sake competitions nationwide.
