Ichiro’s Malt, a signature whisky of Venture Whisky Ltd, contributed to Chichibu’s rise to becoming one of Japan’s most famous places for high-quality whisky. Even though their whisky used to be hard to acquire due to high demands both domestically and internationally, it is now much easier to find and purchase one at local liquor shops around the Chichibu area. Their signature whisky has won the World Whisky Awards 7 years in a row and it has gained steady popularity through the years. Downtown Chichibu has many bars like Highlander Inn Chichibu, where you can stop by on a night out and enjoy Ichiro’s Malt at.
The place used to be called Toyonokuni (Bountiful land), and as the name suggests it is a fruitful area blessed with seafood and foods of the mountain, such as, oysters from Morie Bay, Himeshima’s Kuruma prawns, Hiji’s Shiroshita flatfish, and dried shiitake where Toyonokuni has the highest production rate of in Japan.
Takachiho Beef is a premium brand of beef known for its tender meat and slightly sweet fat, exceptional qualities created by raising cattle with the fresh air and clean water of Takachiho area.
Yawatahama Champon has a signature light flavor that comes from dashi made with chicken broth, bonito, and kombu. It is served at local restaurants and is soul food for the locals.
“Hospitality Cuisine on the road of gyoukoue” (Reproduced Cuisine) We are reproducing the Usa Jingu Shrine Shinto ritual “Gyoukoue” by using old records as reference and making it a modern “Hospitality Cuisine on the road of gyoukoue” using local specialities.
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.
In addition to the clear waters of the Kinokawa River, the development of local agriculture owes much to chagayu, or tea rice porridge, which has long been a staple of local fruit farmers. This hearty dish is a harmonious blend of rice and the pleasant bitterness of the tea. Also called okaisan, tea rice porridge has been handed down as a local tradition with deep roots on the Kinokawa dinner table.
Visit local farms to buy the region’s famous fruit, or even pick it yourself while enjoying the beauty of the orchards. Purchase not only jam, but a variety of innovative fruit products such as sushi, pasta, and dessert confections, all made with local fruit. Events are held to provide nutritional education, particularly about fruit, and to promote the many benefits that fruit offers.
‘Ayu Zoni’, which uses natural ayu caught in the ‘Takatsu River’, is a local dish that is eaten at many homes during the New Year. It is written in an ancient document that this ayu was served as a cuisine for entertainment for lord Masuda, who served during the Warring States period, and can be eaten with a reproduction dish as a ‘medieval food’.
