Tokyo Weekender - November 2017

[ PROMOTION ]
explained how sake is made, we
one of the three great manju in
were treated to an impromptu
Japan. Ready for a challenge,
performance by Maki Niida, the
we rolled up our sleeves and
chief brewer's wife and resident
got stuck in with the expert
Okami-san. An accomplished
guidance of manju maker Koji
pianist, she sometimes organizes
Ono, who reportedly can make
jazz concerts on the second floor
20 manju in seven minutes.
of the brewery, where the acous-
It took slightly longer for us
tics and atmosphere are second
and they didn't turn out as round
to none.
as they should, nor were they the
LAKESIDE SUNSETS AND
DINING OUT
Lunch followed, with a special
right size. Even so, Ono praised
us on our awkward skills and
after a mere eight-minute wait,
they were steamed and ready to
rarity: carp. We were served
go. We took our handmade man-
a full course with the fish at
ju home as a one-of-a-kind omi-
Shogatsuso, a specialty restau-
yage (or, for some of us, to eat on
rant dedicated to the fish. Carp
the road). Ono kindly offered us
has traditionally been avoided
some samples of his own manju,
as a source of food, as they are
which were heavenly. The thin,
bottom feeders and this affects
ever-so-slightly crisp skin around
the taste. However, Koriyama's
the adzuki bean paste added
are raised and fed in a clean
a delightful texture to the bun
environment, making the fish
without making it too heavy.
taste light and fresh. The lunch
As late afternoon neared, we
set served carp in every way
set out again, this time to catch
imaginable – from sashimi to
the sunset over Lake Inawashi-
Chinese-inspired dishes, and
ro, also known as the Heaven
even finished with a delightfully
Mirroring Lake. It retains a
spicy carp ochazuke (a bowl
higher transparency than other
of rice with green tea or dashi
lakes in Japan due to high levels
poured over it).
of iron and aluminum dissolved
Though we almost had to
in the water from the Nagaseg-
roll out of the door from there,
awa. As the sun set behind the
we weren't done eating yet. At
mountains in a colorful display
Kaisei Kashiwaya we were in for
of bright yellows, pinks and
a real treat: making and eating
orange, we found ourselves
usukawa manju. Fukushima
wondering how we could
Prefecture is famed for its man-
have missed a place with such
ju, which has a thin, delicate
warmth and beauty so close
a completely different person.
fun, and the opportunity to have
sugar coating and is considered
to home.
He performed several different
uninterrupted focus on a new
styles of the traditional Hyot-
task was invigorating.
toko dance for us, seamlessly
After a spectacular start to
switching between the soft fluid
the morning, our next stop was
movements of a gracious woman
Niida-Honke Sake Brewery, an
to a rambunctious stomping and
organic brewery started in 1711,
jumping demon, then back to a
which now aims to make all of its
happy old man. Hashimoto cred-
rice fields pesticide- and chem-
its the power of the mask for his
ical-free by 2025. To help attain
amazing dances: “I lose myself
this goal, all rice is grown by the
in the dance and become
brewery's own farmers instead
another person."
of being outsourced.
Whether it was the power
Yasuhiko Niida, the 18th
of the mask or Hashimoto's life
generation president and
philosophy, it was hard to tell.
head brewer, wants to create
But it didn't matter – we were
something entirely natural. This
enthralled.
includes their non-sake products,
Eventually we did what
such as Koji Choco, made with
we came for, painting poor
organic sake lees, as well as their
imitations of an artist's craft –
amazake – neither have any
we don't think we'll be hired
sugar added. As Niida showed
anytime soon, but we did have
us around the brewery and
TOKYO WEEKENDER | NOVEMBER 2017 | 49