Art of Fire — is the link
that unites the city of Makurazaki
here in Nansatsu region.
The city and area are located at the southernmost tip of mainland Japan.
Thanks to the fertile volcanic soil, quite a unique food culture has evolved,
nourished by the power of fire and the specialists who wield it in their craft.
The best examples of this unique culture are Green Tea, Dried Bonito,
a traditional Japanese preserved food made from smoked skipjack tuna,
and Shochu, a traditional Japanese distilled spirit.
We will explore the Nansatsu Plateau*, Japan’s largest tea-growing area,
where you can watch tea farmers steaming tea leaves with the power of fire,
as well as the roasting process, in which the producers delicately adjust
the intensity of roasting depending on the time of the year to create different flavors.
Makurazaki wears the crown of Japan’s top producer of dried bonito, and it is here
where you will see how the highest quality product named Makurazaki Honkarebushi
is smoked with the hands of veteran workers to exude umami through the power of fire.
These masterfully crafted ingredients are then given new life in a one-night-only dinner,
presented by world-renowned mixologist Shuzo Nagumo and chef Hiroyasu Kawate.
Mr. Nagumo is Japan’s premier mixologist, and his cocktails will defy all your common sense
about alcohol. Chef Kawate is one of the most celebrated chefs
in the culinary culture of Japan today.
Now, let's embark on a journey, uncover the world of unique delicacies
from this region, and relish the new definition of umami, demonstrated through the
guides of the top chefs and the power of fire that flows in this land.
*A vast plateau stretching from Makurazaki City to Minamikyushu City.
Single-origin — one that
offers its unique characteristics
hidden deep in the tea.
The tropical sun shines brightly and the temperature varies widely throughout the day.
And that is exactly what this area offers, the ideal environment for growing Chiran Tea.
The vast fields stretch for many miles and are as vast as the most expansive in Japan.
While there are numerous Chiran Tea farms in the region, Harutonari stands out byspecializing in
producing single-origin tea, meaning that one farmer grows a unique variety.
The greatest appeal of single-origin tea is its unique characteristics that are
exclusively specific to the particular soil and the farmer.
While sencha may be the most popular type of Japanese green tea,
one should not overlook hojicha in the cold season with this tea.
Light and dark roasts are also available so you can enjoy different aromas.
The important processes that
decide green tea’s aroma and taste
are steaming and burning.
Steaming is the first process that takes place after the tea leaves are picked.
It is an important process that changes the quality and taste of the tea
depending on how long the tea leaves are steamed.
The specialists determine how to steam each variety bycarefully examining,
touching and testing the aroma.
Burning comes during a finishing stage. While this stage typically occurs in spring,
at Harutonari, the process is done in spring and fall.
In spring, the heat is turned down to enhance the freshness.
In fall, the heat is increased to bring out the special quality of aged tea.
These skills of applying fire according to the variety and season will determine
how much the aroma and umami of the tea will be enhanced.
HarutonariKazuhiro Nagayama
Following in his grandfather's footsteps, the third-generation family tea farmer specializes in single-origin Japanese green tea. Winner of the Silver and Bronze Prizes at the Japanese Tea Selection Paris 2022.
Japanese Tea Experience
①
Make your own original Hojicha tea and learn how the power of fire creates different flavors.
②
Enjoy different Japanese tea varieties from an award-winner tea farmer.
③
Lunch at Mount Ono, overlooking Japan’s largest tea fields and Mount Kaimon, which is sometimes referred to as “the Fuji of Satsuma”.
※Product image for illustration purposes only. Actual product may vary
Food and forest cycles emphasized
in dried bonito making.
Japan’s largest production area for dried bonito is here in the town of Makurazaki.
Nishimura Asamori Shoten has been producing this
local specialty in the town for more than 70 years.
They have always focused on the food cycle and the forest cycle,
long before the world became aware of the importance of sustainability. For example,
the heads, bones, broth and other excess parts of the skipjack from the manufacturing
process all find use in other areas. Another example is the firewood used in the
smoking process. Only oak trees that have been grown and fell in the area are sourced.
This practice encourages more tree planting, which in turn leads to the growth of the forest.
The enriched forest purifies the water, which becomes a clean river that reaches the sea.
“Mountains make the sea better” This is why these producers, aware of this fact,
continue to devote attention to the environment in balance with the
critical factors of taste and quality.
The sense of the craftsmen,
masters of the power of fire.
Dried bonito is carefully handcrafted with attention to detail in every step of the process.
One of the crucial processes is dry smoking. The skipjacks are placed in a three-story
smokehouse and the workers prepare and burn firewood in the basement three to
five times a day. The amount and arrangement of firewood varies with the season and
humidity, and this fine sense is achieved by the craftsmen. The size of the fish is a
determining factor in the length of the smoking process, which typically ranges from
two to four weeks, and this is also where the craftsmen’s years of experience come into play.
These masterful, “no manual” skills surrounding the power of fire truly creates the
exceptionally encapsulated flavor of skipjack in this specialty food.
Nishimura Asamori ShotenKyo Nishimura
Producer of dried bonito for the last five decades starting from the age of 18. Two time recipient of the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Award for his work on Honkarebushi and Arabushi
Dried Bonito Experience
①
Explore the secret of the smoky scent that permeates the city of Makurazaki.
②
Exclusive factory tour focused on production method of the premier brand, Makurazaki Katsuobushi (Exclusive to January 28 tour).
③
Experience making your own dried bonito flakes called Hanakatsuo. (Exclusive to January 29 tour)
※Product image for illustration purposes only. Actual product may vary
Both the tradition and
the challenges in shochu
were nurtured in Makurazaki.
Japan’s traditional distilled spirit allows you to enjoy the flavors of
ingredients such as sweet potatoes, barley, and rice.
One shochu distillery has been around in this town since the
Meiji era, the end of the age of samurai. That is Meijigura of Satsuma Shuzo.
The spirit of the original craftsmen lives on today, passing the traditional art of
shochu making from generation to generation.
In the meantime, first steps in malt whisky production have been taken at their Hinokami Distillery.
A new line-up was also introduced in an attempt to take on the global market
while also retaining the core essence of originality.
Experience the fusion of tradition and innovation,
and indulge in the special flavors nurtured in this land.
The one and only
shochu barrel craftsman instils
aroma in the barrel with
the power of fire.
Outside of Satsuma Shuzo, there is no other shochu maker in Japan
that has its own workshop and warehouse dedicated to barrels.
The young barrel maker single-handedly manages 20,000 barrels and more.
One by one, he repairs all the barrels with different characteristics
and finishes them by re-charring (re-firing).
This refreshes the worn barrels and restores their smoky flavor and vanilla-like sweet aroma.
To sum up, the qualities of barrel-aged shochu derives from the
power of fire and the barrel craftsman who wields it.
Satsuma ShuzoNaoya Hombo
Oversees product development and branding at Satsuma Shuzo, a flagship distillery in the capital of shochu production, Kagoshima.His innovative ideas bring a new dimension to the world of Japan’s native spirit.
Shochu & Japanese Whiskey Experience
①
Tasting experience of a brand-new whiskey from a long-established local shochu maker. The area of their production site, called Hinokami, is known for having been referenced in Japan’s oldest history book.
②
Meet the world's only shochu barrel artisan and taste the different flavors achieved through the power of the fire he wields.
③
Learn about the traditional method of shochu making that has been handed down from the Meiji era to this modern distillery.
※Product image for illustration purposes only. Actual product may vary
PROFILE & COMMENTS
TOUR SCHECULE
1st Group Departure: Sunday, January 28
2nd Group Departure: Monday, January 29
Total of two tours planned (both offer the same itinerary and experiences)
| Morning | |
| 9:00 am ~ | Kagoshima Chuo Station West Exit Bus Terminal |
| 9:20 am ~ | Depart from SHIROYAMA HOTEL kagoshima(Tour briefing included. Vehicle: Toyota Alphard [minivan]. 6 guests to be on board.) |
| 9:30 ~ 10:30 am | Travel to destination along the view of Sakurajima volcano, known for its close proximity to a large city |
| 10:30 ~ 11:30 am | Japanese Tea Experience through the art of fire [Nansatsu region] |
| 11:30 ~ 13:30 am | Lunch at Mount Ohno, overlooking thevast tea fields and Mount Kaimon. |
| Afternoon-Evening | |
| 14:00 ~ 15:00 pm | Dried Bonito Experience. Visit the smoky-scented town and find out why the
world’s top chefs are fascinated by this umami-packed food [Nishimura Asamori Shoten, Makurazaki City] |
| 15:00 ~ 16:00 pm | Japanese Whiskey Experience. Visit the long-established shochu maker [Hinokami Distillery, Satsuma Shuzo] |
| 16:00 ~ 17:00 pm | Shochu Barrel Experience. Learn the art of fire and different flavors from the world's only shochu barrel craftsman [Barrel Workshop, Satsuma Shuzo] |
| 17:30 ~ 20:30 pm | ・Traditional Shochu Making Experience [Meijigura, Satsuma Shuzo] ・FIRE & SMOKE Dining Experience presented by the world-renowned chef and mixologist |
| 22:00 pm~ | Arrive at SHIROYAMA HOTEL kagoshima. Overnight stay. |
| Morning (Next Day) | Guests to check out on their own. End of the tour. |
Note: (a) Itinerary, time, and location are subject to change due to weather and other factors.
(b) An option is available for an additional one-day stay at SHIROYAMA HOTEL kagoshima starting from the day prior to the tour date.
(c) An option is available to include transportation to the meeting point.
SHIROYAMA HOTEL Kagoshima
CEO, Spirits & Sharing Inc.Shuzo Nagumo
Mr. Nagumo is Japan’s premier mixologist, and his cocktails will defy all your common sense about alcohol. One of his bars, memento mori, was ranked among the top establishments in Asia in the 2022 edition of Asia's 50 Best Bars.
Comment
“Whether it's dried bonito or green tea, Makurazaki produces first-rate ingredients that bring out umami in Japanese cuisine. My vision is to create original drinks from these local specialties and let people all over the world know about this special place.”
Owner-chef, FlorilègeHiroyasu Kawate
Chef Kawate is known for bringing sustainability and innovative ideas into French cuisine. Honored in the 2023 edition of Asia's 50 Best Restaurants and awarded the Chef's Choice Award, he is arguably one of Japan’s most sought-after chefs at the moment.
Comment
“Makurazaki's wonderful ingredients. And their unique food culture that brings out the very best in those ingredients. There are only a few places like that in Japan. I am very excited to have the opportunity to challenge myself to cook in such a special place. I’m looking forward to entertaining guests with what Makurazaki has to offer.”