Isehara Flower Report 2025.09.26 Here is today’s update on the cluster amaryllis in Hyuga. They are blooming beautifully in the Aramizu area. If you are coming by car, please use the temporary parking lot at the Human Resources Development Center. White cluster amaryllis can be seen on the grounds of Hinata Yakushi. The walking path behind Hinata Yakushi bus stop is open from 7:00 to 17:00. Also, a temporary tourist information desk will open on Saturday the 27th and Sunday the 28th (9:30–15:00). Please make use of it. Weekends are expected to be crowded, so allow plenty of time to visit. For access and future updates, please check the tourism association’s website. https://isehara-kanko.com/news/flower/10997/...

Election Results ✨ The results of the Shimoda City Beach Popularity Vote (Round 2) are in~ 👏 In Round 1, Irida Beach won by a landslide, but this time… 1st place 🥇 Shirahama Ohama Beach 1st place 🥇 Tatado Beach 3rd place 🥉 Irida Beach Remarkably, Shirahama Ohama Beach and Tatado Beach tied for first place 😲! You can check the voting results at the link below. https://www.shimoda-city.info/oshi... We will randomly select five voters to receive specialty products from Shimoda 🌺 Round 3 is also planned, so please join us again! Round 3 scheduled period 👉 October 1, 2025 – January 25, 2026

[Reihoku Town 70th Anniversary WEB Photo Contest 🎊] To coincide with the “9th Tomioka Castle Festival” on Sunday, October 26, Reihoku Town will hold a WEB Photo Contest celebrating the 70th anniversary of the town’s incorporation📸 This year marks the 70th year since Reihoku Town was founded. Under the theme “The Charms of Reihoku Town,” we are seeking photos that capture the town’s appeal — abundant nature, local dishes and specialties, historic buildings, everyday life, people’s smiles, and more! Photos taken since January of this year are eligible, so pictures from the Reihoku Jatto Festival or the Tomioka Castle Festival are welcome. Smartphone photos are fine! Capture a scene that moved you and submit it! Cash prizes are available👀! 📸[Open Category] High school students and older Grand Prize (1): 10,000 yen + Reihoku Town specialty products worth 5,000 yen; Special Prize (2): 3,000 yen + Reihoku Town specialty products worth 5,000 yen; Runner-up Special Prizes (up to 4): Reihoku Town specialty products worth 5,000 yen 📸[Junior Category] Elementary and junior high school students Grand Prize (1): 5,000-yen book voucher; Special Prize (2): 3,000-yen book voucher 📸[Eligible Photos] Photos taken from January 2025 through the Tomioka Castle Festival day on October 26, 2025 📸[Submission Deadline] Tuesday, November 11, 2025 📸For submission details, please check the photo contest special website. (You can find the link in the announcements section on our company website in the profile.) We look forward to many entries📸 🏯[Contact] Reihoku Jatto Festival & Tomioka Castle Festival Executive Committee, Photo Contest Section (inside Reihoku Town Chamber of Commerce) E-mail: pc@amakusa-kankou.com

Notice: Reihoku Town 70th Anniversary of Municipal Status — 9th Tomioka Castle O-shiro Festival 🏯 The “Reihoku Town 70th Anniversary of Municipal Status — 9th Tomioka Castle O-shiro Festival” will be held at the Tomioka Castle Hyakken Dote on Sunday, October 26, 2025‼️ Stage events will feature local performing arts plus Kaoru Yumi, famous for her role as Kagero Ogin in Mito Komon, a performance by the Ashikita Teppo-tai, a Chinese face-changing show, and an appearance by Kumamon 🐻. Around 30 tents and food trucks will line the venue, bringing together delicious treats from inside and outside the town♪ Other hands-on activities include the “Tomioka Castle 🏯 and Amakusa West Coast Walking 🌅,” the Kumamoto Maru trial voyage ⛴️, and a pearon (dragon boat) experience 🚣. If you want to take part, please make an advance reservation early! The Tomioka walking tour and pearon experience are eligible for the Kumamoto Health Points program ❣️ A photo contest 📷 (cash prizes available ✨) will run at the same time. There are separate categories for general and junior entrants♪ Come and enjoy autumn in Reihoku Town‼☺️ We look forward to seeing you🙌 For details about the O-shiro Festival, please visit the Reihoku Town website. Period: Sunday, October 26, 2025 Venue: Tomioka Castle Hyakken Dote Contact: Reihoku Jatto Festival / Tomioka Castle O-shiro Festival Executive Committee (Reihoku Town Hall Commerce and Tourism Division Tel 0969-35-3332 Reihoku Chamber of Commerce Tel 0969-37-1244)

This is a photo of last year's Kawagoe Festival. It is a festival float of the Senba Jiro Yasu family in Senba Town.

This is a photo of last year's Kawagoe Festival. It is a festival float of Ieyasu in Wakita Town.

It is Located in in Hatsuyamabetsucho, Hokkaido It is ⛩️ the Torii (shrine gate) gate of Kinhira Shrine Impression by the Scene of the sunset and the mysterious sight of the sunset in the Torii (shrine gate) standing in the sea. It was a fantastic view (*^∀^*) ✨✨✨

Announcements of two events from Shintoku Town📣 1️⃣ ‘Tomuraushi Onsen 60th Anniversary Festival’ Tomuraushi Onsen celebrates its 60th year since opening this year with a gratitude festival where visitors can enjoy the gifts of Shintoku Town and the hot springs as a thank-you for long-standing patronage. 📍Dates: September 27, 2025 – September 28, 2025 📍Free hot spring bathing: Both days, September 27 and 28, 12:15–19:30 📍Events: One-day event on September 28, 12:00–16:00 📍Venue: Tomuraushi Onsen Tōtaisetsusō Bathing is free on September 27 and 28. On the 28th we will hold many activities including a fill-your-bag event of Shintoku-grown vegetables, food stalls and sales featuring Tomuraushi Jersey beef, a mini concert by MAKICOM MINAMI, outdoor games, and a nostalgic Shintoku photo exhibition. Free day-trip shuttle service is also available, so please come and enjoy Tomuraushi Onsen this autumn. 📌Free day-trip shuttle (approx. 90 minutes each way) 📍September 27 Outbound: departs Shintoku Station 11:00 Return: departs the onsen 15:00 📍September 28 Outbound: departs from the Shin-Soba Festival venue 12:30 Return: departs the onsen 16:30 *Phone reservation required: Tomuraushi Onsen Tōtaisetsusō TEL: 0156-65-3021 2️⃣ ‘22nd Shintoku New Soba Festival’ The largest festival in Shintoku, the Shintoku New Soba Festival, is held every year on the last Sunday of September to coincide with the local soba harvest😊 📍Date: September 28, 2025 10:00–14:00 📍Venue: Parking lot in front of Shintoku Town Health and Welfare Center Nagomi The highlight of the Shintoku New Soba Festival is tasting the four-fresh soba: freshly harvested, freshly milled, freshly made, and freshly boiled noodles.🎵 This year eight vendors from around town, including soba shops and volunteers, will serve flavorful soba grown on the foothills of the Daisetsu mountain range, each offering their signature broths and toppings to showcase the new soba. Beyond soba, there will be many local specialties such as charcoal-grilled Shintoku jidori chicken and grilled shiitake mushrooms grown on logs, plus sweets like soba crepes and rich soft-serve ice cream to enjoy.😍 Also, the long-running wanko-soba eating contest returns for the first time in six years!! There are two categories: parent-and-child pair and adult pair, and applications require teams of two. Pairs of two will compete to see how many bowls of soba they can eat within the time limit. Applications open at 11:00 on the day of the festival (about 30 minutes). 📞Contact Shintoku New Soba Festival Executive Committee Office (Shintoku Town Industry Division) TEL: 0156-64-0525 *On the day, vendors will do their best to serve soba, but supplies may run out earlier than expected. Thank you for your understanding in advance. https://shintoku-town.net/spot/#event...

This year's Kawagoe Festival will be held on Saturday, October 18 and Sunday, October 19. This is a photo of last year's Kawagoe Festival. A beckoning cat is dancing. 🐈

Amakusa West Coast 🍁 Autumn Kiln Tour — Featured Kiln / 03 Mugen Kiln The 36th Amakusa West Coast Autumn Kiln Tour will take place over five days from Thursday, October 9 to Monday, October 13 (national holiday), with six kilns across Reihoku and Amakusa City participating. During the event you can view and buy new works and enjoy discounted sales, so please take this opportunity to visit and enjoy Amakusa ceramics and the Amakusa West Coast scenery 🌊🌅. (Note: Tenjiku Pottery Kiln will not participate.) 🍁🍁🍁 Featured Kiln Introduction / Tucked quietly in the satoyama of Reihoku, Mugen Kiln stands serene. From the pieces created by kiln owner Seiko Tanaka, you sense an unwavering dedication to beauty. When asked about that source, she showed us the neatly arranged collection of seashells. As a child, during the Obon season she began collecting sakuragai and benigai shells found on the local shore during the spirit-floating ceremony, becoming captivated by the mysterious shapes and colors that nature creates. Tanaka’s remark — “Truly beautiful things in this world are those without calculation, like these” — left a strong impression. It seems the core of Mugen Kiln’s unique worldview breathes from that sentiment. We hope you will pick up Tanaka’s carefully crafted ceramics and feel their charm firsthand. Unpesticided vegetables and potted flowers will also be on sale during the period. 📍 Mugen Kiln 588-1 Shirakio, Reihoku, Amakusa District, Kumamoto Prefecture 863-2506 TEL: 080-1703-6886 ________________________________ The 36th Amakusa West Coast 🍁 Autumn Kiln Tour Period: Thursday, October 9 – Monday, October 13 (national holiday) 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM Venues 〈Reihoku〉 Uchida Sarayama Pottery, Kobo Kaze, Mugen Kiln, Unshū Kiln (Note: Tenjiku Pottery Kiln will not participate) 〈Amakusa City〉 Takahama Ware Juhogama, Amakusa Karatsu Juro Kiln (Goyama Kamegama) 🍁 Two stamp rallies run concurrently! ※ A digital stamp rally qualifying for Kumamoto Health Points📱 ※ A stamp rally to win items from your chosen kiln (entry forms available at each kiln📃) Inquiries: Amakusa Pottery Stone Research and Development Promotion Council Secretariat (within Reihoku Town Hall, Commerce and Tourism Division) TEL: 0969-35-3332

Amakusa West Coast 🍁 Autumn Kiln Tour — Introducing Participating Kilns / 02 Kobo Kaze The 36th Amakusa West Coast Autumn Kiln Tour will take place over five days from Thursday, October 9th through Monday, October 13th (a public holiday), with six kilns across Reihoku and Amakusa City serving as venues.😊 During the event, new works will be exhibited and sold, and discounted items will be available, so please take this chance to visit and enjoy Amakusa Ceramics and the Amakusa West Coast scenery 🌊🌅. (Note: Tenjiku Pottery Kiln will not be participating.🙇‍♀️🙇) 🍁🍁🍁 Introducing the participating kilns / Kobo Kaze continues to make pottery in a more than 130-year-old traditional farmhouse surrounded by nature. The studio began full-scale pottery activities in 2006. For this feature, the studio owner, Mr. Hayashida, demonstrated a hand-building technique known as himodzukuri, one of the methods that does not use a potter’s wheel. Himodzukuri involves stacking clay rolled into cord-like strands and shaping them as they accumulate. Mr. Hayashida skillfully forms black clay into these cords and stacks them slowly and deliberately. Watching him work feels like time itself is moving gently, and it soothes the viewer. When firing pieces in a carbonization kiln, Kobo Kaze leaves the exterior unglazed to highlight the natural gradations created by the way flames touch the surface, bringing out the clay’s inherent texture. A transparent glaze is applied to the interior to ensure everyday usability. The result is a simple, unpretentious elegance. During the event, visitors can also find bamboo dragonfly crafts, wooden goods, homemade sweets, loaves of bread, and jams for sale. 📍Kobo Kaze 598 Takahama Minami, Takahama, Amakusa City, Kumamoto Prefecture 863-2503 TEL: 0969-35-2041 ＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿ The 36th Amakusa West Coast 🍁 Autumn Kiln Tour Period: Thursday, October 9th – Monday, October 13th (public holiday) Hours: 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM Venues: 〈Reihoku〉 Uchida Sarayama Pottery, Kobo Kaze, Mugen Kiln, Unshū Kiln (Note: Tenjiku Pottery Kiln will not be participating) 〈Amakusa City〉 Takahama Ware Juhogama, Amakusa Karatsu Juro Kiln (Goyama Kame Kiln) 🍁 Two stamp rallies run concurrently! ※ A digital stamp rally for Kumamoto Health Points (smartphone) ※ A stamp rally offering a chance to win products from your chosen kilns (entry forms available at each kiln 📃) Inquiries: Amakusa Pottery Stone Research and Development Promotion Council Secretariat (inside Reihoku Town Hall, Commerce and Tourism Division) TEL: 0969-35-3332

Amakusa West Coast🍁 Autumn Kiln Tour — Introducing Participating Kilns / 01 Uchida Sarayama Pottery The 36th Amakusa West Coast Autumn Kiln Tour will take place over five days from Thursday, October 9 to Monday, October 13 (a public holiday), with six kilns across Reihoku and Amakusa City welcoming visitors😊 During the event you can enjoy new works on display and for sale, plus discounted items. Please take this chance to visit and enjoy Amakusa Ceramics along with the Amakusa West Coast scenery 🌊🌅♪ (Note: Tenjiku Pottery Kiln will not be participating 🙇‍♀️🙇) 🍁🍁🍁 Introducing the Uchida Sarayama Pottery, which carries on a porcelain-making history that began around 1650 and continued for about a century. For this Autumn Kiln Tour, we recommend a new piece using the “iro-itchin” (colored itchin) technique: itchin motifs painted in a blue inspired by the Amakusa West Coast sea. Though itchin looks charming, it represents delicate skill and careful effort. The blue itchin patterns stand out beautifully against the white ground — a piece you should pick up and examine closely. Also not to be missed are Uchida Sarayama Pottery’s classic zodiac figurines. Sales begin each year with the Autumn Kiln Tour. Next year’s zodiac is the horse. We photographed a veteran painter with 20 years’ experience at work. Watching the unglazed horses come to life through the brush is a stirring sight. The zodiac figurines cycle every 12 years, and Uchida Sarayama Pottery prepares a new mold each time, applying designs suited to the era. They produce as many as three thousand pieces. Through these zodiac figurines, they aim to convey the distinctive whiteness of Amakusa Toseki. 📍Uchida Sarayama Pottery 554-1 Uchida, Reihoku, Amakusa District, Kumamoto Prefecture 863-2505 TEL: 0969-35-0222 ＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿ The 36th Amakusa West Coast🍁 Autumn Kiln Tour Period: Thursday, October 9 – Monday, October 13 (public holiday) 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM Venues 〈Reihoku〉Uchida Sarayama Pottery, Kobo Kaze, Mugen Kiln, Unshū Kiln (Note: Tenjiku Pottery Kiln will not be participating) 〈Amakusa City〉Takahama Ware Juhogama, Amakusa Karatsu Juro Kiln (Juro Kiln) 🍁Two stamp rallies will run simultaneously! • A digital stamp rally that counts toward Kumamoto Health Points 📱 • A stamp rally where you can win products from your chosen kilns (entry forms available at each kiln 📃) Inquiries: Amakusa Pottery Stone Research and Development Promotion Council Secretariat (Reihoku Town Hall, Commerce and Tourism Division) TEL: 0969-35-3332

Ako's Carpet This is red Rice. It is a variety whose panicles turn red when fruiting. Rice is richer in vitamins, minerals, polyphenols, proteins, etc. It is a scenery that can be seen in some rice fields in Daan Town during this period. Here it is sold as "Daan Sakura Rice". Daian Town, Inabe City, Mie Prefecture 2025/9

At the Yokosuka Night Lantern Festival (Yokosuka City, Kanagawa Prefecture), I painted lanterns and glowing fans and made them float in the park. Events enjoyed by everyone, from children to adults.

Event Announcement📣 On September 28th, “2025 Onneto Stories” will take place 😊 This event invites you to immerse yourself in Onneto’s primeval forest and enjoy its charms with all five senses. There will be a variety of activities, including campfire and wood-splitting workshops focused on wood learning (mokuiiku), and a nature interaction class where you can enjoy forest bathing while learning about the trees and the mysteries of the Yuno Falls. After refreshing yourself with forest bathing, relax at a forest concert while enjoying delicious local food 🎵 Spend a leisurely autumn day in this richly natural setting 🤗 On the day, a free shuttle bus will run from Roadside Station Ashoro to the Onneto campsite. 📍Outbound: Roadside Station Ashoro departs 8:30 → Onneto Campsite arrives 9:30 📍Return: Onneto Campsite departs 14:00 → Roadside Station Ashoro arrives 15:00 *Please note that due to recent heavy rain, the Onneto lakeshore Yuhodo trail course of the nature interaction class has been canceled.* 📞Inquiries Ashoro Tourism Association Office TEL:0156-25-6131 https://www.town.ashoro.hokkaido.jp/kanko/news/2025/onneto_2025.html...

Photographed 9/23/25. It is Koite Water of Kawagoe Kumano Shrine. It is an autumn specification. 🍁

The heat has cooled down, and it’s about time for outdoor picnics🌸 . When that time comes, I recommend the bread and baked sweets from Karion (Hanasato-ne)! They offer classic breads like anpan and melon pan, plus seasonal breads, so you’ll have a hard time choosing which one to pick💦 Their gateau au chocolat is moist inside, richly chocolatey, and more substantial than it looks😍 . Karion’s breads and sweets are also sold at the Roadside Station Minami Echizen Sanka-ri in Minami-Echizen town, Shikisai, and the Honey Nanjo store!

Photographed 9/23/25. This is LEC COFFEE's black latte.

Introducing the Tokapuchi 400 PASSPORT 😊 The Tokapuchi 400 is a 403 km long-distance cycling route that starts and ends in Obihiro and links Tokachi from south to north in a figure-eight loop 🚴‍♀️🚴‍♀️🚴‍♀️ The passport features highlights, gourmet spots, shopping, and map information, making it recommended for those traveling Tokachi by bike 🎵 The route is split into southern and northern halves, with four stamp points in each half for a total of eight sections. Collect stamps placed at each location and enter the draw for a chance to win an original furoshiki wrapping cloth—30 winners will be selected!! You can enter even with just one stamp! 😍 All applicants will receive a Tokapuchi 400 original sticker!! Tokapuchi 400 PASSPORT (includes entry postcard) Price: ¥1,100 Please fill in the date the stamps were affixed and the required information on the designated entry postcard and send it in. ※Entry deadline: Must arrive by Wednesday, December 31, 2025 📍List of outlets selling the Tokapuchi 400 PASSPORT Tokachi Tourist Information Center, Eco Bus Center Rikuru 📍South Route Roadside Station Nakasatsunai, Activity Center ANDOOR, Roadside Station Churui, Roadside Station Cosmall Taiki, Cocoro Co Terrace 📍North Route Tokachigawa Onsen Tourist Guide Center, Roadside Station Garden Spa Tokachigawa Onsen, Roadside Station Otofuke Natsuzora no Furusato, Roadside Station Urimaku, Lake Shikaribetsu Nature Center https://www.ctjguide.com//

I am Photographer gen from Toki City, Gifu Prefecture. I took these photos at Donburi Kaikan in Toki City, Gifu Prefecture. Other landscape photos are available for sale at Artgene. I launched an online store on September 24, 2025. The store is hosted on stores.jp under the name Photographer Sabara. I also publish records of sales on note under the name Photographer Sabara. On October 9, 2025, I started operating a WordPress site under the name Photographer Gen Photo Studio.

(Photo taken on 9/23) "Jacaranda" blooms in May ~ June, but it blooms here and there in Shinsui Park. Is it the second flower? It is a precious flower that is not often seen, so please take a look when you are near you.

On Saturday, October 4 and Sunday, October 5, the Yuzen Shrine Autumn Annual Grand Festival will be held. It is an Annual Grand Festival to thank the Hot Spring, pray that the spring veins that gush out will not cease, and that Atami Hot Spring will continue to prosper. After Coronavirus pandemic, this festival is basically a Traditional Japanese straw raincoat of Shinto ritual, but this year, Same as above last year, the palace Mikoshi is scheduled to go to the palace on the second day (10/5). 【Yuzen Shrine Autumn Annual Grand Festival】 Date: Saturday, October 4, 2025 and Sunday, October 5, 2025 10/4(Sat) 13:00~Yoimiya God of worship (Yuzen Shrine) 10/5(Sun) 12:30 Miya Mikoshi Watami (12:30 Miyade Shinto ritual ~ * Miya Mikoshi Watari ~ 15:00 Shinto ritual entering the shrine) * Miya Mikoshi route: Yuzen Shrine →One-way street, Itokawa direction→ Imai Photo Studio→ Fire Station Mae→ City Hall→ FamilyMart, turn right→ Yakiniku "Minamidaimon" Turn left→ Ginza Street→ Yuzen Shrine 13:30 Shinto ritual (Oyukan Spring) After the end of the Shinto ritual, the dedication of the God of worship (Yuzen Shrine)

After Prayer to Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine, we visited LEC COFFEE. It's a quiche plate. It is a cold soup with shrimp and broccoli quiche 🦐🥦, homemade ham and salad 🥗, and Butter nut pumpkin. I'm sure you're floating until the Kawagoe Festival, but please stay with me. 🙇‍♀️

Introducing Takushoku Kinokotan, located inside Takushoku Bus’s Shintoku Office 😊 This tourist farm reuses sites once used by Hokkaido Takushoku Railway for its headquarters, rolling stock depot, and company housing on the line that ran between Shintoku and Kamishihoro. The name Takushoku Kinokotan is a coined word combining Takutetsu (short for Hokkaido Takushoku Railway), “kinoko” (mushroom), and the Ainu word kotan, meaning village. It reflects the desire to bring new life back to this once-bustling place. You can enjoy a hands-on shiitake harvesting experience grown carefully on logs using timber felled in Hokkaido. At the farm shop you can buy log-grown shiitake, Hokkaido Takushoku Railway and bus merchandise, and mushroom goods. There is also a display corner exhibiting historical materials related to Hokkaido Takushoku Railway 😍 Look for the red roof! The building’s motif is the former Shikaoi Station building 🎵 📍Hours: 10:00–15:30 (last shiitake harvest admission at 15:00) 📍Closed: Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and during the New Year holidays 📍Fees: Harvested shiitake are sold by weight. 📍Experience season: March–November — no reservation required on weekends and public holidays; reservations required on weekdays December–February — reservations required for both weekends, public holidays, and weekdays *For groups of five or more, please make a reservation at least two weeks in advance regardless of season or date.* Takushoku Kinokotan TEL: 0156-67-9105 📍Access: About 10 minutes from Shintoku Station by bus: take Route 53 via Shintoku Station bound for Minami-Shintoku and get off at Minami-Shintoku 20 minutes on foot from Shintoku Station About 5 minutes by car from Shintoku Station About 10 minutes by bicycle from Shintoku Station *Bicycle rentals are available at Shintoku Station.* Bicycle rental inquiries and reservations: 0156-67-7567 Shintoku Town Tourism Association (Regional Exchange Center “Tokutoku”, 2nd floor) https://t-kinokotan.com//

[Isehara Flower Update] September 22, 2025 Here is today’s report on the spider lilies in Hyuga. They have begun blooming in the Araimizu district as well. When exploring this area, please use the parking lot at the Human Resources Development Center. Many white spider lilies are blooming within the precincts of Hinata Yakushi. The walking path behind the Hinata Yakushi bus stop is especially full of spider lilies and bustling with visitors. For access and future updates, check the Tourism Association website. https://isehara-kanko.com/news/flower/10979/...

Today, I took a walk in Kawagoe. The kazaguruma in front of the Otorii Gate of Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine will be open until September 23rd.

Winter in Fukui brings many cloudy, rainy, and snowy days, and the sky is often leaden. That makes a sunny break all the more precious! A winter sunset seen after a long time looks especially beautiful against the clear air.

Photographed on September 15, 25. After Prayer to Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine, I relaxed at the Starbucks Bell Ring Street store. It is a pear raw caramel frappuccino and a pear and caramel tea cake. 🍐 Today is my birthday.

[Shimanto City, Kochi Prefecture] Only in Shimanto City!! “Salt-Seared Bonito” (Part 2) Following Part 1, Part 2 introduces recommended ways to enjoy the bonitos seared in Shimanto City that you can taste only here. 〇 Nakamura’s one-and-only “Traditional Salt-Seared Bonito” When people think of delicious food from Kochi Prefecture nationwide, the first thing that comes to mind is the seared bonito. Sprinkling salt or pouring sauce before searing is said to be a food culture unique to Kochi. Yet within the same prefecture, the style in central Kochi City differs greatly from that in Nakamura in the southwestern Shimanto City: Nakamura’s salt-seared method stands apart. Around Kochi City, the dish is a simple one of just sprinkled salt. In Nakamura, by contrast, chefs marinate the seared fish with proud house sauces featuring salt, vinegar, citrus juice, and other flavoring, letting the flavors meld. Nakamura’s traditional salt-seared bonito piles on heaps of condiments—onions, garlic and more—until the fish is nearly hidden. Those generous toppings don’t just look appetizing; they make nutritionally balanced combinations, so the dish is also excellent as a healthy choice. Nakamura’s traditional salt-seared bonito, found only in Shimanto City, carries an unshakable local food culture and history. Each restaurant crafts and serves its own proud version of this delicious salt-seared specialty. From the searing process to the way it’s eaten, the condiments and the sauces, every establishment applies its own ingenuity and care to its salt-seared bonito. In Shimanto City, you can enjoy as many distinctive salt-seared styles as there are restaurants. Would you like to go on a salt-seared tasting tour in Shimanto City and sample Nakamura’s traditional salt-seared bonito? 〇 Perfect match for salt-seared bonito: Shimanto Bu-chu Highball A perfect companion to Nakamura’s traditional salt-seared bonito is the Shimanto Bu-chu Highball, made with the locally grown “forbidden fruit” bushukan. It’s a standard menu item at izakayas in Shimanto City. The drink is ultra-refreshing from first sip to finish, with a crisp citrus flavor and a pleasant, moderate bitterness. Popular with both men and women, it pairs beautifully with food. Try Shimanto Bu-chu Highball with salt-seared bonito—you’ll likely get hooked after one sip. 〇 Shimanto-grown “forbidden fruit”—the bushukan Why call it the forbidden fruit? Bushukan is related to yuzu and sudachi but is an entirely different fruit. Once you taste it, ordinary vinegar-citrus fruits won’t satisfy—you’ll understand why it’s called the “forbidden fruit.” Its defining features are a clean, sharp acidity and a uniquely refined aroma. That elegant scent and tartness bring out the best in ingredients from mountains, rivers, and sea. Beloved by citrus fans across Kochi, the “kingdom of sour citrus,” bushukan has long been nicknamed the “king of sour citrus.” Beyond its flavor, the tree is very vigorous: once it bears fruit, it will yield abundantly each year from late August through early October with little care. While most citrus trees live for several decades, bushukan remains healthy and productive for over a hundred years. Bushukan is also resistant to disease and pests and grows vigorously without heavy reliance on pesticides, making it a safe, reliable crop. This rare bushukan grows only in Shimanto City and is not shipped widely across Japan—why not come taste it for yourself? How did you find this? Perhaps the appeal of salt-seared bonito and bushukan has whetted your appetite. Please enjoy salt-seared bonito and a Shimanto Bu-chu Highball when you visit Shimanto City.

[Shimanto City, Kochi Prefecture] You can only eat this in Shimanto City!! "Salt-Seared Bonito" (Part 1) When you think of delicious food from Kochi Prefecture, the first thing that comes to mind nationwide is the seared bonito known as "katsuo no tataki." Katsuo is a famous specialty of Kochi, and as everyone knows, it actually has two peak seasons! In this piece about the katsuo beloved by Kochi residents, Part 1 explains the timing and characteristics of each season, and Part 2 will cover recommended ways to enjoy it that you can only taste in Shimanto City. 〇 The seasons of katsuo: hatsugatsuo and modorigatsuo Katsuo is a well-known specialty of Kochi, but its name changes with the fishing season (peak season) to "hatsugatsuo" or "modorigatsuo." Here we introduce these two types of katsuo with different names, describing each season, their characteristics, and Kochi-specific recommended ways to eat them. 〇 Light-flavored hatsugatsuo! Hatsugatsuo, loved since long ago as one of spring’s seasonal ingredients, originally referred to katsuo landed at the start of the year, as suggested by the prefix "hatsu" (first). In recent years, however, the term has come to mean katsuo landed from spring into early summer. Juvenile katsuo hatched from eggs ride the Kuroshio Current northward around spring to seek food and grow into adults. Katsuo landed during this northward migration are called "hatsugatsuo," also known as "noborigatsuo." The exact landing locations vary, but in Kochi the season runs mainly from spring to early summer (around March to May). Young, fast-growing hatsugatsuo have translucent red flesh, a clean, springy texture, and a firm bite. They have less of the characteristic katsuo aroma, making them easy to eat even for those who are not fond of strong fishy smells. Because hatsugatsuo is low in fat and light in flavor, it’s recommended to serve it as tataki together with the fatty skin. This is the season for the Nakamura-style salt tataki enjoyed with plenty of condiments. We will introduce Nakamura-style salt tataki in the next article, "Salt-Seared Bonito You Can Only Eat in Shimanto City!! (Part 2)." 〇 Rich-flavored modorigatsuo! On the other hand, the katsuo that migrated north in search of food reaches southern Hokkaido, where falling water temperatures prompt them to head south again in search of warmer waters. Katsuo landed during this southward migration are called "modorigatsuo." In Kochi, the season is around autumn (September to November). Because modorigatsuo feed heavily and are landed after growing large, they are rich in fat and are also called "toro katsuo" or "abura katsuo." They have long been cherished as an autumn ingredient. The flesh of a large modorigatsuo is deep crimson in color, with fatty, pale areas near the skin and a rich, chewy flavor. How was that? Are you starting to get curious about katsuo? In Part 2, we will introduce the salt-seared katsuo you can only taste in Shimanto City!