Ai Nishimura
Administrator of the blog "My Diary," which began in 2004. A writer who has traveled to all 47 prefectures and loves local culture and history.
Author of Shimane's "Geography, Place Names, and Maps" Mysteries (Jitsugyo no Nihonsha), My Town is the "Number One in Japan" Dictionary (PHP Institute), and Prefectures Explained in Neko Neko Japanese History (Jitsugyo no Nihonsha). Official blogger for Suntory Gourmet Guide, official top user for Retty, and official platinum blogger for Excite.
The rain has stopped, so on the second day we head to the Akiu Onsen area. There are many hot springs in the mountains, from famous ones that are famous all over the country to small ones. However, this time we will go on a journey to find Akiu that is "more than just hot springs". We will enjoy cycling tourism, where we can stop wherever we like along the way to enjoy nature and take detours.
Take a leisurely ride through the Akiu Onsen area. Sign up for the Akiu Tourism Factory cycle tour.
Akiu Onsen is about 30 to 40 minutes by car or bus from central Sendai, and about 50 minutes by direct bus from Sendai Airport.
As you may know, Akiu Onsen is a famous hot spring area known as the "inner parlor of Sendai." In addition to the hot springs, the area is also home to beautiful natural scenery, including fresh greenery, autumn foliage, waterfalls, and valleys. It is a major tourist destination where you can also enjoy gourmet food and crafts.
This time, we asked "Akiu Tourism Factory" to organize a bicycle tour of Akiu. They created a course with few ups and downs that would allow us to enjoy the nature of Akiu while stopping at various spots, and they also accompanied us. The goal was set at "Sendai Akiu Brewery/Akiu Winery (hereinafter referred to as Akiu Winery)".
I want to taste wine... I'm smart enough to make wineries my goal (laughs).
You will enjoy a trip feeling the refreshing breezes of Akiu while visiting the impressive Akiu Otaki waterfall and Glass Studio Sho, which has fans all over the world.
We will take part in a cycle tour using eBikes (electrically assisted mountain bikes) in the Akiu area.
This time, the course starts from Akiu Visitor Center and mainly goes downhill, stopping at various spots.
After receiving thorough instruction on how to use the vehicle and proper driving etiquette, we set off! With the Natori River on our left, we cut through the wind and head to Akiu Otaki Falls.
To see the waterfall up close, you'll have to climb a long and steep staircase...!
When you go down to the riverbank, even from a distance, the wind blowing across the river can send water spraying everywhere. It's a majestic sight that can only be described as spectacular. This is one of Akiu's most famous scenic spots, where you can see this right before your eyes.
The thick steam rising from the waterfall as it falls into the pool was very impressive.
The green reflection on the water was beautiful, but I imagine that in autumn the lights will burn even more gracefully and brilliantly.
Next, we went to "Glass Studio Hisao." This is the studio of Nabeta Hisao. Nabeta is a popular glass artist who has not only held solo exhibitions all over Japan, but also exhibited abroad.
Nabeta, who is originally from Miyagi Prefecture, chose Akiu as the location for his gallery. It is located very close to Akiu Otaki waterfall, and many customers stop by while sightseeing. It is a beautiful studio surrounded by trees.
I have had few opportunities to see glass art, but I was impressed by the skill with which light was manipulated. Colored glass is layered, and then cut into small pieces that are assembled like inlay to form a single work of art.
The difference in light transmittance between the transparent and colored glass creates a contrast that goes beyond the difference in color. The soft light and colors give the impression of surrendering to nature in the water.
The entire store is coordinated by his wife, Kumiko, who is a space designer.
"You can use them in your daily life without feeling out of place," says Kumiko. She says that even colorful dishes blend in with the food without interfering with it.
If you would like to try it, please come to the gallery's cafe, where you can enjoy tea served in ceramic and glassware made by the gallery's friends.
Nabeta says that since he started living in Akiu, he has often felt nature in his daily life, and this has become his motivation for creating. I was comforted by the gentle expressions and quiet demeanor of the two of them.
We continue down the hill on our eBikes and stop at some gourmet spots.
This stone bridge was once used as a road, but now it has completely blended into the nature.
"Miyagi Shirome soy milk" seeps into your sweaty body and "open sandwiches" are a favorite of Danish people.
I was taken to "Ota Tofu Shop" so that I could enjoy some Akiu gourmet food.
Apparently the founder started a tofu shop as a side job at the end of the Edo period. Nowadays, with a strong commitment to using high-quality local soybeans and manufacturing methods, it is a popular tofu shop in the Akiu area that is always crowded with customers. There is an eat-in area inside the shop, where we tried "Miyagi Shirome soy milk" and "triangle deep-fried tofu" on the spot. Other popular items include "bamboo tofu," "Aobata tofu," and "soy milk almond tofu," which use soybeans from the neighboring prefecture.
For lunch, we went to the newly opened Green Shoots.
This open sandwich lunch is superb, with quality ingredients, combinations and presentation all impeccable.
This restaurant conveys the deliciousness of Danish cuisine, the richness of ingredients, and the variety of combinations, without leaning towards Japanese tastes. Low-temperature cooked chicken and beef are combined with fruits (cranberries and currants) and served on rye bread for a rich flavor. The meatballs and almond cake for dessert are also excellent.
The warmth of the husband and wife team, Tom and Mikako, made me feel so comfortable that I wanted to stay for hours and come back again and again.
Tofu specialty store "Ota Tofu Shop". We took a break here.
Tofu is sold in bamboo baskets and sieves. The Tohoku region is said to be an ideal place for growing soybeans, so tofu made from soybeans from Iwate, Yamagata, and Miyagi prefectures was on sale.
The reason this region is suitable for tofu production is that, in addition to producing high-quality soybeans, the water is clean. Tofu is 80-90% water. It is no exaggeration to say that tofu is made from water.
Soy milk made with Miyagi Shirome has a creamy taste, a sweetness and no peculiar taste.
The large, round ones are "Miyagi Shirome." The smaller ones are imported soybeans.
Almond jelly made with soy milk. By adding fresh cream just enough to keep it from becoming too heavy, the soy milk is transformed into a high-quality sweet.
Triangular fried tofu is a common dish in this region. I pour soy sauce over the roughly fried tofu and bite into it. Products that are handmade every day in the back of the store are brought out one after another.
Leaving the Ota Tofu Shop, I walked along a tranquil road through rice fields. For me, this was something out of the ordinary! Surrounded by "Hitomebore" rice from Miyagi, a rice-producing region, I felt even more power in my feet as I pedaled.
We went to the newly opened hygge cafe "Green Shoots" next to Akiu Shrine.
In contrast to the sober, ink-black exterior, the interior is decorated with many forest-inspired paintings on white walls.
This is a brand new cafe opened by Tom and Mikako, a married couple who moved to Akiu this year. The specialty of this cafe is the open sandwich from Denmark, Tom's home country.
It looks like a gorgeous and elaborate dish that you could mistake for party food, but it's actually a traditional Danish soul food called "smørrebrød."
This is a versatile dish that consists of fresh vegetables on rye bread, cheese, herbs, marinades, and sometimes spices and sauces. When eating, you put the dish on a plate and eat it with a knife and fork.
The roast beef was paired with cranberries stewed in red wine. The sweet and sour taste of the fruit is often used to accentuate the meat.
Meatballs are a Danish home-cooked dish. In Denmark, they use pork for the minced meat. The flavor is locked in and it's delicious!
For dessert, there was a moist cake with plenty of sliced almonds and cookies made with muesli. It was a comfortable time that you could stay in for hours, a time that calmed your mind. This must be the "hygge" that the Danish people value.
Tom also likes the heart shaped ones on the cherry tree in the garden. We encourage you to try and find them too.
Despite our visit having only just opened, Tom Nielsen and his wife Mikako spoke to us at length.
"Akiusha" offers a "new Akiu", while "Akiu Winery" creates local industries.
There has been a lot of good news in the Akiu region recently.
First, Akiusha, a restaurant that uses an old house in the area, opened last year. At the time of our visit, the garden was still in the process of being developed, and we have a feeling that it will become even more wonderful in the future. You can enjoy lunch and cafe menus made with local ingredients.
Akiusha is operated by Akiu Tourism Factory, who helped us out this time, which means it is also the base for tours of the Akiu area.
Adding to the "tour" and "food" content is the Akiu Winery, which opened in 2015.
The winery is based on the concept of "terroage," which means to connect (marriage) the characteristics (terroir) of the land. The concept also includes the meanings of terroir = the work and role of each place in the region, and mariage = the relationships that are born from that. "If we continue to produce attractive things and cherish the connections with the people we make there, it will become a place that people will come back to." Akiu Winery is the base for spreading this idea, and its activities are spreading throughout Tohoku thanks to people who agree with this sentiment.
As the Akiu region has gradually grown more excited through new ideas and trials, the number of people moving to the area and getting involved has increased. It seems likely that the people who have been drawn to the charms of Akiu will become evangelists for terroage.
At Akiu Winery, you can enjoy wine tasting, meals while looking out the window at the vineyards in front of you, and BBQs in the garden.
Our morning bicycle tour of Akiu was coming to an end. We stopped by Akiusha, a traditional Japanese restaurant run by Akiu Tourism Factory, the company that organized this tour.
Renovating and using a 160-year-old traditional house means connecting an unbroken line of history. I think this restaurant overlaps with the image of Akiu, a hot spring resort with a long history.
While keeping the traditional Japanese elements firmly in place, the restaurant has boldly adopted a modern twist. The dining table and chairs are placed in an area with tatami mats, shoji screens, and transoms, ensuring a comfortable atmosphere.
This is a table seat by the window. You can see the chefs in action in the open kitchen. Lunch plates filled with local vegetables and ingredients are popular.
The Akiu Tourism Factory office is also located on the same premises. They will introduce you to activities and tours in the Akiu area and provide you with assistance.
Mr. Takahashi, who helped us out this time, is a tour guide who loves traveling himself and understands the feelings of travelers very well. It was a lot of fun talking about all sorts of things while advancing through the countryside and valleys!
Then we parked our bikes and our final destination was Akiu Winery.
It opened in 2015 and has now become one of the highlights of Akiu tourism.
The vineyard is right in front of you. If you open the window, you can feel so close to the fields that you can almost reach out and touch them. The grapes are brought straight to the factory as soon as they are picked. Cultivation, brewing, aging, and bottling are all done here.
Tasting counter. This alone is enough to get you drunk... My recommendation is Muscat Bailey A Rose. And cider too!
On the day, everyone involved with the place showed up, including winery employees, an immigrant (who I actually met before!), and someone nearby who is hoping to make wine from his own vineyard, and we had a barbecue in the garden.
It started raining heavily halfway through the trip, which was tough, but "this is what travel is all about." I'll take all the memories home with me.
Read the second part here
The contents published are accurate at the time of publication and are subject to change.
