Antenna Shop Expert "Hibiya Shimanekan" Edition ~Connecting Food and Beauty~

In the second half of the article, we will select "recommended items to buy" within a budget of 3,000 yen, and tell you about the appeal of each food item along with a taste test report. By the end of the article, you will not only be more knowledgeable about antenna shops, but you will also have a deeper love for the local area.

An antenna shop for matchmaking that opened in May 2020

This time, we visited an antenna shop inside Hibiya Chanter, which underwent a major renovation in 2018 and became a hot topic along with the opening of the neighboring Tokyo Midtown Hibiya. The Hibiya Shimanekan reopened on May 29, 2020 after relocating from Nihonbashi Shimanekan.

The concept is "A place to make connections with Shimane". The store is uniquely curated to promote the unique charms of Shimane Prefecture, home to Izumo Taisha Shrine, known as a sacred place for matchmaking. This worldview is also expressed in the store design. The object on the ceiling and the mirrors on the pillars are inspired by the bustle of Shinmon Street, which stretches straight from Izumo Taisha Shrine.

There are over 1,000 different products, with a wide selection of items from all over Shimane prefecture, with a focus on food. A unique product category is the cosmetics section.

This comes from Shimane Prefecture taking first place in the "Japan Beautiful Skin Prefecture Grand Prix" announced by Pola every year in 2018. Also, since Hibiya is a mecca for theatergoing, the store is expanding its cosmetics lineup to target the women who visit.

There were a variety of natural cosmetics that are gentle on the skin, such as those made with beauty hot spring water and plum blossom yeast.

In the gourmet category, the abundant seafood is especially popular.

The main items, food, are divided into categories on each shelf.

First, let's start with seafood. The abundance of seafood is astonishing, including the bounty of the Sea of Japan, such as Nodoguro (rosy seabass), seaweed unique to Shimane, such as wakame (seaweed) and "Uppuruino-ri" (Jurokushima nori), and Lake Shinjiko's specialty clams. In the future, they will also be selling "Kanshimame," a type of dried squid that is a specialty of the Oki Islands, so seafood is one of the products to look out for.

The frozen and refrigerated sections also have a wide selection of seafood. In the frozen section, the shop sells products such as "Nodoguro Donburi Toppings (12 pieces)" and "Nodoguro Donburi Sauce," which allow you to recreate the most popular "Nodoguro Donburi" at home, from the eat-in shop "Goen Cafe" attached to the store.

A popular item in the refrigerated section is "Akaten." This is a local delicacy from Hamada City, Shimane Prefecture, a deep-fried fish paste made from cod paste mixed with chili peppers. It is popular along with "Agonoyaki," a Matsue specialty made with flying fish and shaped like a thick chikuwa fish cake.

Soba noodles, sake, sweets, and traditional crafts. A variety of attractions at every turn.

Speaking of Shimane cuisine, you can't miss Izumo soba, which is one of the three great soba noodles in Japan. This is displayed in the noodle section and is available in a wide variety of types, including fresh noodles and dried noodles.

Shimane Prefecture is also said to be the birthplace of sake, although there are various theories about this. The store carries brands from 29 breweries, covering almost all of the prefecture's 30 breweries (one of which is a shochu brewery, so the number of sake breweries is 28).

At Goen Cafe you can also enjoy small sized drinks such as sake in cups, small bottles, and craft beer, so it's worth trying out a few different options.

Of course, there is also a wide selection of sweets, the classic souvenir. A wide range is available, including traditional sweets such as "Wakakusa," "Yamakawa," and "Natanenosato," Japanese sweets such as "Dojo Sukumimanju," a representative sweet of the Sanin region, and Western sweets made by local pastry chefs.

In one corner of the store there is a craft corner, where must-sees include magatama accessories befitting a power spot, and Sekishu Banshi paper, a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage.

A selection of recommended items that can be purchased for a total of 3,000 yen!

This time, all the recommended products selected for a total price of 3,000 yen or less are food. We have deliberately chosen not standard items, but new popular products and foods that are gaining attention.

Let's start with seafood: frozen "smoked fatty tuna". This is a popular product that won the gold prize at the Buyers Room 2020 competition held by the National Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry. Once thawed, it can be eaten as is, or it can be grilled, made into a mackerel sandwich, or used as an ingredient in ochazuke or pasta.

This writer tried it as is. It was large, the bones had been carefully removed, making it easy to eat, and above all, it had a rich smoked aroma. It was only seasoned with salt, bringing out the rich aroma and flavor of the ingredients. As it was smoked, the skin had a firm texture, while the inside was moist and juicy. The fatty belly meat was especially tender, and it was delicious, melting in your mouth.

Next is tea made with roses. This is the latest creation from the famous Okuizumo Rose Garden in Shimane Prefecture, and is characterized by the fact that it is made with edible roses. Since the Takarazuka Revue Company has many performances that use roses as a motif, the store has expanded its rose food products so that fans can enjoy the afterglow of the performance, and this has become one of their most popular contents.

The contents are 10 bags, and it is nice that you can easily brew it with tea bags. It has just the right balance of an elegant aroma that does not interfere with the taste of black tea. It does not have the sourness of rose hips, and has a gentle, refreshing taste. It is also recommended as a gift for black tea lovers.

Finally, we will introduce two unusual sweets, "Izumo Nurian" and "Dorayaki Rusk". These are made by Sakaneya, a long-established store founded in 1872 with a store in front of the gates of Izumo Taisha Shrine, and the recommended way to eat them is to spread the bean paste on the rusk or put it in between bread. "Izumo Nurian" comes in four varieties, including smooth bean paste and Izumo matcha, and this time we selected fig and Shussai ginger.

"Dorayaki Rusk" has a new taste that is different from both dorayaki and rusk. It has a crispy texture similar to a sable and a gentle sweetness. It can be eaten as is, or spread with butter.

The fig paste is a hybrid of kidney beans and figs, with a jam-like texture that makes use of the freshness of the fruit flesh, and a gentle sweet and sour taste. It goes well with bread, crackers, and cream cheese. The Denishi ginger is a blend of hand-pulled beans, and has a firm texture similar to yokan. It has a subtle ginger flavor and a refined sweetness.

When sandwiched between "dorayaki rusks," the flavors of each ingredient come together to create an exquisite taste. They are small and have a cute appearance like a Japanese macaron. Please enjoy them in various combinations.

Finally, we received a comment from a staff member: "Shimane is a prefecture with many power spots, the sea, mountains, islands, and lakes, and delicious foods that have been nurtured by the blessings of nature. Hibiya Shimane-kan also has a corner where you can get advice on traveling and relocating, so please feel free to ask us."

The adjoining Tourism and Migration Desk offers free consultations. If you tell them your travel schedule and the places you want to go, they will put together a recommended plan and coordinate with a professional perspective. An unexpected "connection" is sure to be waiting for you at your destination. First of all, why not visit Hibiya Shimanekan, even if it's just for casual shopping for local specialties?

Hibiya Shimane Hall

Text and photos: Hideaki Nakayama