Straw Drying on the Way to Takayanagi
Along the road to the mountainous area of Takayanagi, straw being dried on a sunny, fall day. This straw is made from harvested rice stocks and is used to tie vegetables and other staples together, make rope, and a plethora of other things.Squid Ink Print in Kasashima
In a restaurant famous for its seafood, I learned that in Kasashima town in western Kashiwazaki, fishermen use squid ink to get a print of their catch!Unique Local and Foreign Art in Takayanagi
I headed into the mountains to visit an area well known for its thatched roof houses, delicious sake, and washi (traditional Japanese paper) but it turns out Takayanagi is also a hub for local and foreign artists who are keen to decorate the landscape and offer visitors some unique spaces to hang.Hara Brewery
At Hara Brewery, the sake master explains a traditional pressing method called “funeshibori” (槽搾り). After fermentation is complete, the mash is put into cloth bags and laid down flat in this fune or basin. Depending on the type of sake they want to make they may wait for the liquid to seep out naturally under…
A Bit of Sake History Found at Hara Brewery
Found a cool illustration of brewers hard at work. Although the process of brewing sake has become much more sophisticated now-a-days, it still requires the same 3 ingredients: rice, water, and koji bacteria. Hara brewery celebrated its 200th anniversary in 2014. That’s a lot of sake.Why Coal?
During a sake brewery tour, I noticed they had these piles of charcoal near entrances and bathrooms. Charcoal is sometimes used in sake making to fine filter sake before it’s bottled. The master brewer said that these piles are not only decorative but also functional, as it helps to clean the air too.Remembering the Chuetsu Offshore Earthquake
Hitting close to home. Around the town you can find small memorials showing the damage left behind from a major earthquake that hit just off the coast of this town. Though it’s been 10 years now since the Chuetsu Offshore Earthquake and life has returned to normal, the impact it’s had on life here is…
The Protection of Jizo Statues
I was biking along the coast when I came across these cool stone statues. Jizo statues, it turns out, are traditionally erected on the outskirts of a town to protect travelers as well as the souls of unborn or sick children that have passed away.Enmado
“This is a place for self-reflection, not to ask for things.” Says the grounds keeper. Gruesome pictures on the wall above the alter and a huge tongue clamp decorate the hall. Visitors to shrines or temples in Japan have a tendency to bow and clap their hands before praying, but in front of Enma,…