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Here's a look at our visit to Kagoshima Prefecture.
What kind of ingredients did they encounter in Kagoshima, a treasure trove of food...?
Day 1 (February 27th)
■Yamamoto Sake Brewery Co., Ltd. (Founded in 1912)
Upon arrival, the first place we visited was Yamamoto Shuzo, a brewery that has been producing high-quality shochu for over 100 years. This long-established brewery in Kagoshima is very famous for its various products, including shochu that has won the Monde Selection Gold Award and Satsuma sparkling sake aimed at women, which have captivated customers.
There were many kinds of shochu available for tasting!
The shochu "Ishin no Kirameki" (Shining of the Restoration), which is sold only in Kagoshima Prefecture, has a really nice name.
■Okubo Suisan Co., Ltd. (Kagoshima Chirimen)
Okubo Suisan's dried sardine processing factory is located about 5 minutes from the coast. Because they can process freshly caught, lively sardines immediately, they produce fresh, high-quality dried sardines.
The chefs were very interested in the tour of the clean factory.
Fishing was suspended that day, but apparently they use this place to sun-dry the whitebait.
■Takahama Kamaboko Co., Ltd. (Satsuma-age)
This is a specialty shop for satsuma-age (deep-fried fish cakes) that was founded in 1928. They have been passing down the original flavors from generation to generation and continue to make their satsuma-age using traditional methods.
First, we sampled some authentic satsuma-age (fried fish cake)!
I discovered a type of fish cake called "kogayaki." Apparently, it's a traditional Kagoshima dish, carefully grilled one by one by hand. It has a very smooth and addictive texture!
■ Oidon Market
We visited a market that sells local specialties from Kagoshima Prefecture, such as locally grown vegetables and fruits, and tea produced within the prefecture. A wide variety of fresh food items were on display. Despite the early hour, many local housewives were also there shopping.
This black vinegar is delicious to drink. The "Adult Vinegar" is formulated with polyphenols and Lactobacillus brevis, and is apparently specially formulated for women.
The restaurant has a spacious interior. The chef is very interested in the ingredients, which are not commonly seen in Nara.
■ Daizen Farm (Specialty store for Kuro Satsuma chicken)
Next, we visited a farm raising Kuro Satsuma chickens, which are said to be the third type of black chicken in Kagoshima. Due to hygiene regulations, we were not allowed to enter the farm itself, but we were able to hear the president's passionate thoughts about Kuro Satsuma chickens.
We sampled Kuro Satsuma chicken, which has firm, springy flesh. Fresh chicken tataki is a delicacy that is hard to find in Nara.
■ Hamada Sake Brewery (Founded in 1868)
This Kagoshima shochu is brewed in a former gold mine, with a female master brewer at the site. The facility also displays exhibits about the shochu-making process and photographs from when the area flourished as a gold mine.
This is our new product, "Saigo-don's Dream." It's certainly eye-catching, given its popularity thanks to the historical drama series.
The shop features shochu with wonderful names such as "Kanayama-gura," "Awaken, Gold," and "One of a Kind." A member of the public relations department gave us a tour.
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