ONSEN Gastronomy Walking in Nasushiobara 2020 – Itamuro Part 2

In early November 2020, Itamuro Onsen began to change color beautifully.

ONSEN Gastronomy Walking in Nasushiobara 2020, Itamuro was held.
Following on from the first part, in this second part we will report with photos on the “ONSEN and Gastronomy Tourism Exchange and Symposium” that was held in the square in front of the former Aoki family Nasu villa after the walk!
What is the ONSEN and Gastronomy Tourism Exchange Meeting and Symposium?
The event was held in the special space of the plaza in front of the Former Aoki Family Nasu Villa, a nationally designated Important Cultural Property, as a place where customers could enjoy a meal while hearing directly from producers.
The food is provided by Gioia Mia Garden Co., Ltd.
What is the former Aoki family Nasu villa?
This building was built as a Nasu villa by Aoki Shuzo, who served as German envoy and foreign minister during the Meiji period.
It was designated as a National Important Cultural Property in December 1999.
The designer was Tsumunaga Matsugasaki, who studied architecture in Germany and also designed the 77 Bank headquarters and the Taiwan Railway Hotel.
The Aoki residence is the only work by Mancho remaining in Japan, and it uses German-style construction methods for the frame and roof truss.
This is a valuable piece of modern architecture, featuring distinctive features such as the use of scale-shaped slate on the exterior walls.
The former Aoki family Nasu villa was donated to Tochigi Prefecture in 1989. The prefecture began dismantling and investigating the villa in 2006, and in March of the same year, it was relocated approximately 50 meters southeast from its original location and restored and renovated.
It has since been opened to the public as part of the roadside station “Meiji no Mori Kuroiso.”
http://www.city.nasushiobara.lg.jp/44/001687.html
Information: Joia Mia Garden Co., Ltd.
Gioia Mia is an authentic Italian restaurant that has been operating in Sekiya, Nasu Shiobara City and Nasu Town since 1996.
Gioia Mia means “my joy” in Italian, and as the name suggests, our motto is to please our customers. From appetizers to main courses and desserts, everything is handmade using local ingredients, and we offer dishes that make the most of the natural flavor of the ingredients.
The bread served with the cheese fondue at the social gathering was from our own bakery, “Bread Workshop Belle Fleur.” We specialize in additive-free bread and baked goods made with fruit.
http://gioiamia.jp/
Here is a report on the event, along with some photos.

First, a greeting from Nasu-Shiobara City Mayor Michitaro Watanabe.
Next, we heard a speech from Masato Ogawa, Chairman of the ONSEN and Gastronomy Tourism Promotion Organization.
It was early November, around 6pm. Since the event was held outdoors, I was worried about the cold, but
The networking event got off to a great start with passionate messages from the two speakers.

Immediately, delicious looking dishes appeared in front of us… We started with the “5-kind appetizer platter.”
A special course meal for this day only will be served soon. The drink menu is as follows:
There is also a lot of local ingredients here. Opportunities like this are rare.
Assorted 5-item appetizer: Premium Yasiomasu in Nordic-style marinade “Gravalux”
High-quality Italian raw ham “Prosciutto Artigiano”
Shiobara Plateau radish kadaif rolls Local vegetable caprese Taramo paste bruschetta Drink menu
NASU WINE Muscat Bailey A (dry red) / Niagara (dry white)
Nasu Highlands Beer, Apple Juice, Tochigi Roasted Black Tea
Information: Wine [Watanabe Vineyard Brewing]
Watanabe Vineyard Brewing began in the early Meiji period when the land was cultivated and grape vines were planted in Nasunohara. It is one of the oldest wineries in Japan, and it is said that General Nogi Maresuke was a fan of its wines.
Please enjoy the taste that has been passed down since the Meiji era.
White wine was also used in the cheese fondue served on this day.
In addition, Nasushiobara City has been certified as a “Nasushiobara Wine Special Zone,” which allows for the production and provision of wine in small quantities.
Received from the Prime Minister on December 11, 2020. http://nasuwine.com/

This social gathering is not just a dinner party. You can hear directly from various key people who are active in the local area.
Another great attraction is being able to listen to their valuable stories while enjoying a delicious meal.
From the top: Mr. Tadataka Yamaguchi, president of ONSEN RYOKAN Yamaki;
Shogo Yasuda, the head of Cheese Factory Nasu no Mori,
And then there’s Hiroaki Shimakura of Shimakura Sangyo Co., Ltd., a woodblock manufacturer.
It is very important that events like this lead to active interaction between key people.

Well, let’s get going.
Next, we received “Paccheri with Tuscan seafood sauce and Nasu Shiobara mushrooms.”
It’s beautiful to look at and delicious to eat. I’m very happy and satisfied.
Now, it’s finally time for the “thing” that Mayor Watanabe is so excited about to introduce. That’s right, it’s “Made in Nasu Cheese Fondue.”
What’s more, it’s a special collaboration between Nasu Forest cheese and Nasu wine.
Mayor Watanabe couldn’t help but take a photo with the errand boy.
Information: Cheese [Cheese Factory Nasu no Mori]
The main focus of livestock farming, which was introduced in the early Meiji period, shifted from sheep to dairy cows, and as productivity improved through technological innovation, the scale of farming gradually expanded, and Nasu-Shiobara City grew into a major dairy farming area boasting the highest raw milk production in Honshu.
The cheese you will enjoy in today’s cheese fondue was selected as the winner of the World Cheese Awards held in Italy in 2019.
This cheese sauce mainly uses cheese from Nasu no Mori Cheese Factory, which was named in the top 10 out of over 3,800 items from 42 countries.
There is a workshop in Nasu Shiobara that is recognized not only in Japan but also around the world. https://nasunomori.jp/

While avoiding face-to-face dining and maintaining social distance, we are taking into consideration the prevention of the spread of COVID-19.
Everyone looked very happy enjoying this seasonal meal. Smiles abounded and conversations with the person next to me flowed. There’s something powerful about sharing a meal. The cheese fondue was accompanied by locally grown seasonal vegetables. It was a meal that was delicious twice or even three times over.
Information: Highland vegetables Shiobara is located at a high altitude and experiences large temperature differences between day and night, so the production of highland vegetables is thriving. The appetizer we had was sweet and juicy highland radish. Spring turnip, also known as the “phantom fatty turnip,”
It is one of the “three major vegetables of Shiobara” along with “highland spinach”, which is at its peak in summer.
We also offer seasonal vegetables as a side dish for the cheese fondue.
There are many places nearby where you can buy fresh and delicious vegetables, mainly direct sales outlets such as the roadside station Meiji no Mori Kuroiso in the Aoki district, Yunoka Shiobara in the Sekiya district, and Sosui no Sato in Nishinasuno.

Now it’s time for the main course. The main course is “Nasunohara Beef Fillet Steak with Swedish-Style Potatoes.” This meat is so delicious… just looking at the photo makes me hungry.
The social gathering is finally coming to an end. All that’s left is the sweet and delicious dessert.
Information: Nasunogahara Beef [ABC Meat]
The meat is juicy, melt-in-your-mouth tender, and has a sweet, flavorful, high-quality fat, making it an exquisite piece of beef.
Supported by the passion of designated breeders, the long-term efforts to improve the breed, and reliable technology, this high-end brand of beef was born in Nasu. The cattle are raised in the fertile soil rich in nature and in a climate with large temperature differences, and are characterized by their stable high quality thanks to a thorough management system.
Today we have fillet steak. Please enjoy the flavor of the ingredients.

Information: Natsuotome & Tochiotome [Kikuchi Strawberry Farm]
Tochigi Prefecture, the strawberry kingdom, has boasted the highest strawberry yield in Japan for 52 consecutive years. Kikuchi Strawberry Farm in Yokobayashi cultivates the sweet, juicy “Tochiotome” strawberry, as well as the “Natsuotome” strawberry, which was developed to provide delicious strawberries even during the summer when distribution is typically low.
“Natsuotome” is a cute strawberry that has a strong, refreshing acidity, a firm shape, and a bright red color. When cut vertically with a knife, the center looks like a heart!
The final item was a panna cotta made with Kikuchi Strawberry Farm’s Natsuotome and Tochiotome strawberries. The event was packed with everything, and truly a chance to sample the bounty of Nasu-Shiobara City.
It was a beautiful event to look at, delicious to eat, and fascinating to listen to. It left both my stomach and my heart very satisfied.
Blessed with good weather, the ONSEN Gastronomy Walking in Nasushiobara 2020, Itamuro event was held.
The event ended with great success. In the spring of 2021, the venue will change to Shiobara Onsen,
The event will be renamed “ONSEN & Gastronomy Walking in Nasu-Shiobara 2021, Shiobara” and is scheduled to be held.
For more details, please see below. We look forward to your participation!
https://onsen-gastronomy.com/eventinfo/2nd-nasushiobara-20210530/