Japan is well known for having an abundance of culinary delights, thanks to its unique natural surroundings and variance across its prefectures and is often the draw for many visitors. The Capitol Hotel Tokyu, a five-star hotel in Tokyo, regularly holds the seasonal food fair at the restaurants in the hotel, showcasing some of the best available Japanese food from across the country.
This autumn, the Chinese Restaurant “Star Hill” is holding a special event, called Kofuku 2022 – a prefecture food fair, to celebrate the specialities across Japan. Ahead of the event, the executive chef of “Star Hill” at the hotel visits a selected prefecture to discover and select seasonal ingredients for the food event.
At the Chinese Restaurant “Star Hill”, the chefs will be combining their mastery of traditional Chinese cooking techniques with the specialty dishes of Japan’s regions for the special event. Guests will enjoy a luxurious gourmet journey across Japan tasting special dinner courses inspired by different Japanese specialities from across the country. Celebrating this special event, this issue of Tokyo Insider introduces three must-visit destinations from each region where these dishes hail.
1. Kashiwa Island, Kochi
South of Shikoku, the smallest of Japan’s major islands, Kochi Prefecture is about an 80 minute flight away from Tokyo and popular for the beautiful scenery. For instance, Kashiwa Island is a small island floating on the southwestern tip in Kochi and popular with its crystal clear ocean amongst tourists. Thanks to its ocean surroundings, Katsuo-no-tataki, (lightly seared bonito) is the most famous local food from Kochi. At the Star Hill restaurant in the hotel, the Dinner menu includes seven dishes with local products including Katsuo-no-tataki and Shimanto pork marinated in the traditional sauce.
2. Hidden Christian Sites, Nagasaki
Taking a plane for an hour and 40 minutes flight away from Tokyo, Kyushu, the southwestern most of Japan’s main islands, contains seven prefectures. The area is well known for its active volcanoes, stunning beaches and natural hot springs. The northwest coast of Kyushu, Nagasaki, is known for its history around the Christianity faith in Japan. There are hidden Christian sites in the prefecture which still exist and are registered as World Cultural Heritage sites. In the hotel, one of the courses offers a Nagasaki inspired dish using salt from the Goto Island where many Christians fled during a time when Christians suffered persecution for practising their faith. They also offer fresh grouper, sourced via traditional technique passed down in Nagasaki, called ‘Gotojime’. The fish is delivered to the hotel in the freshest possible way, ensuring guests can enjoy a truly Kyushu experience in the heart of Tokyo.
3. Nemuro Port, Hokkaido
A popular spot in Tokyo is the Tsukiji Fish Market – for those looking for some of the best seafood in the capital. However, for those looking to experience one the original seafood markets, they would have to travel further afield to Hokkaido in the far north and one of the coldest areas of the country.
It is an area known for exploring the outdoors, especially for winter sports such as skiing and snowboarding in the winter. From a food perspective, in addition to the great seafood in Hokkaido, dishes such as Jingisukan, a local specialty made with grilled mutton or lamb, are extremely popular. The easternmost town in Hokkaido is Nemuro, located more than a six hours drive from the prefecture’s main city Sapporo is well known for the Nemuro Port, the major fishing port in Japan. One of the hotel’s most popular dishes is the Hanasaki crab, brought in from the Nemuro port fish market. The area is also known for its saury landings, and as a result, the Nemuro Saury Festival is held every September. During the festival, visitors have a chance to experience a 100-metre charcoal-grilled corner and even to catch saury by hand. The ingredients from Hokkaido, an island blessed by the many different foods, give guests the opportunity to truly dive into the world of Japanese cuisine.
Exploring the best ingredients in each region across Japan, the chef of Star Hill has created an immersive dinner experience, almost as if the guests are travelling through the country with him.
