Sitecollectivelyknownas
DewaSanzan.Traditionallythis
wasbothaShintoandBuddhist
spiritualarea,wheremonksfrom
bothreligionswouldlivein
harmony,foragingfortheirown
vegetarianshojin-ryorifromthe
ingredientsfoundonthe
mountains:bamboosproutsin
miso,sesametofutoppedwith
daintylilybulbs,andmountain
vegetablesdriedinthesun.
However,intheMeijieraofthe
1800s,ShintoandBuddhism
wereofficiallyseparated,and
DewaSanzanfollowedthepath
ofShintounderthepression
ofthegovernment.Thisalso
resultedintheremovalofany
Buddhistinfluencefromthe
localcuisine.Whereasshojin-
ryorihadalwaysbeenvegetarian- followingBuddha’swordsthat
nooneshouldeatacreature
trapped in the circle of
reincarnation – Shintoism was
about letting natural elements
become one with the body: and
someat and fish were gradually
added to the selection of dishes.
You can sample this Shinto-
style for yourself at Saikan’s
Pilgrim Lodge (3,500 yen; £23),
which sits at the top of Mount
Haguro, one of the three sacred
peaks.The40-minutehikeup
goesthroughthickcedarforests
withwaterfallsanddeitystatues
hidingamongthetrees.You'll
understandwhyTsuruokawon
theculinaryUNESCO
designationwhenyoutaste
it(madeevenmoresatisfying
thankstothe2,446stonesteps
climbedtoreachit)butyoucan
alsofindshojin-ryoriserved
in 12 otherpilgrimlodges
atthefootofMountHagurotoo.‘...hotlocalsakéflowsfreely, to warm
thebodies–andmorefiguratively the
hearts–ofparticipants, ‘purifying
them’fortheyearahead’
O
nethingNiigataand
Tsuruoka have in
common are rice fields
that stretch far into the horizon.
Both regions see heavy snowfall
in winter, which brings moisture
to the soil, and intense sunlight
in summer, creating optimal
humidity. This results in some of
the best rice in Japan. Niigata’s
local brand, Koshihikari, is much
sought-after by sushi chefs for
its texture, while Tsuruoka’s
Tsuyahime rice has for six years
in a row been awarded the
highest ranking in the annual
Japanese Rice Tasting Contest.
For Niigata, this bounty of
delicious rice has led to highqualitysaké.Theconditions are
perfect for producing it: the
heavy snowfall purifies the air,
then creates an abundance of
pure fresh water when it melts.
This is used to ferment the local
rice, resulting in a premium rice
wine that is considered one of
the best in the country. There are
around 90 breweries in Niigata,
many of which can be visited for
a tour and tasting. Imayotsukasa
found near Niigata Station is
a well-known brewery. Founded
in 1767 it has free tours in
English. Or, try and time your
visit for 'Sake no Jin' for a taste
of Niigata’s annual sake festival.
Tsuruoka, on the other hand,
uses their award-winning rice
in more deferential ways. Locals
see rice as a divine gift, and
so use it as a main ingredient
to food and drink at festivals.
On 31 December, one of the
largest celebrations takes place
on snowy Mount Haguro, where
toasted onigiri (seasoned rice
balls) and hot local saké flows
freely, to warm the bodies – and
more figuratively the hearts –
of participants, ‘purifying them’
for the year ahead.
Both cities and their approach
to gastronomy can tell you
so much about their way of life.
They paint a picture of how
history, geography and culture
can profoundly shape the cuisine
of a destination – a very enticing
prospect for all travellers.A TASTE OF THE PLAINS
Revel in rice
(top) Tasting sake at
Niigata's Saké no Jin
Festival and toasted
onigiri; and a shot of
the paddy ields that
produce the rice
that both regions
have become so
famous for
PROMOTIONAL FEATURE
For more information go to nvcb.or.jp/travelguide/en/ or tsuruokacity.com