A popular menu item at Musubi Cafe Sennin no Kura,
Shiitake musubi" is made from dried shiitake mushrooms.
By the time you get to the small and adorable diaper form,
What kind of journey did they have?
Shiitake Mushroom Musubi, a popular menu item at Musubi Cafe Sennin no Kura
Dried shiitake mushrooms are small, round and slightly sweetened, and topped with yuzu pepper. It is a standard item on the popular "Omusubi Set" menu at "Musubi Cafe Sennin no Kura. Of course, it can also be ordered separately, and is loved by people of all ages, from small children to the elderly, for its cute appearance, ease of eating, and familiar taste.
The dried shiitake mushrooms used for these omusubi are safe, secure, high-quality log shiitake mushrooms grown in the mountains of Takachiho, and they carefully select and purchase the perfect size for their omusubi.
Dried shiitake mushrooms are a familiar material valued in Takachiho's local cuisine, and have a variety of uses depending on their size and type, such as boiled and seasoned shiitake mushrooms, miso soup, soup stock, and other dishes.
Ama-no-Maki-no-Kan" is a hot spring village in the Ama-no-Iwato region of Japan, where the village is located. Dried shiitake mushrooms and soup stock are important.
By the way, "Musubi Cafe Sennin no Kura" is,Dried shiitake mushroom restaurants" of 10 restaurants and other establishments offering dried shiitake mushroom dishes in Miyazaki Prefecture.Many of the menu items available in the restaurant are made from dried shiitake mushrooms.
In this report, we focus on the popular shiitake musubi and trace the journey of the dried shiitake mushrooms from the time they were delivered to the café to their lovely appearance as musubi.
What is "Musubi Cafe Sennin no Kura"?
First, let us introduce "Musubi Cafe Sen-nin-no-Kura," which serves shiitake mushroom musubi.
The stone warehouse that houses the café is more than 150 years old, and the stone used to build it was solidified from lava created during the eruption of Mount Aso 87,000 years ago.
It was originally located in Hinokage Town, but was relocated in 2010 by the "Gokamura Revitalization Group," a group of grandparents around 60 years old who formed with the village in mind.
In order to cover the cost of the relocation, we devised what is now known as crowdfunding. We first sold 10,000 yen worth of meal vouchers that could be used at the Minshuku Kagura no Yakata, Ama-no-Iwato Onsen Teahouse, and the Ishikura Café after its completion, all operated by the Village Development Group. We named the resulting storehouse "Thousand People's Storehouse" in order to call out to a wide range of people across the country to support the project and to give form to the wishes of many people for the storehouse.
Today, the café is based on the wishes of its predecessors and offers original, wholesome menus and sweets made with locally grown soybeans and wild vegetables, "to be a place of musubi".
Image: "Kura Gohan 1,200 yen," limited to 10 servings a day
Journey Part 1: How log shiitake mushrooms are produced
The dried shiitake mushrooms used at "Musubi Cafe Sennin no Kura" are grown on logs in Takachiho. They are dried immediately after harvesting, and then further processed at a factory in the town to enhance the umami taste. What is the process of producing the original shiitake mushrooms?
Block preparation
Photographed by Mr. Masato Kudo, former head of the village revitalization group.
The shiitake mushrooms are mainly grown on sawtooth oak trees (kunugi). The best shiitake mushrooms grow to a moderate size after about 10 to 15 years of growth. Originally, shiitake mushrooms were called "shiitake mushrooms" because they grow on shiinoki trees. Others use konara or chestnut trees, and the method handed down from family to family and district seems to vary.
Mr. Kudo.
'Cutting down a tree involves cutting the tree down from near the base. If the tree is left cut down with the leaves attached, water will gradually drain from the leaves, leaving it in a suitable condition. And the felling process is hard work."
Tetsuro Fujiki, owner of Musubi Cafe Sennin no Kura, learning shiitake mushroom cultivation from Masato Kudo.
After drying, the work finally begins. There are spring and fall shiitake mushroom seasons, but in the Takachiho area, most of the work is done around winter.
Holes are drilled into the logs with a special drill and then the logs are hammered. The number of holes drilled is based on the sense created by many years of experience!
Mr. Kudo.
It takes about two years before shiitake mushrooms can actually be harvested from the logs. The wood can continue to grow for about two to five years until it decays.
The logs are set up. Since they are vulnerable to direct sunlight, they are placed in shady areas where there is plenty of shade, and they are built up using the force of the slope while being hollowed out to allow for good ventilation.
At Musubi Cafe Sennin no Kura, we have begun to work on home-grown shiitake mushrooms. We look forward to the day when they appear on our menu.
Actual assembled log shiitake mushrooms
A view of log shiitake mushroom cultivation in the shade of a mountain tree in Takachiho Town. After one year, the logs are dried and rearranged vertically, which is quite labor intensive because of their thickness and weight. After about two years, you can see the spread of the fungus.
Considering the growth of the hodagaki trees, it takes about 20 years, a long time, and modern producers leave a legacy for future generations by planting and protecting new trees for their descendants.
Gokyo Village Revitalization Group
Inquiry: Ama-no-Iwato Onsen Jaya
Address: 58 Iwato, Takachiho-cho, Nishi-usuki-gun, Miyazaki Prefecture
TEL: 0982-76-1213
http://suncackikaku.com/support/gokamuramuraokoshi/
Journey No.2 Dried Shiitake Mushrooms Gokase Bussan
Photography cooperation: Ms. Tsuyuko Iiboshi, Executive Director
dried boiled rice used mainly as provisions of samurai troops and travelers (travellers)
「In most cases, shiitake mushrooms are dried by the growers because they must be dried immediately after harvesting to produce high quality shiitake mushrooms. Although they are of excellent quality as they are, Gokase Bussan procures dried shiitake mushrooms, and then passes them through a special far-infrared ray machine to enhance their umami flavor. Not only does this deepen the flavor, but it also has the dual effect of removing excess substances attached to the shiitake mushrooms, making them a safer and more reliable foodstuff.」
Kirishima, and its natural yet thorough quality control has attracted attention in the field of dietary education, and is used as an ingredient in school lunches.
Since there are many varieties of shiitake mushrooms, they are sorted by shape and type after being treated with far-infrared rays. Packages of the varieties recommended as gifts are sent to famous department stores, while those of the varieties recommended for home cooking are shipped to produce centers and placed on store shelves.
Similarly, carefully selected rice cakes of the right flavor, shape, and size for omusubi are transported to the Musubi Cafe Sennin no Kura.
Mr. Iiboshi said, "The producers and we manufacture and sell our products with all our hearts. Shiitake mushrooms are known as an ingredient for health and longevity. Please eat a lot of shiitake mushrooms.
Gokase Bussan Co.
Address: 1447-4, Mitai, Takachiho-cho, Nishi-usuki-gun, Miyazaki Prefecture
Phone: 0982-72-2188
FAX: 0982-72-4154
Journey No.3 Arrival at the Storehouse of a Thousand People - Shiitake Mushrooms
As mentioned earlier, Musubi Cafe Sen-nin no Kura offers original menus and sweets made with locally grown rice, vegetables, fruits, local soybeans, and wild vegetables, with an awareness of safe, secure, and healthy local ingredients.
Each omusubi on the menu is handmade with the utmost care and dedication. Starting with shiitake musubi, there are many varieties available, including meal-type items wrapped with handmade ingredients and snack-type items covered with soybean flour. Shiitake musubi" is one of them. Small dried shiitake mushrooms cooked in sweet soy sauce are placed on a small rice ball and topped with yuzu kosho (Japanese citrus pepper). The seaweed is made from Amakusa seaweed, which has a strong aroma and flavor. This adorable appearance is sure to make many people smile.
Shiitake mushroom musubi: 150 yen per piece, rice ball set: 700 yen and up
Manager: Ms. Noriko Hamada
「We try to make as much of the food at the brewery by hand as possible. We choose the best quality basic seasonings such as soy sauce and cooking oil, which we are unable to produce at this time, and make our own miso, seasonings, and dressings. We also pay attention to the "palatability" of the vegetables so that the customers are satisfied even if they only eat the vegetables.
Shiitake musubi was born when I was thinking of an autumn omusubi. When I wanted to use mushrooms, I thought of the dried shiitake mushroom sushi and slightly sweet boiled shiitake mushrooms that my grandmother used to make for me since I was a child. We also handmade the yuzu kosho on top of the omusubi ourselves. We also imitated what our grandmother used to do as a matter of course. Now I am surprised at how well they go together. Dried shiitake mushrooms can be used for more than just omusubi, so I would like to continue to think of ways to offer dried shiitake dishes in a way that is unique to Sennin no Kura!」
Click here for previous reports.
Musubi Cafe Sen-nin-no-Kura
Address: 92-2 Gogamura, Oaza-Iwato, Takachiho-cho, Nishi-usuki-gun, Miyazaki Prefecture
Phone/Fax] 0982-74-8080 [Business hours] 11:00-18:00
［Closed] Tuesday [Parking] 10 cars
URL:http://www.amanoiwatoonsenmura.jp/cms/senninnokura/
After the interview
Although we use dried shiitake mushrooms in our daily cooking without thinking about it, it takes about 20 years of simple calculation from the period of growing the logs to the harvesting of fresh shiitake mushrooms, and the labor involved is immeasurable. The trees for the mother trees of shiitake mushrooms that are left for their offspring are filled with the producers' hopes for the future.
We hope that many people can enjoy the delicious taste of dried shiitake mushrooms and that this article will help to pass on the traditional techniques of living close to nature and leave a wide legacy for future generations.
Access Ama-no-Iwato Onsen-mura
Address: 92-2 Gogamura, Oaza-Iwato, Takachiho-cho, Nishi-usuki-gun, Miyazaki Prefecture
TEL：0982-74-8080
Business hours: 11:00-18:00
Closed: Tuesday
1447-4, Mitai, Takachiho-cho, Nishi-usuki-gun, Miyazaki 882-1101
Iwato-Gokomura, Takachiho-cho, Nishi-usuki-gun, Miyazaki 882-1621
About certified dry shiitake mushroom stores (Miyazaki Prefecture)
Ten restaurants and other establishments in the prefecture that serve dried shiitake mushroom dishes were certified as "restaurants serving dried shiitake mushroom dishes," and Musubi Cafe Sennin no Kura was certified in February 2008.
http://www.pref.miyazaki.lg.jp/sanson-mokuzai/shigoto/ringyo/tokuyorinsan/hosisiitakeryourinomise28-ninntei.html
filming support
place where the sun shines
Rep: FUJIKI Tetsuro
Address: 823-40, Oaza Mitai, Takachiho-cho, Nishi-usuki-gun, Miyazaki Prefecture
Phone & Fax: 0982-72-6026
E-mail: info@hyuugajikan.com
Interview and editorial staff
Report: Nozomi Nakamoto
Photography and production: VOKE Ltd.