HIGASHI-YAMA Tokyo

On a steep hillside facing the Japan Sea in Oku-Noto, Ishikawa Prefecture, rice is grown according to an ancient Japanese method in which rice seeds are sown and allowed to germinate into seedlings. Here, exactly 1,004 fields form a tapestry of terraced rice paddies known as “Shiroyone Senmaida.” On December 5^th each year, the farmers of Oku-Noto give thanks for the year’s harvest in an agricultural ritual called “Aenokoto,” during which the gods of the rice fields are invited into homes for a bath and to be treated to warm Noto hospitality, partaking in the blessings from the mountains and sea. After weathering the cold of winter indoors, the gods are returned to the rice fields on February 9^th, with a prayer for an abundant harvest in the coming year. Carried on by the farmers of Oku-Noto for countless generations, this tradition symbolizes the spirit of the Hokuriku people who show great respect for the nature that surrounds them as they accept its blessings.

Home to some of the heaviest snowfalls in Japan, Hokuriku’s plains are replenished by plentiful groundwater with the thaw each spring. This is followed by Pacific high-pressure systems in summer, bringing high temperatures and creating the perfect conditions for rice-growing. Delicious Hokuriku rice has caught the attention of the market, and this year saw the introduction of many new rice varietal brands including Ichihomare (Fukui), Hyakumangoku (Ishikawa) and Fufufu (Toyama). Rice, kombu brought to Hokuriku from Hokkaido by kitamae-bune cargo ships on the Japan Sea, and fermented foods borne from traditional wisdom and techniques for preserving the bountiful ocean catches – these key components of the local food culture, driven by the local climate and topography, all form fundamental aspects of washoku traditional Japanese cuisine.

Hokuriku’s lacquerware culture has an unimaginably long history. Many pieces of Jomon Period (14,000–300 BCE) lacquerware have been excavated at Fukui’s Torihama Shell Mound and Ishikawa’s Mibiki historic ruins. In recent years, archeologists discovered a lacquer tree branch at the Torihama site that is 12,600 years old, prompting new debate about the origins of lacquerware culture.

Lacquerware production continues to flourish in the three prefectures of Hokuriku – Wajima-nuri from Ishikawa, Wakasa-nuri and Echizen Shikki from Fukui, and Takaoka Shikki from Toyama – making the best of the year-round humidity in the region. For the religious people of Hokuriku who faithfully uphold the traditions of special meals held on commemorative occasions, lacquer tableware is an integral component.

In addition to lacquerware, we share selected works from artists around the Hokuriku region, such as Inami Chokoku, known for its intricate woodcarving of transom panels in traditional Japanese buildings; the traditional craft of Echizen Washi Japanese paper-making with a history of more 1,500 years using the pure spring water of the Echizen region of Fukui; as well as tableware created from fossilized phytoplankton called diatomaceous earth, enormous deposits of which can be found in Ishikawa’s Noto Peninsula.

We invite you to come and enjoy the rich food culture of Hokuriku.
We are looking forward to your visit.