From salmon to sake: tasting sustainable gastronomy in the Japanese prefecture of Niigata

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Known as Japan’s culinary hotspot, Niigata Prefecture boasts fertile lands, crystal-clear waters and a varied climate, all of which contribute to its exceptional local produce.

This foodie’s paradise is often overlooked by international travelers, but Niigata has a lot to offer travelers. gourmets adventurers with its rich and varied gastronomic culture.

In this new episode of Explore, we embark on a gastronomic journey through Niigata to learn about the sustainable gastronomy of the region through two of its most famous products: salmon and sake.

Here’s a guide so you too can enjoy local experiences in Niigata while supporting the region’s recovery from the 2024 Noto earthquake.

Visit Murakami, the Salmon City of Japan

Located at the confluence of the Miomote and Okawa rivers with the Sea of ​​Japan, Murakami City is a popular salmon spawning location.

Every fall, waterways become busy highways for hundreds of fish that travel up the river to lay their eggs. As the fish return, so do the fishermen, and you can witness this exciting moment for yourself on the banks of the Murakami River.

The most popular fishing technique in Murakami is also the oldest: fishermen use a homemade rod with a hook on the end, called kagi.

Since there is no live bait to attract fish, anglers have to be clever. They install wooden platforms and traps called kodo and they camouflage them with young cypresses and ferns.

Salmon eggs are saved for artificial insemination and incubation in spring. Murakami’s city is said to be the first place in the world where salmon were reproduced in this way, back in the 18th century, when it was a samurai castle city.

Today, it is still known as Salmon City, and walking through its picturesque streets it is obvious that salmon is central to Murakami’s identity.

In winter, salmon are hung in almost every shop window: cured salmon, called sakabitashiis a Murakami specialty.

To taste this unique delicacy, visit Sennensake Kikkawa,a family business specializing in salmon and Murakami sake.

If you’re lucky, you’ll be able to see the owner, Shinji Kikkawa, curing the salmon using the traditional Murakami technique, which only uses sea salt. The salmon is left to dry for between a month and a year.

“After being dried for a year and left exposed to the Murakami winds, salmon develop a umami special,” Kikkawa explains to Euronews Travel.

Salmon is so revered in Murakami that it is always treated with the utmost respect: when gutted, the fish’s stomach is opened by making two incisions to avoid the idea of ​​the harakiria form of suicide ritual in which disgraced samurai disemboweled themselves.

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It eats the entire salmon, including the organs, fins and skin. Murakami is said to have 100 different salmon recipes and in the restaurant Izutsuyaalso owned by the Kikkawa family, you can try 22 of them.

One of Izutsuya’s most delicious dishes is the salmon skin, which curls up like a claw as it grills at your table. The meal is also accompanied by Niigata rice, which many consider the best in Japan.

Try the best Japanese sake

Niigata’s famous rice is the key ingredient in another of its specialties: sake.

The region’s geography is practically made for sake brewing: heavy snowfall in its mountains provides the purest water, the most important element of sake.

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For a closer look at Niigata sake, visit Asahi-Shuzo the largest sake factory in the city of Nagaoka, founded in 1830. On a tour of the factory, visitors can see every step of the process, from polishing the rice and making the koji until fermentation and bottling.

Asahi-Shuzo is especially concerned about environmental conservation and is leading a local initiative to save the region’s fireflies, which are believed to be an indicator of water quality.

On summer nights, you’ll be able to see the fruits of the labor of these bioluminescent insects twinkling happily as you stroll through the factory grounds.

In autumn, visitors can enjoy the red maples that Asahi-Shuzo planted in the Momijien maple garden, overlooking the factory.

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“Sake is made with water and rice, so water is very important,” Motoyoshi Yamaga, sake master at Asahi-Shuzo, tells Euronews Travel. “That’s why we plant trees here, to have clean water all the time.”

At Sara no Sato Asahiyama, which houses the factory shop and restaurant, you can try the different varieties of Asahi-Shuzo’s flagship sake brand, Kubota.

Tasting each sake one after the other is a wonderful way to introduce your palate to the subtle aromas and flavors.

Relax in a hot spring or onsen outdoors

After filling up on salmon and sake, relax in one of the 144 onsen or Niigata’s natural hot springs.

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The getaways to the onsen are a comprehensive experience and one of the favorite pastimes of the Japanese, and usually begin with a stay at a traditional inn or ryokan.

If you are a lover of comfort, visit Tsukioka Onsen Masyuuwhich has been recently renovated to combine the charm of a ryokan traditional with the luxury of a hotel.

The inn’s indoor and outdoor pools contain a natural sulfur-rich thermal water of a beautiful emerald color, which is believed to be good for the skin and joints.

Here everything is governed by the principle of omotenashi, the fundamental Japanese concept that takes hospitality one step further, as it represents comprehensive care of guests, who are treated with warmth, kindness and attention.

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And dinner is exquisite, with seasonal local produce beautifully presented on a variety of small plates.

For a more realistic experience, you can go to Senami Onsen and stay at the Taikanso Senami no Yua larger establishment with fewer frills and an extraordinary view of the Sea of ​​Japan.

Its outdoor pool is an experience for all the senses: you can smell the sea, hear the waves, feel the heat reach your bones and look at the horizon, all at once. It’s a great place to sit and reflect at the end of a long and satisfying trip.

To learn more, watch the full episode of Explore Sustainable Japan in the player above.

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