ShinshuWinter essentials: kotatsu, Japanese tea, and pickled Nozawana!

Takei harvests Nozawana cultivated in his own field. The seeds were sown this season in early September and harvested in about two months.

Nozawa Onsen Regional Cuisine Research Group
chairmanTakei Takako

Nagano Nozawa Onsen Village is one of the prefecture's most heavily snowy areas. In addition to skiers and snowboarders from both Japan and abroad, it has long been known as one of Japan's leading hot spring resorts, and has been visited by many tourists. Over 30 hot springs spill around the village, and Ogama, a spring source where hot water is nearly 90 degrees, is a village-designated natural monument. It is also popular as the "Nozawa Onsen kitchen" as it can be seen baking vegetables and eggs.

In order to bring out the flavor of the old miso barrels, Takei picks it in addition to salt and chili peppers, as well as a small amount of soy sauce.

"In the past, each household made miso, and when autumn came, the miso that was prepared in my family and the Takei family, which I married, would be taken out of the barrel, and then left the miso with the barrel, which was still with the miso, sprinkled salt on Nozawana that was washed in the hot springs after harvesting it. It's quite difficult to maintain the bucket, and recently, most homes pickle it in plastic buckets, but the miso left in the barrel gives off a 'sweet and sweet (※1)'" flavor.
The person who taught me this was Takei Takako, who runs the Yonetaro guesthouse in the village and is also the chairman of the Nozawa Onsen Local Cuisine Research Group.

The study group has gathered people who have the desire to "translate local cuisine that has been popular with villagers to future generations and brides from outside the village," and have begun their activities about 12 years ago. Currently, there are eight members, and they develop recipes that make use of local dishes, such as croquettes with Nozawana, and sell dishes at morning markets held in the village. Ginza NAGANO However, she is engaged in activities such as holding seminars for villagers, with the familiar local cuisine researcher Yokoyama Takako as the lecturer, and holding cooking classes at elementary schools, as well as creating a recipe book called "Nozawa no Ogottsuo (※2)." It features many local dishes that take root in Kita Shinano, including dishes made with Nozawana.

Tokizuke, a dish in small slices of Nozawana, seasoned with soy sauce, mirin, sugar, etc., and then pickled for a short period of time, is also well-received by customers.

By the time March has passed, when the number of skiers gradually decreases, the fermented pickled Nozawana was used in cooking. In the past, many households were boiled in sake lees and eaten, and the aroma was a spring tradition. Others from Nozawa Onsen Village have enjoyed the taste of Nozawana, which changes seasonal seasons, including the soft, bittersweet "towashi" that blooms in the spring and the stems begin to grow, the locals say that it is "more tastier than sea bream sashimi", and the autumn "thinned vegetables" that are eaten in a hemp kettle or as soaked in the seaweed, and the winter "nozawana Honzuke" that is thoroughly soaked for a month or two.

Due to changes in lifestyle, it seems that there are more and more guesthouses and families in the village where no Nozawana can be pickled. Still, Mr. Takei and others say, "I hope that one day we can open a cafeteria that serves local cuisine with members of the Local Culinary Research Group," and will continue to carry on the activities of passing on the local "gogotsuo" to the next generation.

"They are actually more particular about pickling in the same way as in the village's household," says Tomii.

Limited Company and Miki Pickles
代表取締役Tomii Yoshihiro

Tomiki Pickles is a company that manufactures Nozawana pickles in-house, from seedlings to production.
"When it was founded in 1964, the only souvenir shop in the village was that only one souvenir shop sells hot spring buns. Many customers who stayed at the guesthouse wanted to take it home, saying, "The Nozawana pickles at the inn were delicious," so an acquaintance at the souvenir shop asked me if I could make some Nozawana pickles as souvenirs, which made me start manufacturing," says Tomii Yoshihiro, the second-generation president.

Preparation situation. Soak it in salt alone and allow it to mature for 1-2 months.

Another characteristic of the company is that the harvested Nozawana is prepared twice using hot spring water and salt alone, and the second time, the pickled dish is made from mineral-rich Hiragama Naruto. We also value seasonality and seasonal feel, and from March to October we sell "Sake-up" where you can soak spring vegetables for 2-3 weeks, from November to February we sell "Honzuke" where you can soak spring vegetables for 1-2 months using "Ice Refrigerated Sugi" (trademark registered) from November to February, and from December to May we sell "Bekkou Pickles" which are naturally aged and fermented in the winter climate of Nozawa Onsen Village. "Ice-refrigerated construction" is a method of aging the product in a state where it is slowly aged in an environment of -3 degrees, the same as the average temperature in February in Nozawa Onsen Village, and was born from the company's desire to "get as close to the taste of a home as possible."

The company's Nozawana pickles areShinshuThis is a processed product made from "traditional vegetables," and is even permitted to use a "traditional local cultivation certificate," which is proof that it is a product that respects traditional methods and the taste of traditional tradition.

"I'm happy that my sense of flavoring is accepted, and Nozawana chili oil is not too spicy, so I hope your children can eat it," says Kishi.

Nozawa Onsen Nozawana Pickled Pickled Production Association
Union PresidentKishi Takashi

The Nozawa Onsen Nozawana Pickled Production Association was established in 1984 as part of the Yamamura Promotion Project and produces more than 10 types of processed products, mainly pickled Nozawana and Honzuke.
It is said that the amount of Nozawana pickled in the village is decreasing year by year, but the association's processed products are becoming more popular, with Nozawana chili oil and dry chili oil in particular being featured on a TV program about three years ago and becoming explosively popular.

"Nozawana used in "Nozawana Chili Oil" Nagano It is used from the northern part of the prefecture. I also want to make everything from Nozawa Onsen Village, but in order to ensure a certain amount, we have the farmers we trust in the village as well as the neighboring area produce it," says Kishi Takashi, president.

Bottle of "Nozawana Chili Oil". Various products are produced by hand.

The association has been manufacturing with a focus on hand since its founding. The reason why they maintain strong sales despite not having their own catalog and not advertising, may be because they are particular about the materials and carefully made.

"We sometimes hire part-time workers during the busy winter season, but we currently operate our staff of about six people. We would like to increase our manpower and increase our production volume and product lineup, so we would be happy if people of a wide range of generations could try out our association's products," says Kishi.
The Nozawa Onsen Nozawana Pickled Pickling Production Association continues its challenge to create new products that match the changing tastes of the times.