Kawakami, Nara, Japan｜Otakijaya

Purchased for home use. You can choose between a pack and a wooden box. Cute old ladies welcomed me, and the casual conversation made me feel warm (⁠^⁠^⁠) Salty persimmon leaf sushi is perfect for mountain climbing! It looked like you could eat it inside the store.

(May 2021 information) Persimmon leaf sushi, which is famous nationwide, seems to have its roots in the upper reaches of the Yoshino River, that is, around here where Otaki Chaya is located. It is said that persimmon leaf sushi was born after the Edo period when vinegar was popularized by the masses by the ancestors of "Mitsukan". However, farmers around Yoshino and Gojo originally mainly cultivated mandarin oranges, and the mandarin orange trees were wiped out by the cold wave in the Taisho era. In the Showa period, we began to cultivate persimmons (Fuyu persimmons and Hiratanenashi persimmons) because they are more resistant to cold than mandarin oranges. Furthermore, in 1974, persimmon farms were established on a large scale in the Yoshino area under the initiative of the Kinki Agricultural Administration Bureau of the country, and persimmons became a specialty of Yoshino and Gojo (From "Nara Geography, Place Names, and the Mystery of the Map"). ). It's further inland, so it's not like Kyoto's Saba-kaido, but like Kishu's Saba-kaido, we procure mackerel caught off the coast of Wakayama Bay via the Yoshino River (Kinokawa), pickle the mackerel in salt, and then combine it with vinegared rice and add preservatives. It seems that persimmon leaf sushi is established by wrapping it with persimmon leaves that have effects. This time, on the way to Shimokitayama village "Kinari no Sato" by bicycle in heavy rain, I thought that it would be a good meal, so I tried Otaki Chaya. Here, you can see several women wrapping sushi one by one with persimmon leaves through the window. Choose 750 yen for a total of 6 mackerel and 3 salmon. At the bus stop where you can take shelter from the rain on the road, I ate plump rice and ultra-thinly cut mackerel and salmon sushi. The other day, I bought some persimmon leaf sushi at Kintetsu Station Naka and ate it, but this one is clearly more delicious. As for what is different, I think that it is because it was "freshly made" even though it was a preserved food. The vinegared rice is made by chilling freshly cooked rice, so the rice grains are fluffy and have a heart-warming taste. Salty fish goes well with this. After eating persimmon leaf sushi this time, I thought that freshly made sushi was more delicious. I don't think I'll ever eat it again, but it was a delicious persimmon leaf sushi that still reminds me of the taste of vinegared rice.

2022.04.08 Today I went to Kawakami Village, Yoshino District to visit my grandparents' graves. Even if you don't come all the way here, there are many famous restaurants in the prefecture that sell persimmon leaf sushi. The mackerel is marinated with salt, and the battera-style mackerel is seasoned with vinegar and dashi stock. can. I don't know how it is now, but in Kawakami Village, we often make and eat "sabazushi, which is vinegared rice ball topped with salted mackerel" for auspicious occasions. For some reason, during the hot season, I also received sushi wrapped in green persimmon leaves to prevent damage. Combined with the scent of persimmon leaves, the taste is indescribable. I was born in the innermost part of Kawakami Village, in a place that is now quietly sleeping at the bottom of a dam lake, and I grew up there until the first grade of elementary school. Otaki Chaya's persimmon leaf sushi" is an important point that reminds me of my parents and grandparents who can't even hear their voices anymore. I had a delicious meal today as I savored the taste. The store is run by three to four elderly local women, and just listening to their conversation makes you feel like you've returned to the countryside. It's not Takuboku Ishikawa, but he goes ``to listen to his hometown accent in the crowd at the nostalgic bus stop.'' I am visiting with this feeling in mind. Each piece is handmade. We recommend that you make a reservation by phone in advance as the tickets will sell out. We can also ship by cool delivery service. Please be sure to check the website for business hours as it is closed during the winter. This time too, the website said that the business would start from mid-March, but in fact, March was only open for three days on the equinoctial week. He laughed. I was able to spend a really comfortable time. Hometown... thanks so much. ｡◕‿◕｡