February itinerary in Japan Day 2 (Hyogo Meal edition)

(Thursday, February 24)

Table of contents

1. Sasayama Castletown Hotel NIPPONIA

I had breakfast at Sasayama Castletown Hotel NIPPONIA. The breakfast using local ingredients such as “Yamanoimo (Japanese yam)”, which is a specialty of Tanba Sasayama, and Tajima beef was very delicious. It was a very satisfying breakfast. I felt it was better than the dinner French course the day before.

篠山城下町ホテルNIPPONIA

Especially, “Yamanoimo (Japanese yam)” was very delicious. “Yamanoimo” from Tanba Sasayama has a round shape and is also called Yamatoimo. Compared to yam, it is much more sticky and has a good flavor. In autumn and winter, the Tanba region may be filled with thick fog called Tanba fog due to the temperature difference. This climate with a large temperature difference grows delicious “Yamanoimo”.

The breakfast restaurant was the same place as for dinner. The restaurant was made by making good use of an old folk house, and the courtyard seen from the window was also wonderful. It was a very calm restaurant.

2. Ekiben “Buta meshi (Pork rice)”

I bought an ekiben “Buta meshi (Pork rice)” (Yen 1,100) at the restaurant “Yama no Eki” at Kaibara Station and ate it on the train to Yoka Station. “Buta meshi (Pork rice)” is an ekiben made by stir-frying “Tanba Pork” loin and adding Koshihikari rice, onions, and peppers from Tanba. I enjoyed the meal on the train because it went well with the sake from Houmei Sake Brewery that I bought in Tanba Sasayama City the day before.

3. Kanbei

I arrived at Izushi and had “Izushi soba” at “Kanbei”. It is said that Masaaki Sengoku, who changed the country from the Ueda domain of Shinano province to the Izushi domain of Tajima province in 1706, brought a soba craftsman. Soba is also called “Izushi sara soba” because it is served on a small plate (sara) of Izushi ware. Additional orders for each dish are also possible.

5 dishes of soba, eggs, and grated yam were included in one “Izushi sara soba” order (Yen 900) at “Kanbei”. I added 5 dishes. Usually, an adult man eat about 15 to 20 soba plates. I had ekiben before, so I was full with 10 dishes. I was very satisfied with the delicious soba.

“Izumo soba”, one of the three major soba noodles in Japan, also originated from the fact that Naomasa Matsudaira, the first feudal lord of the Matsue domain, brought a soba craftsman from Shinano when he changed his country from the Matsumoto domain in Shinano province. “Izumo soba” is a form of soba noodles on a small plate, so I think it is similar to “Izushi soba” which is a form of soba on a small plate. On the last day of this trip, I was able to eat “Izumo soba” in Matsue City, Shimane Prefecture.

4. Nakai

In Toyooka City, I had dinner at the sushi / cooking “Nakai“. “Nakai” is a restaurant that won the Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand in 2016. It is a well-known store in Toyooka City that mainly uses ingredients from the sea, mountains, and fields of Tajima and offers unique dishes.

First is the appetizer platter. Spring season vegetables such as rape blossoms and butterbur sprout and abalone were all very delicious, and I was very satisfied with the appetizer.

When I asked the owner, he said that there was a “live snow crab”, so of course I asked for it. “Snow crab” is a typical winter taste of the Sea of Japan. By the way, snow crabs landed in the Sanin region (northern Hyogo prefecture, northern Kyoto prefecture, Tottori prefecture, Shimane prefecture) are called Matsuba crabs.

The ranking of catch snow crabs like below. Hyogo prefecture is ranked 1st, Tottori prefecture is 2nd, Fukui prefecture is 3rd, 4th Hokkaido, and 5th Ishikawa prefecture (2020). In Fukui prefecture, snow crab is called “Echizen crab”, and in Ishikawa prefecture, it is called “Kano crab”.

Recently, the catch of “Snow crab” has dropped sharply, and the price has soared around December 2021. However, due to the spread of the new coronavirus infection, “semi-state of emergency COVID-19 measures” have been implemented in Hyogo prefecture, and the number of tourists has dropped sharply, so the price has settled down and I can afford it. The “live snow crab” I ate this time was Yen 11,000 per crab.

The “live snow crab” I ate this time is a brand crab landed at Tsuiyama Port in Hyogo Prefecture. The plastic blue tag with the name of Tsuiyama Port is the certificate of origin. Tsuiyama Port is a fishing port located about 15km north of Toyooka Station.

I think the most delicious way to eat “live snow crab” is sashimi. When you eat it with sashimi, you can feel the sweet taste of “live snow crab” more clearly, and you will be surprised at its deliciousness. Boiled snow crabs often use frozen crabs, so I think it’s a waste to eat boiled snow crabs during the season.

Next, the grilled snow crab came out. Grilled snow crab is also fragrant and delicious, but it does not come true to the deliciousness of sashimi.

Next, a grilled crab miso stuck in the shell came out, but the conversation with the person next to me (the director of Kotoku Gakuen in Toyooka City) was lively and I forgot to take a picture. Of course, the crab miso was delicious. Finally, fried crab. This fried crab was also delicious. However, the sashimi at the beginning is still the most delicious.

At “Nakai”, I also ordered pickled mackerel and wakame seaweed shabu-shabu. Both were very delicious. However, I was always impressed by the deliciousness of “live snow crab”, so the impression of pickled mackerel and wakame seaweed shabu-shabu was very little impression.

“Nakai” was a well-known restaurant that was not ashamed of the name of the restaurant that won the Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand. I would definitely like to visit again when I go to Toyooka.

Note: The departure / arrival times, fares of transportation and admission fees, meal fees, etc. listed in the text are as of the time of writing the BLOG. Please check for yourself when you go on a trip as it may change in the future.