Akita: Japan's Fermented Food Capital - Discover Its Delicious Secrets! Fermentation Culture / Inquiry-Based Learning
Yokote City, Akita Prefecture
- Overview
Everyone gathered energetically on the day and headed to Yokote City, the activity location. Originally, in the morning, we had planned a radish harvesting experience in the fields to learn the basics of making "iburigakko" (smoked pickled radish). However, as reported in the news, a bear sighting was confirmed, so we urgently changed our activity to visiting the "iburigakko" exhibition and strolling around Akita Furusato Village. For lunch, we enjoyed local cuisine featuring fermented foods. In the afternoon, we participated in a soup-making experience using edamame and koji, and an original miso ball making experience using koji miso, allowing us to experience Akita's fermented food culture.
- Partner organization
Yokote City Tourism Promotion Organization, General Incorporated Association
- Contact
JTB Akita Branch
Closed：Saturdays, Sundays & Holidays
Hours: 09:30 - 17:30
Comments from participants
-I was able to learn about local culture that I didn't know before.
-I felt a desire to protect the fermentation culture.
-I would like to start incorporating fermented foods into my own diet, and also research and participate in activities related to fermentation culture in my own town.
-It was a great opportunity to think about Akita's fermentation culture.
-In terms of cultural inheritance, I would like to incorporate the koji and miso used this time into my home cooking.
Comments from the partner organization
We were delighted that participants had the opportunity to experience the fermentation culture of Yokote (Akita), and it was wonderful to hear positive feedback such as "It was fun" and "I want to adopt a diet that is more conscious of fermented foods." We hope to continue working together to promote and revitalize Yokote and Akita in the future.
Comments from the staff member responsible
This year's JTB Brighter Earth Project was designed with an understanding of the reality that the traditional culture of fermentation (such as miso, sake, and pickles), which is the root of Akita's rich food heritage, is fading among the younger generation, and it emphasized local production for local consumption. We consider the greatest achievement to be that participants learned about, experienced, and tasted fermented foods, and came to understand the importance of carefully preserving and passing on this Akita culture.
A challenge this summer was that by limiting the recruitment target to local elementary and junior high school students plus accompanying guardians, we struggled to attract participants, and the feasibility of implementation could not be decided until just before the event. We intend to utilize this lesson in our planning for the next fiscal year and beyond.
Scenes from the program
