Various Ways to Connect with Nature



"We operate until just before winter sets in, so if you're lucky, you might catch a glimpse of the landscape turning white before the season ends. Many repeat guests visit multiple times a year, wanting to see the scenery in different seasons. It's the power of nature, really. The scenery changes dramatically with each season. We've been open for five years, and I feel like we're learning from our guests how to spend time in and appreciate nature."

Saya Asao, Representative Director of Agora Hospitality, which developed El Bosco,says, and El Bosco, incorporating guest feedback, proposes various ways to connect with nature each season. This summer's theme is "Play."Programs unique to Shinano Town, such as "Forest Therapy" walking in the woods with a specialized medical trainer,"Nature Study" creating objets d'art using fallen leaves and twigs found in the forest, "Canoeing" on Lake Nojiri, and "Tree Climbing" using ropes and harnesses, will serve as guides to liberate your mind and body away from everyday life.Enjoying the "Shun" of Ingredients with All Five Senses

Vegetable Cuisine Embracing Nature's Bounty 24



If connecting with nature is a way to recharge externally, then food is one of the ways to recharge internally. "I believe that eating seasonal ingredients with strong vitality is the best way to recharge energy," says Osawa Makoto, Executive Chef at El Bosco's dining room, "moment."

After training at the restaurant "Sacramento" in Nagano City and serving as head chef at a resort hotel in the prefecture, Osawa had been steadily progressing in the French culinary world. However, he was drawn to the unconstrained approach and the gentle preparation methods for ingredients in the California Cuisine style that El Bosco aims for, and took on his current role in 2010.

"Originally, I worked in French cuisine, so I did have my hesitations. But gradually, I came to think that as long as it's delicious, it doesn't matter if it's French, Italian, or Japanese. And that the most delicious dishes are those that bring out the best in the ingredients. When using lamb, I might not trim all the fat, or I might serve fresh salmon medium-rare, warm... I'm now actively challenging things that are considered taboo in French cuisine. I want people to taste ingredients whose umami is 100% expressed."



"Bringing out the best in ingredients." This phrase was repeated many times by Osawa. This applies to vegetable preparation methods as well. Osawa, who was born in Nagano Prefecture, has a particularly strong attachment to local farmers. His "vegetable cuisine," featuring highland vegetables from Shinano Town as the star, has become his signature.

"There are many farmers in Shinano Town who grow wonderful vegetables. Among them, tomatoes and corn are so delicious that I can proudly say they are the best in Japan. To allow guests to experience the natural acidity and sweetness of tomatoes, we create a rich soup by simmering them with seasonal vegetables like eggplant, potatoes, and zucchini, using only water. Corn, while delicious grilled as is, is served in a salad this summer with shrimp and duck. Vegetables are a "work of art" carefully cultivated by farmers. I experiment daily to find the best ways to bring out their umami."

Enjoying the "Shun" of Ingredients with All Five Senses――The fresh, seasonal vegetables from the region captivated our eyes with their vibrant colors and filled our mouths with their robust flavors and aromas. This must be what Osawa meant by "energy charge."



Nojiriko Hotel El Bosco
4847 Furumi, Shinano-machi, Kami-Ina-gun, Nagano Prefecture
Tel. 026-258-2111
Rooms: 50 rooms (Twin, Maisonette, Maisonette Suite)
Check-in 15:00, Check-out 11:00
Meeting Rooms: 1
Restaurants: 3 (Dining "moment", Lounge, Bar "SOBA Bar")
www.nojirikohotel-elbosco.com