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March 30, 2021
Hoshino Resorts KAI Tsugaru's "Oma Tuna Feast Kaiseki": A Culinary Journey to Cherish Forever | TRAVEL
TRAVEL | Hoshino Resorts KAI Tsugaru
Speaking of Tsugaru, Oma tuna. Devouring this supreme "black diamond" to your heart's content (2)
Wonderful Winter in Aomori: A Feast of Midwinter Delicacies
Takashi TsuchidaIt's a marinated tuna bowl. You prepare your own bowl with marinated tuna slices and medium fatty tuna over Aomori's special A-grade rice, "Santen no Hekireki," cooked in a donabe. The sesame was a nice touch.
Aya HasegawaI was also impressed by their commitment to rice: "Santen no Hekireki" for dinner and "Tsugaru Roman" for breakfast. And yes, they provided condiments like sesame, nori, and wasabi, allowing for personal customization. That was fun too.
Takashi TsuchidaYou know, it might have been delicious to make a chazuke with the leftover dashi from the Negima Nabe. Though it would need to be reheated.
Aya HasegawaChazuke! It would be 100% delicious (laughs). And it would definitely make for a great chazuke to go with sake.
Takashi TsuchidaHeh. After all, since it's a "KAI" brand onsen ryokan, I want to enjoy my sake. Hoshino Resorts Group tends to have reasonable prices for alcohol, so I can drink without worry.
Aya HasegawaI was quietly pleased that the sake pairing also included sake for the final rice dish. I used to think that once you have rice, the sake is finished, but sake's main ingredient is rice. I want to shout to the world that they're a perfect match.
Takashi TsuchidaExactly! The last one was Toyokai, a famous brand from Hirosaki that's starting to gain attention in Tokyo. Due to distribution issues, nama sake is only available at a few specialty stores in Tokyo. Being able to drink that fresh sake locally felt like a real gain.
Aya HasegawaWinter in Aomori is truly enjoyable. Everyone I spoke to said that winter fish in Aomori is exceptionally delicious.
Takashi TsuchidaNo doubt about it. You should definitely come to Aomori in winter. Everyone, please come next year!
Aya HasegawaThe tuna feast is easy to imagine and memorable, so it's easy to tell friends about. Plus, there's the onsen, so it's an all-inclusive great value.
And then, drinking sake inside a snow dome built in the water garden (which was frozen in winter) was something we were super excited about. This was even more fun than I imagined.
Takashi TsuchidaWhen you're surrounded by snow, it absorbs sound, creating a profound silence. It felt like the opening scene of "Yuku Toshi Kuru Toshi." The snow was falling softly, creating a sense of being in another world.
Aya HasegawaI wish I could have broadcast this refined silence on Clubhouse. Even though it's silent (laughs). Inside the snow dome, we had vodka and apple juice, along with special chocolates made by a local patissier. They're really committed to local products! I think that's great.
Takashi TsuchidaMixed with warm apple juice, it tasted like mulled wine. It was also slightly sweet and warmed me up. Even though there's a kotatsu built into the snow dome, it was quite warm. As long as the vodka lasts, I could keep drinking forever.
Aya HasegawaYeah, if they sold vodka by the bottle, I'd buy it even if it was a bit expensive. It would probably be delicious chilled in the snow too.
Takashi TsuchidaHeh heh. Afterwards, there was a "Gotouchi Gaku" (local performance) featuring a Tsugaru shamisen show. Along with the shamisen professional, the KAI staff also performed. I really like this approach. They don't just invite professionals; they themselves seek instruction from professionals to understand the spirit of the art. Currently, 14 staff members are learning Tsugaru shamisen from the dedicated professional, Kohei Shibuya.
Aya HasegawaThe staff at Aomoriya, also in Aomori Prefecture, have mastered Nebuta and dance in front of guests. They are rooted in their respective regions and offer the local culture to guests. That's why I think we, the visitors, can enjoy it so wholeheartedly.
Takashi TsuchidaMicro-tourism is getting a lot of attention now, but Hoshino Resorts has always been working with this philosophy. That's why all their facilities have built very friendly relationships with the local communities. It's difficult to achieve this at this scale, but it's a philosophy inherited from Hoshino Yugakudo. I love it.
Aya HasegawaIt's just thorough. Look around the room. At KAI Tsugaru, all rooms are designated as regional craft rooms, featuring local traditional crafts. Koginzashi motifs are everywhere, almost excessively (laughs). Even if you're not interested in kogin, you can't help but become interested (laughs).
Takashi TsuchidaMaybe I should put kogin embroidery on my mask. I think there's the most demand for it right now.
Hoshino Resorts KAI Tsugaru
- Address: 36-1 Owani, Aza Kamitanamor, Owani-machi, Minamitsugaru-gun, Aomori Prefecture
- Access: Approx. 5 minutes by taxi from Owani-Onsen Station on the JR Ou Main Line. Approx. 15 minutes from Owani-Hirosaki IC on the Tohoku Expressway.
- Rates: From 25,000 yen (per person, per night, including dinner and breakfast, for two people in a room, when staying in a "Tsugaru Kogin no Ma" room with a Japanese-style living space).
