The sound of spring　– Awakening of the land –

Soft and warm sunlight shining through the cold air of February with snow still falling down in Kabayama area of Niseko. It looks like the world had fallen asleep in this white snowy land with animals hibernating and crops gathering enough energy to be awaken again next season. The sound of all lives can be heard and that is a sign of spring is coming soon.
Crops that are available in season are used to create a special dish for you.

Organic onions from Lake Toya area are used for this dish. Harvested between August and October are stored for a few months to dry up properly and increases sweetness of the onions. The producers were able to grow the crops without using any pesticide till harvesting. It is very rare and difficult to grow as onions are weak to pest during their growth.
Our chef grilled the onion to perfection to reach maximum sweetness in taste. Grated finely and mixed with seaweed broth. Herring from Otaru is used in the final touch of this dish. Herring is said to be a fish of Spring. Herring is charcoal grilled to bring out the aroma of the fish and mixed with cauliflowers and herring roe. The textures of the ingredients reflects the slow melting image of the snow in early spring.

A steamed dish using venison. Venison and pumpkin are common dish. The ingredients are special in Japanese cuisine. Minced venison, onions, and ginger are mixed with soy sauce.
The meat is then wrapped with mashed pumpkin and steam to bring out the bright colors of the pumpkin. Hot gravy is added before serving. A dish where you can enjoy the natural taste of ingrediants.

A typical beautiful contrast of Hokkaido is seen in February with sunlight shining through the cold air even with snow piled up to as high as 2 meters high in the big white snow land of Niseko.

Writer Yayoi Yoshida / Photographer Hajime Sakakiyama

Japanese Chef
田安 透　Toru Tayasu

‘Dashi’ the Japanese broth is a very crucial item in Japanese cuisine. It helps to bring out all the flavor of the ingredients used. Wonderful crops that are grown by the producers with hardship are not to be forgotten in all the dishes created.