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Of all Japan's regional cities, few are quite as charming as Kanazawa. Located in Ishikawa Prefecture on the Sea of Japan, Kanazawa is famed for its Kenrokuen, regarded as one of the country's three most beautiful gardens. The historical castle town is also a great repository of culture. As the capital of Kaga, once the richest province in Japan, Kanazawa became a flourishing center for arts and crafts, including fine porcelain, lacquerware and silk dyeing.
High among the cultural attractions from this region is most definitely the superb food, known as Kaga-ryori--the cuisine of Kaga. This refined regional cuisine employs seasonal ingredients at the peak of their freshness, combined in a variety of exquisitely arranged dishes. Some of the finest fish in Japan lands at the ports of Ishikawa Prefecture, and a local favorite is yellowtail--pickled with rice and young turnip to create the delicate kabura-zushi. Another specialty of Kaga-ryori is jibuni, a simple hearty stew usually prepared with duck meat.
With all the fine food of Kaga, nothing goes quite so well as the quality sake from this region. And here, the sake to look for is Tengumai from the city of Matto, not far from Kanazawa. Since 1823, the brewery of Shata Shuzo has been crafting its excellent Tengumai sake using the relatively hard water of Ishikawa Prefecture.
Shata Shuzo produces various types of sake, among which is Tengumai Ginkoburi, a sake of the refined ginjo-shu type, much sought after by sake aficionados. But perhaps the most distinctive of Tengumai sake is of the kind known as yamahai. These sakes are immediately recognizable: smoky and tart, bitter and sweet elements combine to form a highly complex and individual symphony of flavor. To enter the world of a Tengumai yamahai is to experience a sake quite unlike any other. |
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