Central Japan Travel Guide (Part 2) | From the Charm of Fishing Ports to the Splendor of Ancient Castles
If you're tired of the same old tourist traps, then consider this unique itinerary that connects 'craftsmanship, panoramic views, majesty, and profound beauty'.
🌅 Katsuobushi Tenpaku TENPAKU — The 'Soul of the Ocean' Forged by Fire
Drive to this harbor town in the early morning, where the air is already filled with a unique smoky aroma. This isn't a tourist factory, but one of the core production sites for Japan's top-grade dried bonito, 'Honkarebushi'.
Stepping into the workshop, your sight and smell are immediately captivated—huge blocks of bonito are being roasted, intense smoke enveloping a rich fish aroma, a scene both primal and striking. The owner told me that one fish undergoes dozens of smoking and sun-drying processes over several months to achieve the ultimate 'umami'. He also recounted the history of bonito here and its connection to Ise Grand Shrine.
The most unforgettable experience was, under the owner's guidance, personally using a special planer (katsuobushi kezuri) to shave the wood-hard dried bonito into thin, cherry blossom-like 'kezuribushi' flakes. Watching the pink fish flakes fall like snowflakes, feeling a subtle vibration at my fingertips, the aroma burst forth instantly.
📝 Key Experiences:
➊ Learn about the bonito smoking process, and appreciate the decades of heat control mastered by artisans. Also, understand the history and origin of bonito.
➋ Shave bonito flakes by hand, and understand the soulful origin of Japanese dashi (soup stock).
➌ Taste bonito rice: Drizzle with soy sauce, and the umami flavor surges like mountains and seas, instantly revealing the logic behind the deliciousness of Japanese cuisine.
⛰️ Yokoyama Observation Deck
Drive into the winding mountain roads. The Yokoyama Observation Deck is like a ring, quietly embedded in the mountain. You can slowly hike up, feeling nature. There are no crowded tourists here, only an endless expanse of sea and islands, spreading like green pebbles to the horizon, with the faint glimmer of Suruga Bay in the distance.
At the mountaintop cafe, sit on a terrace chair and watch the cloud shadows wander over the continuous tea plantations.
🏯 Nagoya Castle and Tokugawa Art Museum
Nagoya Castle:
When the dazzling golden shachihoko (mythical carp) come into view, the massive stone walls, majestic architecture, and golden beast tiles all speak of the former prestige of the Sengoku warlords. A visit here is a must when in Nagoya; I hope the renovations will be completed soon so we can climb to the top!
▫️ Tokugawa Art Museum:
Just a street away, stepping into the Tokugawa Art Museum, the world instantly becomes quiet. It houses generations of secret treasures of the Owari Tokugawa family and is one of Japan's most important private museums.
In the almost sacred dim light, I saw:
· Samurai swords: No longer mere weapons, but cold, clear autumn waters under the light, the embodiment of the samurai spirit.
· Masterpieces of tea ceremony: Under the spotlight, the rough texture of the pottery and the aesthetic realm of yūgen (profound beauty) are breathtaking.
This concludes my update on the unique itinerary in Central Japan for these past few days. I sincerely hope you all come and see it for yourselves!
Because the food, culture, and scenery here have left me with unforgettable memories. Remember to save this, and see you in Central Japan!