May 2022

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[Kyoto and Beer]

The origin of beer is said to date back to several thousand years B.C. and has been enjoyed by people since ancient times. Such beer was introduced to Japan after the arrival of British and American ships during the Edo period.

In the Meiji Era, the demand for beer increased in Japan, which was bustling with civilization and development, and domestic production began in various regions. In Kyoto, a prefectural institute of physical and chemical research called "Seimikyoku" attempted to make beer. Incidentally, "Seimi" is the old name for chemistry, which is derived from the Dutch word "chemie," meaning "chemistry" and written in Chinese characters. The term "kagaku (chemistry)" in Japanese today has a history of being popularized by Komin Kawamoto, the first brewer of beer in Japan, who used the term in his book.

Seimikyoku welcomes a German, Wagner, as its leader and establishes the Kyoto Seimikyoku Barley Brewery. The location is inside Kiyomizu-dera Temple. The water from Otowa Falls, located on the grounds of the temple, was chosen for its suitability for brewing. However, due to financial difficulties, the Seimikyoku was abolished less than four years later, and the brewery was closed. Although various beers such as "Ougi Beer," "Mori Beer," and "Izutsu Beer" were created by civilians who learned the techniques here, they all went out of business due to the rise of Osaka Beer, the predecessor of Asahi Beer.

Meanwhile, in Kawaoka Village, which is today's Saikyo Ward, the first barley for beer brewing, Golden Melon, was grown in the Kansai region. The village farmers formed the Kawaoka Village Golden Melon Barley Growers Association, which signed a contract with Osaka Beer. This was the first time in Japan that a company and a farmer signed a direct contract.

Today, craft beer making is flourishing nationwide, and many craft beers are being made in Kyoto. Although only available every Saturday and Sunday, Woodmill Brewery, a seven-minute walk from our headquarters, offers a fresh craft beer made on site for 400 yen per glass, tax included. From the Meiji era to the present day, beer brewing in Kyoto has been passed down through the generations in various forms.

Woodmill Brewery (Please see the taproom section.)
https://woodmill-brewery.kyoto/
Nousaku's Beer Cup
https://www.shokunin.com/en/nousaku/glass.html 
Ichiyougama's Beer Cup
https://www.shokunin.com/en/ichiyou/beer.html 

References
https://museum.kirinholdings.com/history/kaisetsu/bk_01.html
https://www.okeihan.net/navi/kyoto_tsu/tsu201908.php
https://crd.ndl.go.jp/reference/modules/d3ndlcrdentry/index.php?page=ref_view&id=1000072730

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Dear Shokunin team, thank you very much! The goods arrived super fast to me in Germany. Very well and safely packaged. I am very enthusiastic about the goods! I did not write to you immediately, because I wanted to test the goods first. Of course, I immediately saw that everything is of the best quality. I bought the grater: it is very sharp as desired and does its job very well. The two Ogasawara pans are perfect - it doesn't get any better than that. I found your website because I own an Iwachu omelet pan that is phenomenally good and I wanted to buy two more just as good pans and didn't find them in Germany. Your website encouraged me to buy the Ogasawara pans. They are just as excellent: super fast I had them baked in, nothing sticks, they are light, I really use them now all the time: on the induction hob and in the oven. I've been cooking with gas all my life, but my landlord now wants electricity. Hence the induction cooker. and best of all: the pans are so smooth at the bottom that they do not scratch the induction fields. I am very happy to have found your site and grateful that you ship to Germany. It's such great work by craftsmen that I haven't found here yet. (Unless they are old things, but unfortunately I had to leave the old things in the household of my now separated husband.) I am happy with all your products, including the coasters, which will probably last my whole life. Please say a big thank you to your team and the craftsmen and please keep the opportunity to order from you with shipping to Germany! Many greetings, health and all well-being, always good food and peace I wish.... I order safely again :-) I've never been to Japan, I only ordered because I think the quality is so great and now I'm getting more and more really keen to come to Japan. Your products impress me - thank you very much for that, all the best.
S.Y. from Dresden/Germany

Rikucho Ogasawara's Frying Pan
https://www.shokunin.com/en/rikucho/fryingpan.html
Rikucho Ogasawara's Mini Pan
https://www.shokunin.com/en/rikucho/minipan.html
Oya Seisakusho's Copper Grater
https://www.shokunin.com/en/oya/
Honma Kazuo Shoten's Straw Pot Stand
https://www.shokunin.com/en/honma/nabeshiki.html

1525149_m

The specialty "Osekimochi" is available in front of Jonan-gu Shrine in Fushimi, known as a shrine to ward off worries such as moving, and also famous as a shrine for car purification.

Jonan-gu Shrine, famous for the "winding stream party," a reenactment of a Heian-period aristocratic singing contest, is a popular attraction for both domestic and foreign tourists. The Shinto garden consists of five gardens, of which "Haru no Yama" is known for its plum blossoms.

The name of the store selling the wagashi is the same as the name of the specialty, and is located just across the road from the approach to the shrine. Osekimochi is a simple rice cake with a large amount of sweet bean paste on top, but it is not too sweet and has a very simple and delicious taste. It is served in two types of rice cake: white rice cake and grass rice cake.

Osekimochi has a history of about 450 years, originating from a teahouse along the Toba Highway, which was an important transportation route. Its name comes from the fact that during the Edo period, there was a girl named "Seki-onna" on the highway who set up a teahouse and served rice cakes to travelers who came up. The store was burned down during the Battle of Toba-Fushimi, and was relocated to its current location when the Keihan National Highway was laid in 1932.

When you visit Jonan-gu Shrine, why not stop by the store that preserves the simple taste of Osekimochi and the scenery of the Toba Highway to the present day? When eating at home, we recommend that you enjoy Japanese culture by placing it on a plate filled with the charm of traditional Japanese craftsmanship.

Appi Urushi Studio's Flat Bowl
https://www.shokunin.com/en/appi/bowl.html
Koishiwara ware
https://www.shokunin.com/en/koishiwara/mame.html
Osekimochi
https://goo.gl/maps/1ZLx1SgKugvGD1CV9

References
https://www.nikkei.com/article/DGXMZO44008480Q9A420C1AM1000/ 
https://otaku-son.hatenablog.com/entry/2017/03/25/045740
http://www.kyotodekuraso.com/p/3604
http://www.kyoto-sweets.net/20151224-01/