Where Do Michelin Star Chefs Eat in Japan — Tono, Iwate Prefecture!
Tonoya-Yo Highlights Japan’s Unique Fermented Foods and Drink
Japan has the highest number of Michelin 3-star restaurants in the world. Of course, Tokyo is well-known for having many Michelin star restaurants but where do Michelin star chefs around the globe go to learn about Japan’s unique fermented foods?
I asked my fellow fermentation enthusiast, Terrie Lloyd, CEO of Japan Travel. Terrie is well-connected to Michelin star chefs. He said, “I usually recommend Tonoya-Yo. Yo-san (Yotaro Sasaki) is probably the best fermenter in Japan.”
I have been hearing Yotaro’s name wherever I go. People praise his doburoku, calling it the best doburoku in Japan.
For those who doesn’t know what doburoku (濁酒) is, it’s the unrefined, ancient form of sake. Some call it ancient rice farmer’s sake.
A Michelin star chef in Spain imports Yotaro’s doburoku for his restaurant. When I read about Yotaro in Christian Mario’s website called Signor Sake, and saw Tonoya-Yo listed in the best 50 restaurants in the world, I became more curious to visit Yotaro’s Tonoya-Yo. It went to the top of my bucket list.
My dream came true in September 2021 when I had an opportunity to visit the Tohoku region for a storytelling masterclass by The Lexicon, on reawakened crops. I was hoping to incorporate Yotaro in the project since I knew that he revived the Tono rice #1.
The full report about the Tohoku region in The Lexicon’s reawakened crops project is here. If you have time, please take a look. Yotaro appears in the latter half with my interview video. His delicious fermented food appears in the video, too.
Kamiibano Taro and Tono Rice — Lexicon of Food™ (new link)
In Japan, we have more than 500 fermented foods. Locally, Yotaro has developed narezushi in his own way, using pork instead of fish. If you are not familiar with narezushi, you can read this article in CNN Travel.
Yotaro ferments his pork uncooked. Depending on the temperature and the time of the year he’s making it, the fermentation can take 2 weeks or even over a year. The power of the bacteria is different each time.
The pork narezushi is his signature dish, seared a bit, in chawanmushi style. It was amazing!
His lodge, Tonoya-Yo, accepts only 1 group one time, auberge style, with dinner, breakfast and 1 night stay included. My foodie friend, Sarah, joined me to stay at Tonoya-Yo, paying around 45000 yen ($400) each, plus the cost of the doburoku.
The food experience is second to none. It’s truly a once in a lifetime experience. There are also unique mushrooms in the region that he serves and all the food he created for us was absolutely fantastic.
TONOYA-YO
If you ever come to Japan and travel to Tono, Iwate, make sure to book his lodge. (It’s usually full, so make reservations in advance.)
Tono is increasingly getting attention from craft beer lovers, too. Iwate Prefecture is known for growing hops and many good craft beer breweries were launched by young beer lovers in the region. If you are into craft beer, be sure to check it out.
If you have any questions, please leave them the comments, or reach out to me at https://linktr.ee/kyontanma2.
