Experience Tokyo's Food Culture in the Open Atmosphere of Tokyo Tama

Tokyo is a city where diverse cuisines from all over the world gather and evolve.
It is also the birthplace of various ingredients, including traditional Edo vegetables.

The seasonal blessings born from Tokyo’s unique natural environment,
the passion, stories, and smiles of the producers,
and the chefs who weave Tokyo’s food culture with traditional techniques and innovative ideas.

A one-of-a-kind Gastronomic experience in Tokyo
will surely give you new insights into your daily life.

Tokyo Gastronomy Tourism
Enjoy the food nurtured by the climate, environment, customs, traditions, and history of the land, and experience the local culinary culture at the essence of this trip.
The time spent learning, understanding, and savoring will color your experience.

Experience Tokyo's Food Culture in the Open Atmosphere of Tokyo Tama

The tranquil rural landscape, the beauty of the Tama River valley, and Mt. Mitake that is said to be the domain of the gods.
The scenery along the Ome Line is steeped in nature and tradition.
Our traveler this time is Chef Haruyuki Yamashita, who serves as a Tokyo Tourism Ambassador.
Visitors will enjoy new discoveries and encounters with people through culinary experiences rooted in the climate of the Tama region, such as fresh vegetables, river fish grown in clear streams, and sake made with the region's famous water.

Participant

Haruyuki Yamashita
Tokyo Tourism Ambassador
Owner Chef of HAL YAMASHITA Tokyo, Specially Appointed Professor of Keio University Graduate School, Born in Kobe City, Hyogo Prefecture. Trained in many countries around the world, he has used his unique perspective and cooking techniques to incorporate innovative combinations of ingredients into traditional Japanese style cuisine, which is called "New Japanese Cuisine". He represented Japan at the World Gourmet Summit in Singapore in 2010 and in the United Arab Emirates in 2012. In the 2010 Summit, he was named "Most Outstanding Chef of the Year." Currently, he is active in Japan and abroad as a pioneer of "New Japanese Cuisine." As an active university professor and chef, he is also involved in global environmental and hunger issues. In addition to his educational activities, he works with the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan on many projects, including awareness-raising activities on Japanese food and Japanese food culture, among others.
https://www.instagram.com/chef_halyamashita/

Visit the Biotope at "Satologue" and Enjoy a French-based Course Meal Using Local Ingredients

The first place we visited was Satologue, located between Kori and Hatonosu Stations on the JR Ome Line. Satologue features a restaurant that makes use of local ingredients, called TOKIRO, and a wood-fired sauna FUKISUI. Since its opening in May 2024, the facility has gained popularity as a place where visitors can spend time while enjoying the view of the Tama River.
Lunch is available by reservation only. Before our meal, we were told that we could take a walk in the field in front of the restaurant, which Chef Yuta Komagamine guided us through. Here they have a wasabi terrace and a kitchen garden, and the restaurant uses local vegetables, including pesticide-free vegetables grown in this field.

"I moved here from central Tokyo when this facility opened, so this was my first time working in the field. I grow vegetables with the help of the elderly gentlemen in the community. Right now, we are growing vegetables like sweet potatoes, Jerusalem artichokes, okra, jalapenos, broccoli, and spinach," said Chef Komagamine.
In the field, we could hear the sound of water and birds chirping from the nearby Kiyomidaki Falls. It is precisely because of this rich natural environment that they aim for recycling-oriented agriculture. The ashes from burning firewood in the sauna are spread as fertilizer, and food scraps from the restaurant are composted and used to make manure. Chef Yamashita, who was helping to spread the ashes on the field, said, "I feel like an old man garden fairy. Wow! There is a big praying mantis! As someone who also works in the food industry, I envy being able to grow vegetables in an area so rich in nature," enjoying every moment of it.

The restaurant is housed in a 130-year-old renovated traditional house, which he said used to be used for river fish farming. Beyond the large window in the front, trees in the countryside (the natural environment between mountain foothills and arable land) and the clear waters of the Tama River stretch out before us, almost making us forget that we are in Tokyo. Chef Yamashita sat at the counter facing the window with a sunken kotatsu, and exclaimed in awe at the magnificent view of the countryside spread out before him. The seats were positioned one level lower than the floor, not only providing a deep angle view of the Tama River and fields below, but also lowering the body's center of gravity so that the guests could feel as if they were blending in with nature. Chef Yamashita, immersed in the comfort for a while, was also impressed, remarking, "The design of this building is well thought out and really wonderful."

The dishes of the day were: creamy taro soup with homemade hishio sauce, tart with log-grown shiitake mushrooms and silkie chicken eggs, seared wild ayu fish with autumn eggplant, peanut ravioli with persimmon and Tokyo Shamo chicken, char-grilled Tokyo wagyu beef with wagyu broth and homemade miso sauce, and fig leaf blanc mange. This course is truly packed with ingredients produced in the Tama region.

Moreover, Chef Komagamine's explanation of the dishes was accompanied by stories such as "I pureed mustard spinach given to me by the old lady next door..." and "I used yuzu pepper made from the yuzu at the old lady's house next door and jalapenos from the field..." and you could feel the warmth of the local people in each dish.
"Mmmm! It's delicious." Chef Yamashita praised the dish, adding, "It's great that you can really taste the ingredients. It's really wonderful that you can achieve this level of quality with a limited amount of ingredients, without spoiling the ingredients or the flavors unique to the countryside."

"What would you like to communicate to your guests here?"
Chef Komagamine answered Chef Yamashita by telling his story.
"In the spring of 2025, we will be completing the accommodations on the property, and I hope people will enjoy the views from here, the relaxing time, and the seasonal cuisine. When I myself moved here from central Tokyo, I learned that Tokyo has many different ingredients such as Tokyo wagyu beef, Nishi-Tokyo Shamo chicken, and pesticide-free vegetables. I was amazed to receive vegetables from the old lady and gentleman next door, and to experience this kind of interaction in a place like Tokyo. I want to let my guests know that just an hour or two train ride from central Tokyo brings them to a location rich in nature, where they can feel like they are back home."

After leaving the restaurant, we asked Chef Yamashita again what he thought of the restaurant. He expressed his hopes for the future, remarking, "It seems like they are building an accommodation block in the future, which will further bring out the best of this location. Chef Komagamine's story featured many of the elderly neighbors, and I like that he seems to have a strong community presence in the area. No doubt, this will be a place that people will want to visit, given the atmosphere of the restaurant among other appeals. I believe the place is going to be the core of gastronomy tourism in Tama."

Take the Cable Car to Musashi Mitake Shrine, a Guardian Deity of Agriculture

The next destination, Musashi Mitake Shrine, is located at the top of Mt. Mitake at an altitude of 929 meters. From Takimoto Station, we took the cable car up 424 meters to Mt. Mitake Station. From there, you can walk to Musashi Mitake Shrine, but we took the chairlift to go further up. Magnificent scenery greeted us in the direction of central Tokyo from Mt. Mitake.

After passing through an area lined with shukubo inns* and climbing a steep hill, we came to a traditional shopping street lined with tea stores and souvenir stores. "There's a tea store right where I want to rest. We take the stairs from here, I see! This is surprisingly arduous," said Chef Yamashita with a wry smile as he breathed in a chest full of fresh, clean mountain air.
*Shukubo inn...Accommodation facilities set up near shrines and temples for worshippers, Ujiko (shrine parishioners), and monks. Many of them now accept general travelers.

The senior priest, Mr. Tadashi Utsuboya, welcomed us at the vermilion-lacquered offering hall and worship hall. According to Mr. Utsuboya, Musashi Mitake Shrine is an old shrine founded during the reign of the 10th Emperor Sujin, and the priesthood is made up of people from the 34 "shake" families (a family lineage in which the priesthood is hereditary) in the village. Mr. Utsuboya explained, "Many families have qualified priests spanning three generations of parents, children, and grandchildren, so there are more than 60 priests in the entire community. The community works together to maintain the shrine."

This shrine has long been known as a guardian deity of agriculture, and on January 3 of each year, they hold a ritual to predict the crop of the year, called Futomanisai. Although it is not open to the public because it is a secret ceremony, the shoulder bone of a stag is burned over a fire, and the cracks in the bone tell the quality of the 25 crops that will be harvested. He says that this fortune-telling has been deeply believed by farmers to often be accurate.

In the late Edo period, the Ise pilgrimage triggered a trend of temple-shrine pilgrimages, in which commoners visited famous shrines and temples in distant places. People formed groups called "ko" in their villages or among their friends for the purpose of making pilgrimages to temples and shrines together, and each year they would send several representatives of the group to temples and shrines in turn. Musashi Mitake Shrine has long been regarded as a guardian deity of agriculture, and representatives of "ko" from many farming villages began to visit the shrine in droves, leading to an increase in the number of shukubo inns near the shrine to accommodate the members of these groups.
At that time, the "Oinu-sama," a Japanese wolf enshrined at the Oguchimagamisha Shrine on the shrine grounds, became the object of worship at Musashi Mitake Shrine. Mr. Utsuboya explained, "Oinu-sama is the messenger of Yamatotakeru no Mikoto, a deity believed to protect Mt. Mitake from demons. Farmers worshipped wolves with great devotion because wolves hunted down deer, wild boars, rabbits, and other animals that would destroy the fields. During the Edo period, the members of 'ko' would buy Oinu-sama's talisman and hand them out to the people in their villages."

Kofukusha Shrine on the shrine grounds enshrines the deity of soil, Hani Yamahime no Kami, and legend has it that if the soil around Kofukusha Shrine is brought back and sprinkled on the fields, it will prevent pest damage. According to Mr. Utsuboya, many farmers come all the way to Mt. Mitake to get soil and spread it on their fields. Since this would deplete the soil around Kofukusha Shrine, they now sell the sand they prayed for. Chef Yamashita learned that historically, Musashi Mitake Shrine has a deep connection to agriculture and food.

The "Vegetable field in the Sky" Overlooking the City and Mountains of Tokyo

"Wow, the view from here is spectacular."
Chef Yamashita couldn't help but notice a small field located on a side road off the approach to Musashi Mitake Shrine. Because the site is cut into a slope at the ninth station of the mountain, you can enjoy the view of the mountains of Tama, as well as the skyscrapers of central Tokyo in the far distance. The vast sky occupies most of the view. It truly is a vegetable field in the sky.
*The field is not open to the public. This time, we were given special access to the field.

The vegetables are grown here by Mr. Naoyuki Kubota, the owner of the shukubo inn Nobori. Since the entire mountain of Mt. Mitake is a precinct of the shrine, all the fields in the mountain are owned by the priests.

On this day, white radishes such as Miura daikon, Nerima daikon, and Aokubi daikon were in harvest season, so Chef Yamashita decided to harvest the daikon as well. Mr. Kubota's advice was simple: "Drop the outer leaves a little and pull them out." And so it should be, for by pulling at the base of the leaves, it was very easy to pull them out. We harvested with great fun, checking out both large and small daikon.

"They have grown pretty well. I guess it's the soil," said Chef Yamashita, impressed. "It seems that the high altitude is also good for vegetables. People often say that pumpkins and yams from here don't fall apart when cooked," said Mr. Kubota. The high elevation of the field, with its severe temperature differences, soil rich in nutrients from the mountains, and the sun's rays, provided the perfect conditions for growing vegetables in the sky. On the other hand, there is damage caused by wild boars and deer. "This spring, wild boars destroyed our Irish Cobbler potatoes, so we all worked together to fence off the fields, but deer still come in," said Mr. Kubota.

Agriculture is always in close proximity to nature and the threats posed by animals. This poignantly demonstrated the farmers' devotion to Musashi Mitake Shrine and their prayers for a bountiful harvest.

Enjoy the Delicacies of the Mountains and Rivers at Shukubo Nobori

The Kubota family's Shukubo Nobori is a historic shukubo inn founded in the late Edo period. They say that dishes using vegetables from their own field, including the "vegetable field in the sky" mentioned earlier, are popular, and on this day, konjac potatoes and yams that had been harvested were lined up in the garden.

A sumptuous meal was prepared in the hall, and according to Ms. Kayoko Kubota, Mr. Kubota's daughter and hostess, grilled vegetables on a ceramic plate, vinegared dishes, and simmered dishes are made from home-grown vegetables, and the contents change with the seasons. Another specialty is a dish of river trout from Okutama, seasoned with original miso and wrapped in hoba leaves and grilled.

"It's not vegetarian food, is it?"
Chef Yamashita's question was answered by Mr. Utsuboya, who was also present. "Shukubo inns in temples often offer vegetarian food, but for shrines, there are no restrictions on food. Besides, shrine visits are often accompanied by "naorai" (ceremonial feast). After your visit to the shrine, there is always more alcohol for you, if you like drinking alcohol. Since the visit to the shrine has brought you too close to the gods, you can use the help of alcohol at naorai to return to your human self," he said.
"Well, bon appétit! Cheers!"
The meal started promptly with a toast with Sawanoi from the local sake brewery, Ozawa Shuzo.
*You do not have to force yourself to drink alcohol.

The plump and flavorful daikon radish stew, combined with the refreshing yuzu miso, was as though it melted in the mouth. "Is this the daikon radish we just picked? Wow, this is the best! It's so good," said Chef Yamashita with a big smile. The specialty sashimi konnyaku was so fresh that it felt heavy when picked up with chopsticks. The aroma of konnyaku and its smooth texture went well with the spiciness of ginger soy sauce.

Chef Yamashita asked, "Ordinary guests are allowed to stay at a shukubo inn too, right?" to which Kayoko replied, "Yes, they are. In the past, it was mainly farmers' pilgrimage groups, but recently we have seen an increase in the number of ordinary people who make reservations online. We also have many overseas guests who are interested in Japanese culture, so we communicate with each other using our smartphones to translate what we say." The difference from ordinary ryokan inns is that shukubo inns are run by priests and have a shrine sanctuary called Shinden in areas such as the hall. When pilgrimage groups stay at the inn, they purify themselves in the Shinden before visiting the shrine.

"Given that the number of farmers has been declining recently, hasn't the number of people who participate in group pilgrimages also been decreasing? What does the future hold for innkeepers?"
Chef Yamashita's direct question was answered by Mr. Utsuboya. "Thanks to our efforts to share information with the public, we are seeing an increase in public use and repeat customers, so I believe we can survive as a traditional inn. Mt. Mitake is a special place where the entire mountain is a precinct of the shrine, but there are people who live here, there is a time-honored food culture, and visitors can stay at inns on the mountain. There is so much charm to be explored. That is why we have given Mt. Mitake the tagline, "It's not just a mountain," he said.
"I see. That is very true. There are many tourist resources, and it would be interesting to see the spread of shukubo tourism from here. What I discovered throughout the day today is that when you visit Tama from central Tokyo, you get a strong appreciation for vegetables and food prepared by people and feel as though you have been welcomed into the community. I feel that this is the charm of Tama's gastronomy tourism that you cannot find in the metropolis," said Chef Yamashita in agreement.

The commoners of Edo began to enjoy traveling by visiting temples and shrines, going to distant regions, staying at shukubo inns, and experiencing the local food and sightseeing. Travelers who stayed at shukubo inns on Mt. Mitake to make a pilgrimage to Musashi Mitake Shrine in those days must have been impressed by the scrumptious delicacies of the mountains and rivers nurtured by the abundant nature. The food culture and hospitality of Tama has been handed down to this day and lives on in this land.

The region not only offers the traditional cuisine prized in the historic inns used by our ancestors, but also a growing number of new venues, such as Satologue, that connect countryside gastronomy to the future, demonstrating the generosity and appeal of the region. Located on the west side of Tokyo, Tama's climate and rich culinary culture rooted in history and tradition have a deep appeal that will draw you in the more you take the time to travel around.

（This article presents the implementation report of the project conducted by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government during the 2024 fiscal year, aimed at promoting the appeal of gastronomic tourism in Tokyo）

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