Ishikawa
Unique arts and culture from Kanazawa, small Kyoto
Ishikawa prefecture is located in Chubu region of the main island of Honshu. Kanazawa, the capital of Ishikawa is called small Kyoto due to its preservation of traditional Japanese houses.
The Maeda clan that ruled Ishikawa in Edo period encouraged arts and culture, thus Ishikawa has developed unique local products.
Kanazawa, the capital of Ishikawa prefecture, was reigned by the Maeda Clan, the second most powerful feudal clan after Tokugawa, which led the Edo era.
With that background and its isolated location far from Kyoto and Tokyo, Kanazawa developed its own culture and a way of life. Kenrokuen in Kanazawa is known as one of the three most beautiful gardens in Japan.
Kabura sushi - malted rice and salted yellowtail wrapped with pickled turnip
Kaga cuisine - various local dishes of seafoods and mountain products locally grown in Ishikawa
Shio yakisoba - salt chow mein with local vegetables in Komatsu city
Mizuhiki is a decorative cord used for tying around a gift wrapped in beautiful paper.
Ishikawa was called Kaga in the past and Kaga Mizuhiki is a local product in Ishikawa.
Wajima lacquer is known as a high quality utility lacquer. Its technique was established in late 17th century. It was sold to other regions of Japan through sea and road transportation.
Kutani Ware is a type of pottery made around Kaga area. Kutani Ware is characterized by gorgeous and vivid design.
Yamanaka Lacquerware Stainless Bottle
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Craftsmanship in your hands
The techniques of Yamanaka Lacquerware, a traditional craft of Ishikawa Prefecture, are richly used in the making of each stainless steel bottle.
Each bottle is hand-painted with gradation, gold leaf, and coating by craftsmen, and then finished with Ukiyoe and other traditional Japanese graphics using master painting techniques. Therefore these premium stainless steel bottles have a high quality luster and three-dimensional effect that cannot be found anywhere else.
SOGEN SAMURAI
Sogen Sake Brewery
SOGEN SAMURAI is a series of Japanese sake created by a brewery in Ishikawa Prefecture reputed to be the birthplace of Noto Toji brewing style, which is known for its strong commitment to bring out the rich rice flavors. As a result, their sake is characterized by umami-rich exuberant flavors. Noto has a unique culture of salt production that dates back to Edo Period. Therefore, the local cuisine has a strong flavor seasoned with salt, which is why Noto Toji brewing style that produces Japanese sake full of rich flavor of the rice was born as a counterpart to the local cuisine. The founder’s family is the Hatakeyama samurai clan who built the Nanao Castle located in the middle of the Noto Peninsula. High-ranking samurai warriors, who were allowed to fight on horseback, carried a spear called “yari” on the battlefield. It is said that the mark on the label represents a spearhead, which was used as the company’s logo as a symbol of their pride of being a high-ranking samurai. Originally, the name “Sogen” written in Kanji was used in their labels, but the traditional spearhead logo was employed with the growth of inbound business and overseas exports in mind. As a result, the company often receives questions about its origin and the meaning of the logo from many overseas customers, which helps boost communication about its background as a samurai clan.