I moved to Kurashiki City in late November 2023, and it has been about two weeks since then.
While I was thinking that I wanted friends who have experience in relocating, and hopefully to eat delicious food in Kurashiki... I was just trying to get used to my daily life.
Seeing my situation, a staff member from the "Kurashiki Relocation and Settlement Promotion Office" at the Kurashiki City Office introduced me to a relocation experience event in Kurashiki City. The accommodation facility that serves as the base for this tour is "DENIM HOSTEL float". My experience of staying at this hotel when I visited Kurashiki as a tourist in the summer of 2022, and being impressed by the delicious food and the leisurely flow of time, was one of the reasons I decided to relocate to Kurashiki.
I immediately replied, "I definitely want to participate!" and joined the event.
What is the journey to meet the people connecting Kurashiki's "Food x Culture"?
From December 9 (Saturday) to December 11 (Monday), 2023, a journey to meet the people connecting Kurashiki's "Food x Culture" was held.
This tour is organized by Kurashiki City, but it comes with generous support from the staff of TURNS, a magazine and web magazine that connects people interested in the region and relocation.
On the day of the event, 11 participants from outside Okayama Prefecture who are interested in relocating to Kurashiki City joined.
Itinerary of the day
The Kurashiki Relocation Experience Tour: Journey to Meet the People Connecting Kurashiki's "Food x Culture" is a three-day event where participants can experience the representative gourmet of Kurashiki, from traditional foods rooted in daily life to new attractions that are gaining attention. Participants were provided opportunities to meet the people who inherit and convey Kurashiki's food culture.
I participated in the second day's program.
GRAPE SHIP
The first place we visited was the natural wine brewery "GRAPE SHIP" located in the Funao Keio area of Kurashiki City.
Here, they brew natural wine (nature wine) using grapes called "Muscat of Alexandria", which have been cultivated in Funao for over 130 years.
During this tour, we experienced the process of transferring grapes to barrels and bottling. The participants seemed nervous at first, but as they got used to the tasks, they began to cooperate and encourage each other.
The large grapes we usually eat are mostly water. On the other hand, during the process of pressing grapes to make wine, it is desirable for the moisture of each grape to be reduced to bring out its flavor. Therefore, they are intentionally cultivated to be smaller.
Wine made only from Kurashiki ingredients using Muscat of Alexandria grapes is very rich and truly fits the phrase "drinking grapes." It had a solid flavor and was very delicious.
After using our bodies in the experience, we enjoyed the original spice curry at the restaurant "pile" located within the hotel "DENIM HOSTEL float," operated by the local coordinator of this tour, Yohei Yamawaki, co-representative of ITONAMI.
The freshly made curry was prepared by the float staff at the entrance of the brewery. The three types of achar (Indian pickles) were a nice accent, and I enjoyed mixing the achar with the curry to experience various flavors.
Kurashiki Cheese Factory Harupalu
After satisfying our hunger with wine and curry, the participants headed to the "Kurashiki Cheese Factory Harupalu" located in Tamashima To, Kurashiki City.
Here, we produce cheese using the high-quality milk from Miyake Farm, which has been in operation for three generations since 1958 (in May 2021, it received the Excellent Award at the 2020 Chugoku Region Quality Raw Milk Shipper Awards from the Chugoku Raw Milk Sales Agricultural Cooperative Association). The representative, Haruka Miyake, was born and raised in Kurashiki, went to Hokkaido to study dairy farming at university, and returned to Miyake Farm, which is managed by her family, making her an experienced U-turner.
This time, we experienced mozzarella cheese making.
Cheese is said to be delicate, with its flavor changing based on how it is mixed, the temperature and amount of hot water used, and how it is torn. Everyone was seriously engaged in the process. As the cheese was worked on, it became increasingly glossy, almost like magic, and it was a lot of fun.
The cheese we made was also tasted on the spot. The mozzarella cheese with wasabi soy sauce, recommended by Miyake, was rich and made my cheeks feel like they were going to fall off.
Bikan Historical Area
Next, we headed to the Bikan Historical Area. Here, it was free time, and everyone was sightseeing on their own.
We were able to see beautiful autumn leaves.
Bookstore "aru"
Before returning to the hotel, we also stopped by the bookstore "aru", run by Yuka Akashi, who lives in both Kojima and Tokyo.
It was a time when we were starting to feel a bit tired from the packed program, but the calm space overlooking the gentle Seto Inland Sea was soothing to our hearts.
DENIM HOSTEL float
In the evening, a networking event was held at DENIM HOSTEL float. This event was attended by seniors who have moved to Kurashiki, including Akashi, the owner of aru.
The meal featured a special menu created by the restaurant pile located within float for this occasion. Participants enjoyed mozzarella cheese made at Halparu Cheese Workshop and wine from GRAPE SHIP.
All the dishes were delicious and paired well with wine, and we enjoyed a lively atmosphere for nearly three hours surrounded by the experienced seniors who had moved here.
Conclusion
A luxurious Kurashiki relocation experience tour that allows you to enjoy Kurashiki's "food" with all five senses. It was very impressive to see that both the producers and the senior residents love the city of Kurashiki and take pride in the products cultivated here.
In particular, the wine from GRAPE SHIP, the cheese from Haruparu Cheese Factory, and the dishes from pile are all handmade. I completely fell in love with the charm of the "food" that can only be tasted by living in Kurashiki.
The wine from GRAPE SHIP and the cheese from Haruparu Cheese Factory are also available for purchase online.
If you're interested, why not give them a try?
Kurashiki Relocation Experience Tour: A Journey to Meet People Connecting Kurashiki's "Food × Culture"
| Name | Kurashiki Relocation Experience Tour: A Journey to Meet People Connecting Kurashiki's "Food × Culture" |
|---|---|
| Date | December 9 (Saturday) to December 11 (Monday), 2023 |
| Location | Kurashiki, Tamashima, Kojima |
| Participation Fee (including tax) | Participation fee: 10,000 yen |
| Website | Kurashiki Relocation Experience Tour: A Journey to Meet People Connecting Kurashiki's "Food × Culture" |
