Do you know makomotake (Manchurian wild rice shoots)?
A premium ingredient used in Chinese cuisine and other dishes, it is known for its mild, delicate flavor and crisp texture.
Satosho Town, Okayama Prefecture, is actively engaged in producing makomotake.
Every year, to introduce people to its seasonal flavor, the “Satosho Makomotake Tasting Stamp Rally 2021” is held to coincide with the harvest season.
The 2021 event was held from September 13 to November 14.
You can buy fresh makomotake, available only this season, and menus featuring makomotake are offered at shops in Satosho Town and nearby!
Here we introduce the appeal of Satosho makomotake and the “Satosho Makomotake Tasting Stamp Rally 2021.”
The information below is about the 2021 event.
The next stamp rally is scheduled to be held from around late September 2023.
The information provided was current when this article was published in September 2021. Please note that it may differ from current information.
About Satosho Town
Located in southwestern Okayama Prefecture, Satosho Town is a compact bedroom community with a population of about 11,000 (as of July 31, 2021).
It is the hometown of singer-songwriter Fujii Kaze, who is enjoying a breakout year in 2021. Fujii Kaze’s songs play at Tsubaki-no-Oka Sports Park at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.
The town’s mascots are “Sato-chan” and “Makorin.”
Sato-chan is a camellia fairy who dislikes the heat. The camellia, Satosho Town’s official tree, comes into bloom in winter at places such as Tsubaki-no-Oka Sports Park.
Makorin is a fairy of “makomotake,” a specialty product of Satosho Town.
Nutrient-rich stems and leaves! What is “makomo”?
“Makomo” is a perennial grass in the rice family. Its stems and leaves can be eaten.
Here we introduce various processed products, along with ways to eat and use them.
Makomotake
Makomotake is the stem of “makomo,” a perennial grass in the rice family. It swells when infected with a harmless fungus called Ustilago esculenta.
Remove the green outer skin by hand or with a peeler, then eat the white part. Fresh makomotake can also be eaten raw.
It has no bitterness or strong flavor, and is mild and delicate, with a crisp texture like bamboo shoots.
Known as a premium ingredient used in Chinese cuisine, it can also be adapted for Japanese dishes such as rice cooked with other ingredients and tempura, as well as Western dishes such as pasta and sauteed dishes.
It contains plenty of dietary fiber and potassium, and is a healthy food said to help improve gut health and lower blood pressure.
There may be black spots on the white part. These are the fungus. They can be eaten safely without removing them.
Incidentally, blackened makomotake seems to have been used as a material for ohaguro (tooth blackening) during the Heian period.
Makomo is a plant that has existed in Japan since ancient times.
Fresh makomotake is available only from late September to early November, but vacuum-packed makomotake (150 g, ¥380 including tax; 500 g, ¥900 including tax) is sold year-round.
A variety of other processed products are also available at places such as the Makomotake Direct Sales Shop.
Makomo leaf powder
Makomo leaf powder is made by grinding makomo leaves into a powder (50 g, ¥1,500 including tax).
Besides being enjoyed as tea, its beautiful green color makes it useful for coloring dishes and sweets.
Because it is powdered, you can take in all of its natural nutrients, including dietary fiber and vitamins.
Makomo leaf rice crackers
These attractive green makomo leaf rice crackers (10 pieces, ¥350 including tax) are made with rice flour from Okayama Prefecture.
The Sato-chan branding is adorable, making these a great souvenir.
Makomo leaf gelato
HAPPY gelato at Kasaoka Bay Farm Roadside Station offers makomo leaf gelato, made with makomo leaves mixed in (¥450 including tax).
It has a faint green tint.
Along with the taste of milk, I enjoyed the delicious, distinctly Japanese aroma reminiscent of rush grass.
Fresh makomotake is only available from late September to early November, but I hope you’ll enjoy processed products all year round!
Bath Additive
It’s not just for eating. The bath additive made with makomo leaves (400 yen, tax included) is said to “leave your skin feeling silky smooth.”
It’s such a popular product that some people buy a whole large bagful.
Can you see the dried makomotake leaves inside?
In addition, the Makomo Direct Sales Shop also sells makomo croquettes and makomo burgers by reservation.
How Makomo Is Grown
Makomo is a plant grown throughout Japan. It belongs to the grass family and is cultivated in rice paddies, like rice.
Its leaves grow to over two meters tall!
The part of the stem that swells is about 50 centimeters from the base.
The makomotake harvest season is from late September to early November, though the timing may vary depending on the weather.
The process from cultivation to harvest is as follows.
| Month | Process |
|---|---|
| March | Collect old seedlings and divide the clumps. |
| May | Plant the rice seedlings. Weed the fields until harvest. |
| Late September to early November | Harvest by hand using sickles. |
It’s grown without using pesticides, herbicides, or insecticides!
Satosho Makomotake Tasting Stamp Rally 2021
The “Satosho Makomotake Tasting Stamp Rally 2021” is held every year by Satosho Town to encourage people to enjoy makomotake in season.
It began in 2013, and 2021 marks its ninth year.
During the event, you can receive one sticker when you spend at least 500 yen in total at participating stores, whether by eating dishes made with Satosho makomotake or shopping for products that include Satosho makomotake.
Stick two to five stickers on the entry postcard included with the pamphlet, fill in the required information, and submit it for a chance to win products from businesses in Satosho Town.
The prizes are as follows.
| Prize | Stickers required | Prize | Number of winners |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prize A | 5 stickers | Products from businesses in Satosho Town worth 6,000 yen | 1 |
| Prize B | 3 stickers | Products from businesses in Satosho Town worth 3,000 yen | 10 |
| Prize C | 2 stickers | Products from businesses in Satosho Town worth 1,000 yen | 30 |
The 2021 entry deadline is November 24. For entries sent by mail, the postmark must be dated on or before that day.
・Collect stickers from different stores.
・Put your entry in the designated box at the Planning and Commerce Division counter at Satosho Town Hall, or affix a 63-yen stamp and mail it (some participating stores also have designated entry boxes).
・One entry per postcard. You may enter as many times as you like.
Restaurants, confectionery shops, direct sales outlets, supermarkets, and other businesses in Satosho Town, Asakuchi City, and Kasaoka City are participating in the stamp rally.
The following stores offer menu items made with Satosho makomotake.
- Toriya Kaede [New] (Satosho Town)
- Okonomiyaki Lovely (Satosho Town)
- Shikiou Taiwanese Restaurant (Satosho Town)
- Fish Shop + Kitchen Nanatsuya (Satosho Town)
- SOL BAKERY (Satosho Town)
- Bizenya Kaikan (Satosho Town)
- Fresh Fish Restaurant Uosen (Satosho Town)
- Cafe Tirol (Satosho Town)
- Te-nobe Dining & Live Macaret (Satosho Town)
- Cafe @ Sun Lavian (Satosho Town)
- Kamogata-tei Main Branch (Asakuchi City)
- Patisserie Ciel (Asakuchi City)
- Seafood Restaurant Bushi no Hanamichi (Asakuchi City)
- Pan Cafe Assiette (Kasaoka City)
- Confectionery Workshop Berger (Asakuchi City)
Look forward to seeing what kinds of dishes feature Satosho makomotake!
Satosho makomotake is available for purchase at the following stores in Satosho Town.
- JA Hare no Kuni Okayama Kamogata Direct Sales Outlet “Nagomi”
- Morihara Store
- Makomotake Direct Sales Shop
- JA Hare no Kuni Okayama Satosho Direct Sales Outlet “Sato-chan”
- Fine
- Ono Liquor Store
Look for the green Satosho makomotake banners at participating stamp rally stores.
Products may not be available depending on the weather and the makomotake harvest.
Satosho Town is working as a community to promote its specialty product, Satosho makomotake.
What motivates the producers and the stamp rally organizers to take part?
We spoke with Ryo Ogino, Sales Manager at Agri KL Co., Ltd., a producer of Satosho makomotake, and Kosuke Hinotsu of the Planning and Commerce Division at Satosho Town Hall, which organizes the Satosho Makomotake Tasting Stamp Rally 2021.
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Hearing you say “delicious” is what gives Makorin energy!