Nishiwaga Town in Iwate Prefecture is known for being surrounded by deep nature and for its heavy snowfall.
The bracken (warabi) harvested in Nishiwaga is superb — thick, tender, and truly impressive!
During its season, it plays a major role in our Japanese cuisine at BELLINO HOTEL.
This time, we introduce its production area.
Nishiwaga’s Bracken Is a Gift from the Mountains — The Fields of the Nishiwaga Industrial Corporation
Nishiwaga Town is about a 1-hour drive northeast from Ichinoseki.
We drove there surrounded by fresh green foliage.
We were guided by Mr. Kazuhiro Aizawa, General Manager of Nishiwaga Industrial Corporation.
Nishiwaga Industrial Corporation offers the charms of Nishiwaga’s nature, including local specialty products, hot springs, and operation of a roadside station.
We arrived at a field surrounded by nature!
Looking around…
There it was — thick, long, magnificent bracken!
This is a field of “black bracken” (kuro-warabi).
The part in the center of the photo, where the fronds haven’t yet unfurled, is at its best for eating.
Our staff got to try harvesting bracken.
You pick it a little above the base, at the point where it snaps off cleanly.
It has just the right amount of give, and once you’ve gathered a bundle, you can feel its weight.
This particular area is intentionally left unharvested for next time.
Why does Nishiwaga’s bracken grow so magnificently?
It’s said to be thanks to Nishiwaga’s climate and soil.
Nishiwaga is located almost in the center of the Ou Mountains, surrounded by mountains.
The bracken that grows from underground stems, having absorbed plenty of snowmelt water through the winter, comes out fresh and tender.
Truly a gift of nature.
Nishiwaga Isn’t Just About Bracken — Plenty of Other Wild Vegetables Too
In Nishiwaga’s rich natural environment, many other wild vegetables grow as well.
We found a variety of them in the fields of Nishiwaga Industrial Corporation, too.
General Manager Aizawa and our Japanese cuisine head chef Ueno harvested giant Solomon’s seal (Oo-naruko-yuri) and shoots of mountain garlic (gyoja-ninniku).
↑The new shoots of giant Solomon’s seal are what’s eaten.
↑Shoots of mountain garlic.
We harvested quite a lot!
From right to left: black bracken, giant Solomon’s seal, and mountain garlic shoots.
Afterward, we moved to Hotto Yuda Station, where we enjoyed wild-vegetable cuisine at a restaurant inside the Yumu Plaza in front of the station.
↑Wild vegetable tempura soba. The soba noodles are made using bracken starch.
↑Black bracken ohitashi (blanched and seasoned). Fresh and tender.
For the people of Nishiwaga Town, wild vegetables seem to be a familiar part of everyday life, enjoyed in many ways — as ohitashi, tempura, and even in miso soup.
Enjoy Nishiwaga’s Bracken and Wild Vegetables at BELLINO HOTEL ICHINOSEKI!
At BELLINO HOTEL ICHINOSEKI’s Japanese restaurant Nanohana, we use wild vegetables from Nishiwaga.
We also use plenty of ingredients produced in Iwate Prefecture.
We hope you’ll enjoy them!
《Reference》
★Nishiwaga Industrial Corporation official website
