A Samurai General’s Castle Town

trip and trail 11.1.2020

I had planned a sea kayak tour in Ine with my family for vacation, but there was a place I wanted to spend some time before that, and it was on the way up towards the Sea of Japan. And that place was Fukuchiyama.

Since Akechi Mitsuhide (samurai general to Oda Nobunaga) created the castle town of Fukuchiyama hundreds of years ago, it has been a transportation hub connecting the Tango region, Tamba, Osaka, and Kyoto. I wanted to see what the ambitions of such a notorious samurai created.

For our accommodation, I chose a farm stay because they are becoming increasingly popular. Also my wife and my parents’, that is our two daughters’ grandparents, both live in the city, so we really don’t have any connection to country living. That was the main reason why I wanted to experience the traditional Japanese countryside with my family.

My family was also really enthusiastic about our one night/two day Fukuchiyama trip, after which we would head to the fishing town of Ine.

100% buckwheat noodles Freshly made

This area is home to well known “oni” (demon or ogre) legends, as well as a local specialty called “oni soba.” For the first leg of our trip we headed to the mountain village of Oe where we stopped at the restaurant, Onigasoba. It’s in a renovated old-fashioned farmhouse. We waited by the hearth for the soba to be made while eating grilled local chicken wishbones and river fish that the proprietress grilled in front of us.

Our girls usually only eat fish fillets so they jumped at the chance to have freshly grilled river-fish on skewers. The chicken breast meat was served still on the wishbones, reminding me a little of how pine needles look, with the meat fanned out on the bones. You can hold the chicken in your hands and eat the flavorful meat without getting them dirty.

We came to try the 100% buckwheat flour soba made fresh. The more I chewed, the more the natural soba flavor filled my mouth. I ordered river shrimp tempura that had a perfectly crispy crunch. The woman serving us wasted nothing; we were even served the nutrient rich water the soba was cooked in. On top of the amazing food, the restaurant was located in an idyllic, rustic landscape that could be viewed from the sliding glass windows. The hospitality at Onigasoba was warm, and it made me feel as if I had returned to my hometown.

To the Castle!

Eating at Onigasoba was a great way to start our trip. From there we headed to the center of Fukuchiyama, where the castle and surrounding town is located. First we stopped at the tourist association’s information center located at JR Fukuchiyama station. There is a TV drama running on NHK that centers around Akechi Mitsuhide (the samurai who rebuilt the castle here), and the information center has a lot of souvenirs related to this.

Fukuchiyama also seems to be focusing on promoting itself as a town of “meats and sweets,” because we received a booklet that featured all the dessert shops and meat-specialty restaurants conveniently marked on a tourist map.

We actually took way more information than we’d be able to read in a day, and decided to put it aside temporarily to check out Fukuchiyama Castle.

From the lot where we parked our car, the castle already looked impressive with its bridge arching up over a moat protecting the castle. It was selected as one of the "Top 100 Japanese Castles (Continued)" and as such presents quite a picture. The castle keep was rebuilt in 1986 with donations from citizens. Both the castle tower and castle’s main stone wall retain the remnants of when Mitsuhide built it centuries ago.

Stone walls of this type of construction are called “nozomi.” In addition to natural stones, other stones such as building stones and tombstones have been used, giving it a really unique look. From the castle keep, which has been maintained as a museum, you can look out over the entire castle town and the magnificent Yura River running through it. And speaking of the Yura River, Mitsuhide was the first to replace the Yura River’s retaining wall, which often flooded, even back then. The layout of the castle and town offers a glimpse into Mitsuhide's prowess, not only as a military commander, but as a city planner. As I looked out from the tower walls, I wondered what Mitsuhide used to think about when taking in this same view.

Young farmers carry the legacy of the area’s famous chestnut desserts

After leaving the castle, we went to Otoemon’s main store, a shop which is famous for chestnut desserts that my wife was very eager to visit. The building, which is also a designated cultural property of the city, helps carry on the atmosphere that we were walking through a castle town.

My wife was intent on the pound cake "Chestnut Terrine Heaven" that uses Tamba chestnuts and is limited to the main store. Tamba chestnuts are large, sweet, and rich in flavor and have been used as gifts for the imperial court since the Heian period.

As expected of a dessert of this quality, the pound cake was heavy and packed with chestnuts. Personally, I couldn't wait to try the extraordinary chestnuts so I decided to buy some freshly baked chestnut desserts that we could eat right there at the store.

After indulging ourselves, my daughters wanted to explore the nearby riverside path so we all went to the raised embankment that doubles as a walking and bike path. From the embankment, you can see Fukuchiyama Castle and “Akechi Yabu,” which is said to have been built by Mitsuhide as part of the work to restore the levee. Looking around from the embankment, it was easy to see that the area is a large river basin because of the surrounding Oeyama Mountain Range and Yakuno area. The western sky was a beautiful gradation of blue to orange, and before I knew it, the sky started to look higher and more expansive, a sign that autumn was approaching.

While we still had good sunlight, we headed to "Kobayashi Farm,", which is also certified as an eco-farm. While planning the trip, this was a location my wife really wanted to visit. At Kobayashi Farm, you can buy juice made from tomatoes harvested in summer and drink it on the farm for the ultimate tomato experience. Their exquisite "Tomato Juice" has a surprising sweetness and gentle acidity. It’s no wonder that it sells out. Even as someone who doesn’t often prefer the sweetness of fruit juice, I finished the entire bottle before I even knew it.

Having already tried Tamba’s amazing chestnuts at Otoemon, we wanted to learn a little more about why Fukuchiyama is a famous production area for Tamba chestnuts. An increasing number of young people are moving to the area and starting chestnut farms in order to help protect this rare Tamba chestnut. To learn more, we headed for Hata Chestnut Garden. Mr. Hata's new farm is currently one hectare. On it there are two hundred and seventy five chestnut trees across five different varieties, all of which have been planted and cultivated in grass without using herbicides and without relying on chemical fertilizers. Mr. Hata's “Tamba Chestnut” won the "Governor's Award" at the Kyoto Prefectural Fair, and was certified as a “quality good” by Fukuchiyama, which is very high praise. We walked through the chestnut grove, admiring the trees. I think there is something to nature therapy, because I felt healthier just being there, looking at the green undergrowth of the chestnut trees in perfect harmony with the natural environment.

A self-styled meat-specialty town

Before checking in at our farm stay inn for the night, we decided on an early dinner near the castle town. Fukuchiyama is known as a town that specializes in meat after all. After examining the restaurants featured in the booklets we received from the tourist information center, we chose Ninokichi. The restaurant serves a variety of yakiniku (grilled meat) dishes as well as creative concept dishes thought up by the chef who also studied French cuisine. I also thought that the girls would be happy if there were a lot of choices. I felt we made a great choice even before we entered the restaurant, as the chef personally came out to greet us upon arrival.

We ordered a variety of dishes off of the menu, including beef tongue served with salt that is only hand cut after being ordered. The French inspired dish got more flavorful as we ate it. Another popular, albeit hidden, item on the menu is wild boar. The chef has a unique way of preparing it, lightly roasting the meat once, then soaking it in soy sauce before baking it twice. The meat’s sweetness complements the fragrant soy sauce, removing any of the animal smell that often accompanies wild game. Our daughters loved the dish. The bagna cauda dressing served with crispy seasonal vegetables was a great pairing for all of the meat dishes we ordered. It was a really fun dinner, and we had a great time chatting with the restaurant staff and local patrons.

On the way to our inn, we passed in front of Fukuchiyama Castle again. With the castle tower lit up, the area took on an air of fantasy. The scene looked almost ethereal.

We learned about an event that was scheduled to take place in October, where Fukuchiyama castle would be illuminated with projection mapping every night for a set period. I would love to come back and see how they blend technology with traditional culture.

Experiencing the Country with Warm Hospitality

Finally we went to the inn after a long day of activity and delicious food. We chose to stay at "Furumaya," a farmhouse where visitors can experience rural life. Upon arrival, our host, Sayaka Sawada (co-owner with her husband) was there to welcome us. And we quickly learned that Sayaka’s husband is French! Our girls, who can sometimes be hesitant around new people, were easily won over by the Sawada family’s friendly and kind nature.

Without even unpacking my luggage I sunk into relaxation mode upon entering the house. It was a supremely relaxing space. I was filled with the best kind of tiredness, that of having spent a great day with my family. I roused myself enough to draw a bath in a really spacious tub, where I simply melted. After we all had a soak, we spent time playing games together in the lounge. It really felt as though I went to a good friend’s house for the night because we were all so relaxed and happy.

In the morning, I woke up with the rising sun shining through the large window in my room. It was already dark when we arrived the night before so we couldn’t see the view that well, but in front of me was the most peaceful rural landscape. When I opened the window, the clean, crisp air brought in with it the smell of the mountains. And on top of that, the dining room was already smelling like breakfast was on its way.

My daughters had already beaten me there and were choosing which rocking chairs to sit in.

And the meal was incredible! In addition to vegetables grown with pesticide-free and chemical-free fertilizers, rice polished by hand, and wild foraged edibles, they served home-cooked dishes using local ingredients.

The Japanese breakfast was full of small dishes: bowls of vegetables, freshly picked eggs available in the neighborhood, and others. Each dish was carefully prepared in order to maximize the freshness of the ingredients. Even the rice, which I eat daily, was so fresh and clean tasting that I had taken second helpings without even thinking about it.

The Sawada family explained that they get a fair amount of foreign visitors who prefer having a western-style breakfast. And so we also had the option of toast, fruit, and yogurt (which we also chose to partake in!). Our girls were delighted when they saw the fluffy French toast and pancakes that were make with freshly collected eggs.

It was a little sad leaving Furumaya. Even though it was only a one night stay, I felt as if I had been there for days. Maybe it was because I was able to relax so easily. I felt reinvigorated, like I had been on a long nature retreat.

We had a bit of a whirlwind trip through Fukuchiyama; I can’t believe how much we did in just a day. But I still felt really relaxed afterwards, filled with so many good memories of time spent with my family.

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