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A set of delicious dishes that tell the story of the Kitamae-bune Maritime Road, a Japan Heritage site
Yamagata Prefecture
Chef Suda, the cuisine master of Okimizuki, a restaurant at the Kamo Aquarium, has developed a lunch course inspired by the historic Kitamae-bune Maritime Road.
The 12-dish menu includes mukisoba, a type of buckwheat imported to the region by way of the kitamae-bune (“ships that go to Hokkaido”); sesame tofu and kama-age soba from the Zen temple Eiheiji; and salted cod and safflower-pressed sushi.
The Kitamae-bune Maritime Road, a Japan Heritage site since 2017, played a pivotal role among Japan’s shipping routes from the 17th to the 19th century. It connected ports along Japan’s western seacoast, facilitating trade between Hokkaido and the southern territories encompassing Kyoto and Setouchi. The route was essential for the transportation of goods, especially rice, but also timber, seafood, and various products from major hubs in Japan.
The kitamae-bune merchant ships were manned by skilled seafarers who braved the perilous waters off the coast, seeking riches by procuring and reselling goods at the next port. For his Kitamae-bune Course, Chef Suda features delicacies brought to Tsuruoka (a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy) by these ships.
How to get there
By plane: From Haneda Airport, fly to Shonai Airport (about 1 hour) and take the airport bus to Tsuruoka Station (about 20 minutes). From there, take the bus bound for Yunohama Onsen via Kamo Aquarium (Kamo Suizokukan). Get off the bus at Kamo Suizokukan (about 35 minutes).
By train: From Tokyo Station, take the JR Joetsu Shinkansen to Niigata Station (about 2 hours).Transfer at Niigata Station for the JR Inaho Express to Tsuruoka Station (about 2 hours). From there, take the bus bound for Yunohama Onsen via Kamo Aquarium (Kamo Suizokukan). Get off the bus at Kamo Suizokukan (about 35 minutes).
657-1 Okubo, Imaizumi, Tsuruoka-shi, Yamagata-ken
