The Novelty of a Japanese Snack Flying
Genbikei Gorge is a two-kilometre stretch of the Iwai River located in Ichinoseki City, Iwate Prefecture’s second largest city. Rugged cliff formations line the sides of the river and during seasonal changes, such as in autumn, the foliage contrasts gorgeously with the marble-blue waters of the river. Walk along the designated path and admire the stunning beauty of the gorge in this lesser-known region of Japan.
At the pavilion near the start of the path, you might catch sight of a pulley system transporting a basket, looking as if it is flying down the gorge. That is the flying dango phenomenon! These sweet sticky Japanese-flavoured dumplings are sent to customers between Genbikei Gorge’s steep cliffs.
Kakkōya (郭公屋) is the shop that is behind the ingenuity of this flying dango phenomenon. An empty basket is delivered via a zipline, the customer places 500 yen in it and hits a wooden board with a mallet to signal that the money is ready for collection. The basket gets pulled back to the shop, and the products are sent over. Served in the basket is the Kakkō dango, a combination of three dango sticks in different flavours - mitarashi (sweet soy sauce), red bean and black sesame - and some tea to pair with the dangos. Kakkōya is located 5 minutes away from the gorge by foot, so you can choose to indulge in the shop’s offerings with a superb view.
Genbikei Gorge provides its visitors with a scenic and novel gourmet experience, making a lasting impression on your next visit to the Tohoku region.
Kakkōya (Genbikei Gorge)
Address: 211 Takinoue, Genbichō, Ichinoseki City, Iwate 021-0101, Japan
Website: https://www.ichitabi.jp/en/index.html
