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Savor San’in
San’in's food culture is shaped by its seasons, sea, soil, and spirit. Dishes are simple yet deep, often tied to local prayers, festivals, or the hands that made them.
We offer brewery visits with private sake tastings, opportunities to savor authentic shojin ryori Buddhist cuisine at temple lodges, and seasonal meals featuring local ingredients from San’in's mountains and sea.
San’in is believed to be the birthplace of sake, an origin that can be traced back to the myths of The Kojiki, the oldest existing record of Japanese history.
In the tale of Yamata-no-Orochi, Susano-o requests the creation of a particularly strong sake. This is then offered to Yamata-no-Orochi—the eight-headed serpent—who becomes so intoxicated that it can be easily slayed.
It is also said that during Kami-ari-zuki, known as "The Month of the Gods"—the 10th month of the lunar calendar—the gods gathered at Izumo Taisha and drank sake together. Raise your glass to centuries of tradition and visit local breweries like Asahi Shuzo, where sacred water and local rice become spiritual elixirs.
Experience Shojin Ryori (Buddhist vegetarian dishes) & Mountain Cuisine, crafted from wild vegetables and spring water, served in places like Sanrakuso on Mount Daisen.
The act of eating Shojin Ryori is a spiritual practice, designed to align the body and mind with the harmony of nature—much simpler when San’in's changing seasons are right outside your window.
As the seasons change, inspiring coastal spring strolls, summery beach days, hikes through autumnal forests, and trips to lavish winter onsen towns, so do the dishes. With every bite, discover the fresh flavors of another local specialty.
Whenever San’in calls to you, you'll discover a feast of Seasonal Flavors, waiting to welcome you into a world of new delights with every season.
Spring brings bamboo shoots, rakkyo (pickled scallions), and Sakura bass, while summer bursts forth with vibrant mountain greens, flying fish, and shijimi clams. As the leaves fall, experience juicy pears and persimmons, nodoguro (blackthroat seaperch), and Okuizumo maitake mushrooms, before winter blows in with Matsuba crab and deep-sea delicacies—best served alongside local sake.
With every dish, understand the true depths and diversity of the San’in region, overflowing with nature's bounty.
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