70th Anniversary Afternoon Tea
The blessings of nature connected by mountains, rivers, sea and land
From Shima Time Winter 2020 Edition
Iitaka-cho in Matsusaka City, where forestry is thriving, is known as Kahadakyo Gorge together with the neighboring Iinan-cho, and is a place called Moto-Ise, where the legend of the division of the provinces between YAMATO and Ise remains. There is a large rock called Tsubuteishi in the Kushida River, where it is said that Amenokoyane-no-Mikoto of Kasuga and Amaterasu-Omikami of Ise threw a giant rock to determine the border.
The hotel came up with the idea of creating an afternoon tea stand to commemorate its 70th anniversary using timber from Mie Prefecture, and commissioned Mokuichi Marugo Co., Ltd., a sawmill located in Sakutaki, Iitaka Town, to produce it.
The interior of Mokuichi is filled with handcrafted furniture and tableware made from wood from Mie Prefecture.
The project was produced by Hitoshi Maekawa, the sales manager who also works with foresters on tourism that conveys the value of forests. Seeking the beauty of tree rings, Maekawa, who handles about 30 types of wood from Japan and abroad, chose carefully selected timber from Mie Prefecture for this project. To match the atmosphere of the historic hotel, he chose zelkova, which has a strong and elegant texture and is also used in temple architecture and old houses, and horse chestnut, which has a beautiful grain known as ripple marks. Both are broad-leaved trees that grow naturally in the forests of Ise, the local area, and represent the diversity of the forest.
Maekawa-san from Mokuichi was in charge of production.
"Currently, forests are overwhelmingly planted with coniferous trees such as cedar and cypress, and the biodiversity of the forest is being lost. The fallen leaves of broad-leaved trees enrich the soil and become a source of nutrients that flow into the sea. Without these, marine life will naturally be affected. There is a cycle in which rain falls on lush forests, water containing nutrients from the mountains flows from rivers to the sea, and fish that feed on seaweed and plankton thrive. While talking with the hotel staff, I empathized with their efforts in ' Ise-Shima Gastronomy,' and I wanted to express the importance of the mountains." The wooden stand embodies the desire for the cycle and regeneration of the natural environment of mountains, rivers, and the sea.
The design expresses a feeling of gratitude towards nature.
Executive Chef Higuchi and Chef Kurino receive an explanation from Mr. Kaneya about the details of the production process.
We visited the workshop of Mr. Maekawa, who selected the wood, and Mr. Makoto Kanaya, the artist who created the piece.
Executive Chef Higuchi said, "Throughout the hotel's long-standing tradition, we have conveyed the richness of nature, such as the sea and mountains, through our cuisine. The hotel is located at the foot of Ise Grand Shrine, where we pray for gratitude and the cycle of nature, and we wanted to express that image with a wooden stand."
The central piece uses horse chestnut wood, while the sides use zelkova wood to represent the three rivers flowing into Ise Bay.
Kanaya says he stood on the Uji Bridge in front of the Inner Shrine of Ise and incorporated the feelings he received there. "The lid is made up of three planks, representing the Kushida River, Miyagawa River, and Isuzu River that flow into Ise Bay, expressing the cycle from the forests of Ise to the sea. The trapezoidal shape represents the feeling of crossing the Uji Bridge and entering the refined space of the shrine. The handle represents the image of the sun, a symbol of the shrine, beautifully rising over the torii gate beyond the Uji Bridge."
After seeing the prototype and hearing about the design concept, Executive Chef Higuchi said he was very happy to hear about the thoughts of Maekawa and Kanaya. Kanaya said, "When I heard that, I almost cried. We didn't use any nails in the stand, and we stuck to traditional wooden joinery." Chef Kurino, head chef of the cafe and wine bar "Lien" and teppanyaki restaurant "Yamabuki," said, "For the afternoon tea, in addition to seasonal ingredients, we want to incorporate more local ingredients and create something that allows people to feel the charm of Mie, a treasure trove of food, along with the thoughts put into the stand."
Afternoon Tea to commemorate the hotel's 70th anniversary, starting January 6, 2021.
Bathed in soft sunlight, Café & Wine Bar "Lien" is located within a national park, where nature is preserved and the landscape is dominated by evergreen broadleaf trees. The wooden stand for afternoon tea, created to commemorate the hotel's 70th anniversary, exudes a warmth and texture that blends seamlessly into Lien's tranquil atmosphere.
In winter, we use strawberries from Mie Prefecture to create a variety of sweets. You can also enjoy Japanese-style sweets using seasonal ingredients and Ise tea. For savory items, we use luxurious ingredients such as Matsusaka beef. The bounty of the sea comes from the richness of the mountains. This afternoon tea expresses the "Ise-Shima Gastronomy" that the hotel has cherished, and is filled with the charm of Mie, nurtured together with nature, the local climate, and the lives of its people.
*Reservations required (by 5:30 PM the day before)
| Rates | ¥3,968 (¥4,800) |
|---|---|
| Operating Hours | 11:30 - 17:30 |
| Café & Wine Bar “Lien” | the CLUB 2F 11:30 - 21:00 (Last Order 20:30) *Our business hours have been changed. *Please note that after 8:30 PM, only those 20 years of age or older are permitted to use our facilities. |
| Lian Yamabuki Head Chef Masaya Kurino | After graduating from Kyoto Culinary School in 1993, he honed his skills at hotels in Kyoto, Nara, and Shiga prefectures, and in 2020 became the head chef of Teppanyaki Yamabuki at Shima Kanko Hotel. Utilizing his extensive on-the-job experience, he offers teppanyaki that allows diners to enjoy conversation and a lively atmosphere at the counter. |
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Shima Kanko Hotel quarterly magazine "Shima Time"
As the seasons change, Shima Kanko Hotel quarterly magazine, "Shima Time," introduces the four seasons of Ise-Shima through the local culture and abundant nature.
