Nov 28, 2023 (Japan by Food) - Ibusuki, located on the southern tip of the Satsuma Peninsula in Kagoshima Prefecture, is renowned for its unique geothermal activity due to being in a volcanic region. Additionally, Ibusuki is recognized for its picturesque coastal scenery, including the beautiful Kinko Bay. Shizuka explores all of this and more on this by Food adventure!
Our first stop is Daimaru Katsuobushi Factory, where Shizuka goes behind the scenes of katsuobushi production. Katsuobushi is dried and fermented skipjack tuna, which is a fundamental ingredient in washoku (Japanese cuisine) known for its intense umami flavor. Shizuka runs us through the production cycle (processing, cleaning, freezing, drying, smoking, fermenting, and drying) before getting in on the action! She bravely enters a minus thirty (and then a minus fifty) katsuobushi freezer. After this, she defrosts outside and tries fresh katsuobushi and a healthy regional soup dish called cha bushi.
Next, Shizuka visits and experiences one of Ibusuki’s top claims to fame; natural hot sand baths! Ibusuki has the only natural sand baths in the world, making it a popular destination for domestic and overseas travelers looking for rejuvenation.
After brushing off the sand, it’s time for lunch! Ibusuki has geothermal steam areas, which are used as public cooking areas. Shizuka steams eggs, potato, and okra for lunch before moving on to the day's final stop; a somen noodle restaurant of a different kind. Tosenkyo Somen Nagashi is a somen noodle restaurant that uses fresh spring water from a nearby gorge. Typically, nagashi somen noodles flow down a bamboo chute, but at this restaurant, they flow in a circular motion in the middle of your table.
