Driving out of Obihiro toward the remote southeast coast of Hokkaido, the road hugs the edge of the Tokachi River flood plain. On the right, dense forests carpet the hills, home to wild Ezo shika (deer), while the fertile fields of Hokkaido’s agricultural heartland rush by on our left. Soon, these fields will turn green with wheat, corn and sugar beets, but on this early spring morning, their freshly tilled black soil sits waiting beneath the cold gray clouds, with only the occasional red-roofed barn adding a splash of color to the monochrome landscape.
My destination for lunch is an hour’s drive from Obihiro, near the tiny fishing village of Otsu, Toyokorocho, best known for the “jewelry ice” that forms on its beach in winter. Since 2009, this unlikely location has been the base of operations for the Elezo Group, a meat processing company owned by chef and restaurateur Shota Sasaki.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.