Sumptuous Bamboo Shoot Cuisine At Takenoko

"Evergreen bamboo

Shoots cut down and thinly sliced

Boiled, to feast upon"

A Japanese haiku

to describe the bamboo shoot

There is a huge wooden carving of bamboo shoots in front of the restaurant.

The third tour of the Chiba Kun Ambassadors took us to Ōtaki (大多喜町) town, located in Isumi district of Chiba prefecture. The town is located right in the middle of the Bōsō Peninsular and 70% of the town is covered with forest, making it a prefect gateway escape from Tokyo to enjoy the richness of nature here. After our tour to Yoro Keikoku, it was lunch time, which I would say more often than not, the main highlight of each tour because we will be brought to taste the local specialties of each locations we visit.

This time, we dined at a restaurant - Takenoko, which specialises in Ōtaki's famous bamboo shoots or takenoko. ​The water running through the Bōsō mountains are clean and that is the main reason good grades of bamboo shots are found in this area. The harvesting season of bamboo shoots is from late April to May, where visitors get the chance to personally try and harvest the bamboo shoots by themselves.

A sign put up at the entrance door, to thank the customers for their patronage each time.

The interior of the restaurant in the first floor.

The Chiba Kun Ambassadors however, had our lunch on the second floor, in this beautifully furnished Japanese style washitsu.

Bamboo shoots as food have been part of the Asian diet for centuries, and are fast becoming popular in Western meals. The shoots are usually boiled before consumption because they are poisonous. The raw shoots contain hydrocyanic acid, and are very toxic. Peeling and boiling for five minutes will steam off the acid. Bamboo shoots do not have much nutritional value (most of the 'healthy' stuff is boiled off with the toxins), but they are yummy in stir-frys.

For the lunch, basically everything served in the menu was based on bamboo shoots, from pickled bamboo shoots, bamboo shoot rice, bamboo shoots in miso soup, and many more. It was my first time having bamboo shoot in miso soup and I gotta say it tasted really good. We were lucky that we got to request for seconds for the delicious bamboo shoots rice and also the bamboo shoots miso soup.

Our sumptuous takenoko lunch set.

Starters, that includes pickled bamboo shoots and radish, tamagoyaki (sweetened Japanese omelette), mountain vegetables, and Chiba's famous peanuts in miso.

Nimono (煮物), consisting of bamboo shoots, carrots, shiitake mushroom.

Bamboo shoot pickles in vinegar.

Bamboo shoot rice, topped with toasted sesame seeds.

Wild vegetables tenpura and deep-fried takenoko karaage.

Home made kiwi-flavoured yōkan.

Besides that, Ōtaki is also popular for its inoshishi-don (イノシシ丼) or wild boar don, and also buta-nabe (豚 鍋) or pork steamboat. The wild boars are commonly known to be an annoying animal that destroys the farm field, and that is one of the reason they are caught to be used in the local delicacies by the local villagers.

At Takenoko, besides the signature takenoko set, there are also wild boar stew and simmered miso deer meat among the other dishes in the menu. All of these dishes uses only the freshest ingredients found in the deep mountains of Ōtaki and it is certain satisfy anyone who wishes to try on the local meals in this humble little town.

|| INFORMATION ||

Kyodoryori Takenoko (郷土料理 たけのこ)
Opening hours: 11:00 - 22:00 (reservation required, except between the period of March 15 - May 15)
Tel: 0470-84-0368
Parking: Available 
Address: 181-2, Kurohara, Otaki-machi, Isumi-gun, Chiba Prefecture, 298-0255, Japan. 
Website: http://otaki-takenoko.main.jp/ (Japanese only)

Access: Train: From Ohara station (大原駅), take the Isumi Railway (いすみ鉄道) to Fusamoto station (総元駅) (approximately 45 minutes, 640yen), and the restaurant is 175 meters away.

Takean (竹庵)
Opening hours: 10:00 - 21:00  
Closed days: None
Seating: 7 tables (4 people) and an open terrace that fits 10 people.
Tel: 0470-80-1077
Parking: Available (50 spots) 
Address: 967, Horinouchi, Otaki-machi, Isumi-gun, Chiba Prefecture, 298-0224, Japan. 
Website: http://otaki-takenoko.main.jp/ (Japanese only)
Access: Train: From Ohara station (大原駅), take the Isumi Railway (いすみ鉄道) to Koyamatsu station (小谷松) (approximately 40 minutes, 580yen), and the restaurant is 1,158 meters away.

Spectacular Fall Colours of Yoro Keikoku

"Autumn is a second spring 

when every leaf is a flower."

Albert Camus

French Nobel Prize winning author, journalist, and philosopher

The three Chiba Kun Ambassadors, all-set to discover the beauty of Yoro Keikoku.

Chiba Prefecture is blessed with numerous spots where visitors get to enjoy gorgeous autumn foliage; and one of the most spectacular places to view the autumn artwork in full splendor is Yoro Keikoku (養老渓谷). Yoro Keikoku is a rugged, lush valley carved over centuries by the Yoro River, located in the central Bōsō Peninsular of Chiba Prefecture, between Otaki Town and Ichihara City.

On November 24, 2013, the Chiba Kun Ambassadors had the pleasure of visiting Yoro Keikoku as part of the third tour of the year. Cherry blossom or sakura may be the centre of attraction during spring here in Japan. Come autumn, it is the season which offers the special delight of the changing of the colour of the leaves. From a wide array of brilliant yellow, mellow orange and bright crimson red of the Japanese maple (momiji), this is the seasonal sight that is longed for. It is a display of a myriad of colours before the coming winter.

Not many leaves had turned their colours yet when we started our hiking.

However, slowly but surely, we were greeted with beautiful autumn foliage.

The sunlight shining through the colurful momiji leaves.

Hello! Watashi-wa Chiba Kun Taishi desu lol!

Steep densely forested hills surround Yoro Keikoku, as the picturesque Yoro River carves its way into the Pacific Ocean. The valley has the Osawamata-no-taki Falls, often called Maboroshi-no-taki, or the mirage waterfalls. The best and most popular spot in this region however, is the Awamata-no-taki Falls (粟又の滝), located in the mountains about 4 kilometers upstream. With a height of 30 meters and clear water running over a distance of 100 meters down stair-shaped rocks, this waterfall is the biggest waterfall in Chiba. This earned the waterfall it praise for its resemblance to silk cloth spreading out from the top of the mountain.

Yoro Keikoku is well known as the slowest spot in Kanto region, where you get to enjoy the breathtaking sight of yellow, orange and striking crimson red leaves. Local tourism association holds a momiji festival every year in late November to celebrate the spectacular autumn foliage. During this period, there are also light-ups held at certain spots and this gives visitors the chance to enjoy the beautiful autumn foliage at night.

 Sometimes, I just lost for words to describe the beauty of the autumn leaves.

And the magical view is reflected on the crystal clear river.

You can choose to enjoy the magnificent autumn foliage either looking up or down the river, because both looks equally great.

Apt to its name, there are several little waterfalls along the "Taki-meguri" course.

There are several courses where visitors can choose from to enjoy the autumn foliage in Yoro Keikoku, namely the "Taki-meguri" course (滝めぐりコース), which is approximately 4 kilometers, the "Bungalow-mura & Kōbundōato" course (バンガロー村・弘文洞跡コース), approximately 7.4 kilometers and the "Daifukuzan & Umegase" course (大福山・梅ヶ瀬コース), approximately 9.6 kilometers. Disappearing down one of the trails, one can experience entering the world of nature far removed from the mega metropolis of Tokyo.

The "Taki-meguri" course is one of the most common course taken by visitors. It is a 1.7-kilometer walkaway, which has been constructed on the west bank of the river. Here, visitors can enjoy the sound of the stream flowing down from the mountain, as they stroll along the Yoro River. This spot is especially crowded during autumn, as visitors get to view the beautiful autumn leaves.

This is the course we took on the day (source).

 As we head to the end to see the highlight of the place, we just could not get enough of the magical sight surrounding us.

Blazing red momiji looks great when the sunlight shines upon them.

However, the steps going down to the walkway from the Awamata-no-taki bus stop is rather steep (and slippery on raining days) and might not be friendly to children and the elderly. Also, as Yoro Keikoku is one of the most popular spots for autumn foliage viewing during its peak season in late November, it is recommended that you avoid the weekends. Alternatively, if your schedule only permits you to visit the place during the weekends, it is advisable to go early, ahead of the tour groups who normally reach there by ten in the morning.

Finally, I'd be remiss not to mention the numerous hot springs (onsen) in the Yoro Keikoku area, some of the best in all of Chiba Prefecture. Here, you can relax in a hot natural mineral bath after you day out hiking, or spend the night at some. In fact, after your hike you should relax your aching feet in the free hot spring foot-bath (ashiyu, 足湯) at Yoro Keikoku station. Another unique thing about the hot spring in this area, also known as the Yoro Keikoku hot spring village, is the onsen with black-coloured water (kuroyu, 黒湯). In addition, there are also sites for outdoor activities such as fishing, barbecues and camping, where you may want to set aside time to enjoy yourselves.

And finally, the long-awaited Awamata-no-taki (栗又の滝), at the end of the course.

In a nutshell, despite of its remote location, hidden in the middle of Chiba prefecture, Yoro Keikoku is indeed a lovely place to experience nature's artwork in full splendor, and get off the beaten track at any time of the year, especially during the amazing autumn season.

|| INFORMATION ||

Yoro Keikoku
Taki-meguri Course (滝めぐりコース): Approximately 4 kilometers.
Bungalow-mura & Kōbundoōato Course (バンガロー村・弘文洞跡コース): Approximately 7.4 kilometers.
Daifukuzan & Umegase Course (大福山・梅ヶ瀬コース): Approximately 9.6 kilometers.
Parking spaces: Available
Tel: 0436-22-8355 (Ichihara Tourist Association) (closed on Monday)
Tel: 0470-80-1146 (Otaki Tourist Association) (closed on Monday)
Website: http://www.youroukeikoku.com/ (Japanese only) (Yoro Keikoku Sightseeing Association)
Access:
Train:
※ Tokyo station (東京駅) to Goi station (五井駅) (approximately 60 minutes), on JR Keiyo Line and JR Uchibō Line (limited express) (JR京葉線 & JR内房線), and then Goi station (五井駅) to Yoro-keikoku station (養老渓谷駅) (approximately 60 minutes), on Kominato Line (小湊鉄道)
※ Ohara station (大原駅) to Kazusa-nakano station (上総中野駅) (approximately 60 minutes), on Isumi Line (いすみ鉄道), and then Kazusa-nakano station (上総中野駅) to Yoro-keikoku station (養老渓谷駅) (approximately 8 minutes), on Kominato Line (小湊鉄道).
Car:※ From Tokyo, exit Ichihara IC (市原IC) (via Tateyama Expressway, 館山自動車道), take Route 297 and Route 81 (via Ushiku, 牛久) to Yoro-keikoku.
※ From Kanagawa, exit Kisarazu IC (木更津IC) (via Tokyo Bay Aqualine, 東京湾アクアライン), take Route 410 and Route 32 (via Kururi, 久留里) to Yoro-keikoku.