Language:
Miyakejima, a beautiful island in the Izu Islands chain, is located just a 50-minute flight from Chofu in Tokyo. On this trip, we asked Chef Minako Tanaka to sample the foods nurtured by the island's abundant energy.
Ever since the evacuation order, issued following a massive volcanic eruption in 2000, was lifted, the islanders have been working hard to revive Miyakejima's agriculture. Their
efforts make it possible to enjoy a variety of produce grown right on the island.
Nritano is a restaurant that serves vegetables grown to aid in this recovery. Its owner
Kenichiro Kikuchi welcomes visitors with dishes using island-caught fish and vegetables picked from Kikuchi Farm, operated by his parents and younger brother right next to the
restaurant.
Tanaka, who loves vegetables, started with a salad. She sampled the island okra, cucumber, figs, and dragon fruit. "You can taste the energy and nutrition in these vegetables," she
said with a smile. "Raw okra usually has a bitter and harsh taste, but this is so fresh, there's none of that. I'm really surprised!"
The photo above is the Kikuchi Farm
Fresh Salad. 1,000 yen. "The freshly picked vegetables have an amazing texture," says Tanaka.
"We thought about ways to help the islanders while they had to evacuate after the volcano erupted," says Kikuchi. "We decided to make a place where islanders and tourists could eat local foods in a casual atmosphere. My family grows vegetables to vitalize the local produce, and I proudly use them in my cooking." Each of Kikuchi's dishes conveys the energy and life force of the island. Come to this nature-rich environment and feel your body and mind energized.
[DATA]
nritano
Address: 421-5 Kamitsuki, Miyake-mura, Tokyo
Tel: 04994-2-1245
Hours: Opens around 18:00
(Varies by season and weather)
Closed: Sundays
