Honjamaka’s Ishizuka Travels Japan, Sharing Fateful Encounters and Delicious Memories

Introducing dishes I encountered while traveling

Hello everyone! It suddenly got cold, so I, Hidehiko Ishizuka, switched from a mesh short-sleeve to a thicker short-sleeve.

So far, I’ve had delicious dishes all over Japan. Honestly, every single one was delicious. This time, I’d like to introduce a few of them to you. But my memory isn’t great, so my descriptions will be somewhat approximate—please forgive me.

First, Hokkaido. About 30 years ago, when I went to a town called Teshio for a TV drama shoot, I encountered this dish. Everyone else was wearing jackets, so it was probably winter.

There were no tall buildings—just a vast horizon with a few small shops scattered here and there. In front of each shop was a banner that read “Shijimi Soup.” The wait between filming scenes was long, so I went in, curious.

The bowl that arrived had a milky-white soup. Through the steam, you could catch glimpses of shijimi clams. However, there were no other ingredients besides the clams. I half-regretted entering, but the moment I took a sip, I found myself apologizing to the shijimi soup: “I am sorry.”

The rich shijimi extract with a subtle hint of saltiness—it was the most delicious liquid I had ever encountered.

Memories come with the food

Next is Akita Prefecture’s “Kiritanpo Nabe.” For a TV program segment, I got to experience everything from making the skewers for kiritanpo, capturing Hinai chickens at a free-range farm, and mashing rice onto sticks to form the kiritanpo.

After that, I left the rest to a kiritanpo nabe master, taking a break while she finished it. When I heard “It’s ready!” and went to the table, the moment I took a sip of the soup it was just too delicious. I shouldn’t have taken a break. I should have watched what went into it.

All I could tell was that it was soy sauce–based. Surely, a lot of chicken broth came from the Hinai chickens. It’s a sweet-and-salty, rich, perfect soup. There’s no need for a rice porridge at the end because kiritanpo is already made from rice. The grilled exterior soaks up the amazing soup, and then I soak it up too. Circle of life.

Another standout was “Cold Meat Soba” from Hamanoie in Kesennuma City, Miyagi Prefecture. I first met the owner before the Great East Japan Earthquake, when the restaurant was near the port for a TV program shoot. Kesennuma is famous for shark fin, and at that time I had shark fin dishes.

The clay pot with tender shark fin was a luxurious dish that warmed both body and soul. But the tsunami washed the restaurant away. Fortunately, the owner and his family were safe. When they checked the surviving second floor, the only thing left was an autograph I had given his daughter. It felt like fate, and I’ve stayed in touch with the owner ever since.

Years later, thanks to everyone’s efforts, “New Hamanoie” opened a little further from the original location. Because the shark fin factory was also destroyed, the restaurant’s new star became “Cold Meat Soba,” a dish the owner had learned while training in Yamagata.

It’s a cold dish with plenty of chicken in a bonito-based broth, yet it warms the heart. The port has recovered too, and now you can enjoy seafood like tuna poke bowls.

Food comes with not just taste, but memories. Traveling is fun. And there are still many memories to share, so look forward to the second installment.

From the March 6, 2026 issue of “FRIDAY”