Journeys in Japan

Murakami: City of Salmon and Sake (2x1)

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Murakami, in Niigata Prefecture, northwestern Japan, has a long history of catching and processing salmon from the Miomote River that runs through the city. Over the centuries, the area has developed many customs and traditions, as well as numerous recipes for preparing the fish. On this episode of Journeys in Japan, George Bourdaniotis watches salmon being caught by the local fishermen. He visits a workshop where the fish are preserved by wind-drying in the traditional way, and he samples a wide range of local delicacies prepared using salmon. George also visits a sake brewery and observes the way it is prepared, using rice grown locally and water from the source of the Miomote River. These local products, which are still produced in the traditional way, give an introduction to "washoku", Japan's traditional cuisine, which was recently registered by UNESCO as a World Intangible Cultural Heritage.