KOJI THE KITCHEN Academy
＆
Gastronomy Symposium Kakegawa
San-En Gastronomy Bus Tour
with Hiraku, Muto, and Murai
Connecting San-En (Higashi-Mikawa & Enshu) through Food and Knowledge
~The First Inter-Administrative Collaboration in Regional Revitalization Gastronomy~
This tour re-examines the "San-En" area—the stage for KOJI THE KITCHEN Academy Vol. 6 in Higashi-Mikawa, Aichi, and the Gastronomy Symposium in Kakegawa, Shizuoka, held the following day—as a single food culture zone. This region, once prosperous along major roads, has been a crossroads of rich ingredients and artisanal skills.
This bus tour is not merely a sightseeing excursion. It serves as a bridge, physically and contextually connecting two events: the Higashi-Mikawa Food Valley concept, which emerged from KOJI THE KITCHEN Academy's inquiry into the social significance of food production from a "Factory (manufacturing/technology)" perspective, and the Gastronomy Symposium in Kakegawa, which rediscovers the value and community of food rooted in the region. This "two-region joint event" is a first in the field of regional revitalization gastronomy.
As the bus travels eastward, from "Factory" sites like a 600-year-old seed koji manufacturer and a processed fish paste factory to "Farm" sites such as tea plantations, ranches, and farms, the "Farm to Factory to Table" concept learned at the Academy will emerge as a "Social Terroir" in the actual landscape.
Welcome to a one-day dream tour that transcends administrative divisions and industry barriers, bringing together producers, transporters, and consumers. Together, we will co-create the future of food culture and the regional economy.
Click here to apply for online participation in KOJITHEKITCHENAcademy on 2/21 (Sat).
Applications for the Gastronomy Symposium Kakegawa on 2/23 (Mon) have closed.
Attenders - Guides -
The following three individuals will guide this tour for its entire duration. Inside the bus, a special edition of the podcast "Tabemono Radio" will offer fascinating discussions about food.
Hiraku Ogura | Fermentation DesignerAiming to "make the invisible work of fermenting microbes visible through design," Hiraku develops projects centered on fermentation and microorganisms with brewers and researchers nationwide. He studies fermentation science as a research student at Tokyo University of Agriculture, exploring the microbial world daily. In April 2020, he opened "HAKKO Department" in Shimokitazawa. In 2025, he will curate "Fermentation Tourism Tokai," set in the three Tokai prefectures. Author of "Fermentation Cultural Anthropology" and other works. He is a personality on YBS Radio's "Fermentation Siblings' COZYTALK" and the podcast "#Tadaima Hakkochu."
Taro Muto | Representative Director, Muto Co., Ltd. & Tabemono Radio PersonalityHe inherited a kaiseki restaurant from his predecessor, rooted in local food culture and tradition. In addition to being a chef, he hosts the podcast "Tabemono Radio," exploring the relationship between food and people from historical and social perspectives. He is also involved in town development through food and tourism, including initiating and promoting the Kakegawa Green Tea Toast Ordinance and organizing the Kakegawa Gastronomy Symposium.
Sanʼemon Murai | 29th Head of Kojiya SanʼemonBorn in Toyohashi City, Aichi Prefecture, in 1979. He is the 29th head of Kojiya Sanʼemon, a seed koji manufacturer founded in the Muromachi period, and President of Bioc Co., Ltd., which is responsible for research and development. After graduating from university, he joined the family business and has since been involved with over 3,000 brewing manufacturers, including miso, soy sauce, sake, and shochu producers, proposing Kojinomy to connect knowledge and industry through koji. Since 2023, he has been a director of the Japan Brewing Association. Author of "Fermentation as Culture: What Business Elites Know" (Asa Publishing).
Timetable & Highlights - Itinerary -
Date: February 22, 2026 (Sunday)
| 09:00 |
Meeting & Departure: Hotel Arc Riche Toyohashi 1-55 Ekimae-odori, Toyohashi-shi, Aichi |
|---|---|
| Traveling |
Tabemono Radio Special Edition (In-car talk) Travel time becomes a "mobile seminar." The three guides (Ogura, Muto, Murai) will periodically offer fascinating talks about food and commentary on highlights, exclusive to this day and this bus. |
|
09:20 ▼ 10:30 |
Tour: Kojiya Sanʼemon / Bioc Visit the site of a 600-year-old seed koji manufacturer. A special factory tour, including a visit to a normally closed research laboratory and an experimental experience, will be conducted. Discover the origins of "fermentation as design." |
|
11:00 ▼ 13:00 |
Tour, Experience & Lunch: Yamasa Chikuwa - Chikuwa no Sato Learn about the characteristics of Higashi-Mikawa, blessed with both sea and land transportation, and participate in a "handmade chikuwa grilling experience" guided by artisans. Afterwards, take a lunch break at "Chikuwa no Sato." |
|
14:00 ▼ 15:00 |
Tour: Osadaen A tea wholesaler in Mori-machi, Shizuoka Prefecture. Experience fermented tea utilizing "black koji mold." This spot perfectly symbolizes the passing of the baton from "KOJI THE KITCHEN Academy (Toyohashi Koji)" to "Gastronomy in Kakegawa (Kakegawa Tea)." |
|
15:20 ▼ 16:20 |
Tour: Shibachan Lunch Market A farm-direct cafe that raises Jersey cows and processes dairy products. Visit a practical example of Farm to Table. |
|
16:55 ▼ 19:00 |
Tour & Dinner: Kiwifruit Country Visit Japan's largest kiwifruit farm and observe its循环型農業 (circular agriculture) that coexists with nature. Dinner time is included. *Admission fee (1,800 yen) is included in the tour price. |
| 19:20 |
Arrival & Dismissal: Kakegawa Station 1-1 Minami, Kakegawa-shi, Shizuoka |
*Times may vary depending on road conditions. Please allow ample time for your Shinkansen or other return arrangements.
Outline - Event Summary -
- Date: February 22, 2026 (Sunday)
- Meeting/Dismissal Location: Meeting: Hotel Arc Riche Toyohashi 1F Entrance / Dismissal: Kakegawa Station
- Planning & Operation: Kojiya Sanʼemon Co., Ltd.
- Transportation: JST Co., Ltd.
- Participation Fee: For those participating in KOJITHEKITCHENAcademy and the Gastronomy Symposium Kakegawa: 22,000 yen (tax included); For those participating only in the tour: 33,000 yen (tax included)
