title: Hokuriku Tales vol.3

Summary

A book of five stories about Fukui, Ishikawa and Toyama with useful data vol.3

Mizu-dango sweets (100 yen)Only served in June through SeptemberA popular food that takes advantage of the tasty water is Mizu-dango (ricedumpling). Rice powder and potato starch are mixed in hot water, kneaded,steamed and pounded. The cake thus prepared is made into a stick-like shape,cut to bite size, cooled in cold water and served covered in Kinako soybean flour.This sweet is simple and rustic but the water used in making it is entirely fromIkuji.Mizu-dango is served, among other things, at the“Yasumi-dokoro Ai,”a resthouse run by a community revitalization volunteer group named Ikuji Ai-no-kai,of which Ms. Komeya is a member. Eating rice dumpling sweets has been an oldtradition in the area; the community maternity hospital serves what is calledMikka-dango (literally, three days of rice dumpling sweets) in the belief that thedumpling helps the mother to produce enough milk to feed the baby.The smiling faces of the Ikuji Ai-no-kai members that shine as fresh as thewater of Ikuji are drawing an increasing number of visitors and repeaters to“Ikuji, the town of Shozu.”IshikawaYasumi-dokoroAi is open onSaturdays (closedin Decemberthrough March).Hosouchi-mennoodle (200 yen).The volunteergroup“does not seek profit”but what a bargainprice. Only served in June through SeptemberA dish that knows no parallel, blessed by the indigenousmaterials nurtured by the subsoil water of Mt. HakusanThe Hakusan mountain range supplies water to a vast area of Central Japan,north and westward to the Japan Sea through the Tedori River (Ishikawa), theKuzuryu River (Fukui) and the Shogawa River (Toyama), and southward to thePacific Ocean through the Nagara River (Gifu and other prefectures). It is nowonder that Mt. Hakusan has been worshipped as a god of water over centuries.The three mountain villages of Gokayama (Toyama), Shirakawago (Gifu) andYasumi-dokoroAiYasumi-dokoro AiTEL：090-8263-3781Ainokaze Toyama Railway LineIkujiNakabashi Sakana-no-EkiIkujiZenmyoji TempleMembers of Ikuji Ai-no-kai. Fromleft: Ms. Yoshimi Noto, Ms. KiyomiKomeya, and Ms. Sachiko NotoIkuji Nakabashi, close to theYasumi-dokoro Ai, is a swing bridge,rather uncommon in Japan, to allowships to come into and leave theport.Chapter III Culinary quest in Hokuriku Enjoy your first experience with Hokuriku food to the fullest extent(left) Denko is next to the Michi-no-Eki (highway reststation)“Sena”(right) The Tofu-zen (1,400 yen) plate menu includes:solid tofu sashimi, soba noodles with grilled Aburaagefried tofu on top, miso soup with Oboro-tofu and seasonalside dishes.Hokuriku Tales vol.3 25