I don’t think there are many Japanese people who can read this (宍粟) about Shiso City. There are many difficult-to-read place names in Osaka, but it is called Yokozuna of the West (the strongest sumo wrestler in the west side), based on the sumo ranking. So, the Yokozuna of the east is Sosa City. This (匝瑳) is also a completely unfamiliar character.
Now, the name Shiso comes from the fact that it is rich in ingredients. Although it is famous for its fermented foods, it also promotes itself as the birthplace of Japanese sake. Akasai Valley, which is located in the same city, is promoted as the Oirase Valley in the west, but I don’t think there are many Kansai people who have ever been to Oirase Valley, so Kansai people have no objections to this point, probably. However, there are probably quite a few Kansai people who disagree with the idea that it is the birthplace of Japanese sake. It seems like there are a lot of people in this area who exaggerate things.
Well, in this town, such a famous sake brewery is serving lunch in a building from the Edo period, so I stopped by. In particular, the soup made from sake lees had a strange flavor that I can’t describe in basic tastes such as sweet, spicy, or salty, and even now when I think back on it, it was delicious. The Ibo River basin, which flows out of the Akasai Valley and runs from Shiso to Tatsuno City, is a treasure trove of miso, soy sauce, sake, and fermented foods. In addition, since it’s the Ibo River, one thing you shouldn’t forget is the somen noodles.
By the way, I tried to take a walk around Shiso City, but a linear rain band had just appeared and it was pouring down so I couldn’t walk around the city at all. I stopped by just for lunch, but it was worth it.
