There are only a few hours left in the year 2023.
We have been supported by many customers this year and would like to express our deepest gratitude to all of our customers.
From mid-summer to early fall, We has held a series of events to deepen its focus on the local community, including an appreciation festival for local farmers, and a project to experience Azumi Setoda’s architecture and the craftsmanship that supported the creation of its spaces.
In this article, we would like to look back on these events.
July.
To commemorate Chef Akita’s first anniversary, we invited local farmers for a meal to express our gratitude for their continued support.
Azumi Setoda’s dinner menu is a seasonal French course prepared by the chef in collaboration with local farmers. The chef visits the farms and fisheries that are changing with the changing seasons, and puts the best of the moment into each dish.
The participating farmers enjoyed the chef’s culinary experience in the dining space where the meal was actually served. Our dining room is dedicated to using ingredients from within a “50 km radius” of the kitchen.We will continue to carefully nurture the “unique local food experience” that we have gradually created with the farmers.
September.
As a new attempt to explore Azumi Setoda from an architectural perspective, the first talk event by Shiro Miura, the architect who designed the building, will be held.This is a project that touches on the viewpoint of Mr. Miura, who observed the 140-year-old former Horiuchi Residence, a wealthy merchant, and renovated it into a ryokan while making the best use of the original materials and structure.
The fact that the building was supported by many craftsmen’s skills during the construction process is also an essential part of the story of the ryokan. In this project, which will be developed as a series, the craftsmen who created the space together will be invited as guests for each installment to talk about the charms of this project.
The first guest is Mr. Chikara Ninomiya, President of AJI PROJECT.
AJI PROJECT is developing products using Aji Stone, the “diamond of granite” mined in Mure and Aji Towns located in the eastern part of Takamatsu City, Kagawa Prefecture.
Mr. Ninomiya introduced not only the appeal of Aji Stone as a rare stone material that is as hard as quartz and resistant to weathering, but also the skilled craftsmanship that has been passed down from generation to generation since the Edo period.
Azumi Setoda has made a attempt to use Aji stone for its entrance logo.
Aji stone, also called “blue granite” because of its exceptional hardness, bluish hue, and the beauty of its “mottled” appearance, has long been prized as a top-quality stone material. Aji stone has long been prized as a top-quality stone material. The selection of Aji stone for the logo was based on its unique characteristics.
Aji stone has long been used as a high-end building material and tombstone, but due to changes in lifestyle and the entry of inexpensive imported stones, the industry is shrinking. AJI PROJECT, founded by Mr. Ninomiya, is developing interior design products to convey the new appeal of Aji stone while preserving the high level of craftsmanship.
After the talk event, Mr. Miura gave an architectural tour. He spent a lot of time explaining the process and background of how he reconstructed the former Horiuchi Residence from its pre-renovation state to ryokan architecture.
The second installment of this project will be held on January 20, 2024, with Mr. Doi of DOI FURNITURE MFG.LTD. who was in charge of furniture production for Azumi Setoda.
The architecture tour will be held at the same time, and will touch on some of the topics not discussed in the previous session. Participation is limited, so those interested are encouraged to make reservations as soon as possible.
Shiro Miura & Kenji Doi Talk Event & Azumi Setoda (Former Horiuchi Residence) Architectural Tour
Date: Saturday, January 20, 2024
Talk Event 13:00 – 14:30 / Architectural Tour 15:00 – 15:45
Place: yuagari, 2F, yubune
Fee: 2000 yen, capacity: 20 people
Through a variety of events in the coming year, we will continue to convey the charms of the unique Seto Inland Sea region, including food, customs, and traditional techniques.
We wish you all a happy New Year.
