Botan Nabe

Although still a relatively new arrival in Japan I’m in the privileged position of living with my Japanese girlfriend, as a result I get to try things that other new arrivals may not get the chance to do. A good example of this was a recent trip into the mountains organised by my girlfriend’s grandmother to experience Botan Nabe.

Botan Nabe, though rare in the more populous regions of Japan, is a well-known dish throughout the mountain regions that surround Osaka and Kyoto. In its simplest terms Botan Nabe can be described as a soup or stew comprising delicious wild boar along with mountain vegetables. The meat itself – dark in colour and rich in flavour – is cut thinly, in much the same way as ham, before being arranged on a plate in the shape of the petals of the peony flower, known in Japan as the Botan flower, hence the name Botan Nabe (Nabe meaning pot).

Though more and more places now offer the dish, particularly within Kansai, like the majority of Japanese cuisine there is a long tradition attached to the dish and the best examples are to be found at the places that have been producing it the longest. One such establishment is Iwaya (link in Japanese) located on the outskirts of Hyogo in an area called Tamba-Sasayama. This family run business has been producing Botan Nabe to great acclaim for more than 40 years, demonstrating that a combination of home grown, award winning rice and vegetables, together with excellent quality boar, can lead to continued success.

The restaurant is a thatched wooden structure that acts as a portal to a bygone era. With room to hold about 50 people, reservations are essential even on a weekday afternoon. The ‘tables’ comprise a small coal fire surrounded with cushions, with a huge steel pot full of hot soup suspended from the ceiling hanging over the fire. Each table is provided with an immaculately presented plate of meat along with a large bowl of mountain potatoes, Chinese cabbage, spring onions, mushrooms, tofu, and home-made konnyaku. Diners are then invited to place the items into the soup thus creating the stew.

On a cold winters day there really is nothing more warming, or filling! The soup is delicious and the rich flavours of the boar are complemented perfectly with the blander flavours of the vegetables and tofu. Each table is also provided with a small bottle of Japanese spices that give an almost citrus flavour to the stew, its perfect.

Just as warming as the stew itself is the sake on offer, which it soon becomes clear plays an equally important role to the boar. Served warm, in a small pottery jug, it completes the dining experience. Slightly less enjoyable, however, is Doburoku, a completely different type of sake that is served cold and lumpy. I’m told it is a local delicacy, though I’m not so sure!

For those left with any room in their stomachs after finishing all the meat and vegetables, a bowl of rice and an egg are brought out. The egg is poached in the remaining soup and served with the rice to complete the feast. And that is exactly what this meal is, a feast.

It is well known that Japan does food well, indeed Osaka is a foodies dream with something to suit quite literally every taste. What the city doesn't have though is the tranquillity of the countryside, indeed regardless of how good a restaurants food is, there are times when what one wishes for most is some peace and quiet. So for those who've had enough of the hustle and bustle of the city, yet still want to experience the finest food available it's comforting to know that somewhere like Iwaya exists. It might be a bit expensive, and it may be difficult to get to, but rest assured, it's completely worth it.

From Osaka, use the Fykuchiyama line (JR) to Sasayamaguchi (1110 JPY). Those with reservations can make use of the restaurant bus service that will take you the short distance up the mountain to the restaurant.

Botan Nabe must be booked in advance for a minimum of two people (5250 JPY each)

Open: October – March

Fake Beer?!

Following in the success of imported beers such as Mexico’s Corona, the Japanese beer Asahi has become increasingly popular in the UK. In the same way you no longer have to go to an Italian restaurant to drink a Peroni, you no longer have to go to Yo! Sushi to get your hands on an Asahi. Having enjoyed this light beer on the few occasions I’ve tried it, I was looking forward to sampling what else the Japanese beer market could offer me now that I live here. One thing I wasn’t expecting was the popularity not of Asahi but of so called ‘fake beers’. “Fake beer”?! I hear you say. Yes, fake beer does exist here in Japan, indeed, it flourishes.

Upon greater research it becomes clear that there are in fact three categories of ‘beer’ in Japan, each owing its existence to specific tax clasifications. Like most things in Japan these laws are beautifully illogical.

Regular beer – the Asahi’s of this world – must contain at least 67% malt and are subsequently taxed at the highest rate

Happoshu (literally meaning ‘Sparkling Spirits’) must contain less than 25% malt. These are taxed at a slightly lower rate

And finally there are the ‘Third Category’ beers, containing no malt at all. Exactly what is used in the brewing process instead of malt is changeable, but common substitutes include corn, peas, and soy. Needless to say these beers attract a far lower tax rate and a greatly reduced price for consumers.

Initially I wasn't put off by the concept of ‘fake beer’, in fact I was curious to try as many of these peculiar concoctions as possible (much to the disgust of my girlfriend’s Japanese father). Unfortunately as expected fake beer tastes a lot like you might expect fake beer to taste; shitty. A bit like beer but not quite the same. It’s a rare thing to find anyone praising cheap English lager, the Fosters, Carlings and Carlsbergs of this world, but you’d struggle to find anyone in Japan who wouldn’t give up a Suntory ‘Rich Malt’ in return for its British equivalent.

Just as British supermarkets continue to sell Fosters by the shipload day after day though, fake beer continues to be hugely popular here in Japan, as is often the case, it is not quality that is dictating consumer choice, but price. Given that the average can of third category beer is up to a third cheaper than a regular can this is hardly surprising. Despite its questionable taste and renowned ability to cause disproportionately vicious hangovers, it’s hard to argue with a saving of more than 30%.

The future looks disappointingly predictable. The big four Japanese breweries expect demand to continue growing, indeed a report in Japan Today stated that all four were expecting double digit sales growth for Third Category Beers. It would appear then that as a new inhabitant of Japan I have little choice regarding my future drinking habits. Either get a decent job or acquire a taste for fake beer.