Ipponsugi Kawashima is a one-star Japanese restaurant in Nanao City, located almost in the center of Noto Peninsula in Ishikawa Prefecture.
Hailing from Nanao City, Chef Toru Kawashima recreates the energy of historical Ipponsugi Street through his food. Born into a culinary family, Kawashima attended and graduated from Tsuji Culinary Institute in Osaka, continuing his studies in Osaka and Kyoto. “I learned the basics of Japanese cuisine thoroughly, and acquired an obsession with dashi (soup stock), learned about Japanese sake and dinnerware, management and service”, he says. During his apprenticeship, he won the Grand Prize at the Osaka Grand Prix in 2013, before being chosen as a finalist at RED U-35, one of Japan’s largest contests for young cooks. He was also awarded a GOLD EGG.
Returning to his hometown, he experienced heading up a large-scale restaurant kitchen as head chef of Kappo Yoimachi in Wakura Onsen Nihon no Yado Notoraku, before striking out on his own and opening Ipponsugi Kawashima in July 2020. “I want to cherish the relationship between people, as Ipponsugi Street that used to be crowded with people is close to the port,” Kawashima says.
He also uses local ingredients from Noto: “The seafood from Noto is wonderful. The vegetables and seafood from Noto have such great potential that they were designated as a World Agricultural Heritage Site in 2011. I try to make simple dishes so that I can bring out the best in addition to telling the good things,” he explains.
The key ingredient is bonito flakes which, while produced in Makurazaki in Kagoshima Prefecture, are smelted locally by specialty stores and Noto’s soft, clear water. There are 6 to 7 types of local sake such as Kawashima’s favorite, Ishikawa Tedori-gawa, Noto’s Izumi Tani-zumi and several varieties of seasonal sake from around the country.
The restaurant was formerly an 80-year-old fountain pen shop, an elegant building that has been designated as a tangible cultural property. There are 7 seats at a counter crafted from 250 year old Japanese Manchurian ash. Both the table seats (4 and 6 people) and the chairs were handmade by craftsmen.
Please enjoy the charm of Noto through Ipponsugi Kawashima, a Japanese restaurant rich with details, and worth a special trip. Ideal for meals with family, friends, colleagues, and dates.
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* The availability of this webpage does not guarantee that the restaurant presented provides services in English, unless otherwise stated. Please be aware that English services may also depend on staff availability at the restaurant.
Access
A 7-minute walk from Nanao Station (JR Nanao Line)