Nagatoro: Natural Forests and Pure Ice

The town of Nagatoro lies in the hills of Chichibu, in Saitama Prefecture, about 2 hours northwest of Tokyo, surrounded by forested mountainsides close to the peak of Hodosan. Because of its rich natural environment, the whole town has been designated as a natural park. Although winters can be chilly in Nagatoro, the town has many scenic attractions, including boat rides on the Arakawa River. It also has a special product that draws visitors from all over the country, even in the coldest season. Kakigori is a traditional dessert made from shaved ice. In Nagatoro, it is made from natural ice that has been frozen from crystal-clear, mineral-rich mountain spring water. Flavored with natural syrups, this recreates the desserts eaten by Japan's aristocracy in Kyoto over 1,000 years ago. On this episode of Journeys in Japan, Lemi Duncan visits the Nagatoro area, to taste this natural dessert. And she visits a traditional Ryokan inns built 200 years ago, where she enjoys a hot spring bath and dines on delicious local cuisine.