AKO - A CITY OF SALT & SAMURAI
Japan is a country full of iconic landscapes, landmarks, sightseeing spots and big metropolises that attract the rest of the world to visit and add all these locations to their itinerary.
At the same time, Japan always offers surprises along the way and in between its already famous cities and tourist magnets. You might just bump into the best cake shop, bakery, ramen restaurant, or tonkatsu place [just to name a few] on the way to your initially set-out destination. You’re basically guaranteed to find great, calm and unexplored places all over Japan. Your new favourite restaurant is often just tucked away in a small alley next to the one famous spot everyone goes to, and the next unique travel destination might just be two train stations away from the big famous cities.
At the same time, the untapped beauty of smaller cities all across Japan will only become more and more important once the pandemic is over and travellers are able to enter the country again.
Sakoshi, Ako
Pasticceria Salita
Pizza Sakuragumi
Akō, a city located in Japan’s Hyōgo prefecture, is one of these special spots and sideline stories/sidequests that you should keep an eye on when travelling between Japan’s prefectures and especially when you are close to Kobe and Osaka, or on your way to Kyushu or Hiroshima.
The town can look back on a rich history based on two historical pillars that have shaped and influenced the city since forever: SALT & SAMURAI.
Throughout Japan’s history, Akō is closely tied to the country’s salt industry and production. Favoured by the many sunny days the city enjoys throughout the year, local sand plantations and farmers established Akõ as the “salt capital” of Japan since the Nara period [710-794].
Akō has become a synonym for high-quality salt in Japan, and up until this day, you can see and feel the impact of salt on its urbanism, culture and food scene.
Just take a walk around Sakoshi town to see the wealth and beauty the salt industry has brought to Akō, paired with Japanese craftsmanship and unique restaurants that carry on its legacy as a salt and food hot spot.
The city just recently started a new initiative and guided tour that concentrates on the perfect pairing of salt and food, highlighting farm and table principles and cooking experiences to connect these sensual and historic dots.
At the same Akō is the birthplace of one of the most legendary and iconic Samurai stories:
The revenge of the forty-seven Rōnin also known as the Akō incident (赤穂事件, Akō jiken) or Akō vendetta.
When a group of Samurai became leaderless ronin as their daimyō [feudal lord] Asano Naganori had to commit ritual suicide/seppuku for a dispute and fight he had with government official, their loyalty lead them to a legendary plot centred around honour, revenge, and sacrifice.
The 47 samurai did not accept their master's hard punishment and decided to go on a path of vengeance that forever tied their story with Japan history, school books and endless theatre plays, movies, and hero stories.
You can still feel their wrath and impact on Akō up until today, and you can visit their spirits at the Oishi shrine that was built in honour of their loyalty and sacrifice and while walking around the remains of the Akō castle ruins.
Akō’s unique historic ties to salt & samurai will guide and follow you along the way through town and nature.
A small city with a rich culture, heritage, close to the ocean and its maritime life, that offers a unique take on Japan’s history, food culture and samurai legacy. A side-quest well worth the travel.
