Journal | 2026
The Japanese creative course at Mori no Auberge Mitsu is made from what is gathered in Atsuma, Hokkaido, and the country around it. At an auberge, the produce of the place takes the lead. Here are a few of the ingredients of Atsuma that hold up each plate at Mitsu.
Mailabuta, a branded pork, and Biratori beef
Mailabuta, a branded pork raised in Atsuma, is known for the balance between its savour and its sweetness. It is trimmed by hand from a large block, and the heat is adjusted so that the meat keeps its freshness. Simply grilling it well is enough to make it a feast.
The meat course also uses Biratori beef, from the neighbouring town of Biratori. What the livestock of this land gives us is served in the form that suits the course of the day.
Nanatsuboshi, a branded rice, cooked in a clay pot
Atsuma is farming country where rice growing runs deep. The town's branded rice, "Sakura-mai", is the Nanatsuboshi variety. At Mitsu this local rice is cooked carefully in a clay pot. In the steam that rises the moment the lid comes off, the air of Atsuma is there.
At breakfast there is also a rolled omelette made with free-range eggs. Even in a single egg, the work of a maker from this land is alive.
Hokki surf clams and salmon, from the Iburi coast
Atsuma sits close to the Pacific, and the Iburi area is rich in seafood as well. The hokki surf clams the area is known for, tokishirazu salmon in its season, sailfin poacher — a fish that belongs to Hokkaido — and other seasonal fish and shellfish are served as sashimi or grilled.
We work with what arrives that day, listen to what the ingredient has to say, and keep it simple and careful. No two days are quite the same: the course is omakase.
Haskap, from the largest growing area in Japan
Atsuma has the largest area under haskap cultivation in Japan. The haskap is a small blue-purple berry with a sweet-sharp taste, long familiar in Hokkaido. In summer you can pick them yourself at a tourist farm in the town (the weeks visitors are accepted change from year to year).
A fruit particular to Atsuma sometimes appears in a seasonal sweet or in a drink. Travelling around Atsuma is also covered on the Around page.
Frequently asked questions
Q. What is Atsuma known for producing?
Rice growing runs deep in Atsuma, and the town produces a branded rice called "Sakura-mai" — the Nanatsuboshi variety. It also has the largest area under haskap cultivation in Japan, and is known for Mailabuta, a branded pork. From the sea and the surrounding Iburi area come hokki surf clams, salmon and other seafood.
Q. What ingredients does Mori no Auberge Mitsu use?
Seasonal ingredients that arrive from fishermen and farmers in Atsuma and the area around it. Mailabuta pork, Biratori beef, Nanatsuboshi rice, free-range eggs and seafood from the Iburi coast are served one plate at a time, as an omakase Japanese creative course.
Q. What kind of fruit is a haskap?
The haskap is a small blue-purple berry that has long been familiar in Hokkaido. Its taste is sweet and sharp at once, and Atsuma has the largest area under haskap cultivation in Japan. In summer there are tourist farms in the town where you can pick them yourself.
Related: Dining / Around | All journal entries