NIKKO: Preparations were underway to ship natural ice from the icehouse of ice dealer Yondaime Koriya Tokujiro, located in a cedar forest near Nikko Toshogu Shrine in Nikko, Tochigi Prefecture, in late May.
For the shipment, workers rinsed off the surface of ice blocks — measuring 30 centimeters tall, 60 centimeters wide and 15 centimeters thick — that had been covered with cedar sawdust.
Blessed with abundant nature and a historical legacy, Nikko is a major tourist destination that attracts 10 million people annually. Spring water that freezes naturally is part of the region’s heritage, serving as a cool and refreshing feature of summertime.
“In the past, the word ‘ice’ always meant ice made with spring water,” said Jinichiro Yamamoto, president of Yondaime Koriya Tokujiro, which manufactures and sells natural ice.
Ice has played a role in Japan for centuries, and there are records of ice consumption even in the Nihon Shoki, a chronicle of Japanese history completed in 720.
During the Edo period (1603-1867), snow ice was a luxury item.
The Kaga domain preserved snow ice during winter and presented it to the shogunate once the weather turned hot, using hikyaku messengers to transport it.
Natural ice became popular among the common people from the late Edo period through the Meiji era (1868-1912).
With the influx of Western culture, demand rose for ice to chill beef and beer, among other items.
Tokujiro is said to have begun shipping its product in the early days of the Taisho era (1912-1926).
With the advent of ice machines and electric refrigerators, however, natural ice became less popular. Now there are only two natural ice dealers in Nikko besides Tokujiro.
In recent years, natural ice has been reassessed as a specialty product. Tokujiro gained attention by serving shaved ice made from natural ice at an event related to the 2008 Group of Eight Hokkaido Toyako Summit, and subsequently expanded its sales channels to hotels and restaurants nationwide.
The hard natural ice is easy to shave into thin layers and is renowned for its soft, melt-in-the-mouth texture.
At Tokujiro, the necessary preparations for ice production are made at an ice-making pond in autumn after finishing the delivery of ice in summer.
Water is then poured into the pond, which freezes naturally at a rate of about 1 centimeter a day. Workers take care of the pond by clearing away the snow that falls on it.
Tokujiro produces about 160 tons of ice annually, but only about half can be shipped as it melts or cracks.
Tokujiro said ice that cannot be shipped is “returned” to the soil. “It is because we hope it will come back here again,Yamamoto said. - Japan News/ANN
