Kappo Zake (Sake) and Kappo Tori (Chicken)
Kappo cha tea and kappo zake are two beverages that are Takachiho specialties. They are brewed and served in a fresh, green bamboo tube, which is reminiscent of Takachiho’s rural past when field workers used bamboo tubes to make tea from spring water and mountain-grown leaves. The term “kappo” is thought to come from the word for these tubes in the local Takachiho dialect. It may also be a vocal imitation of the sound the bamboo makes as water is poured from it. Moisture from fresh bamboo lends a natural sweetness to both tea and sake.
Kappo tori is a chicken dish that, like kappo cha tea, is cooked over a flame inside a bamboo tube. The care taken in its preparation is now considered an expression of hospitality in the Takachiho area, and so it is often served at special occasions such as local festivals. Kappo tori ingredients may differ by season or preference, but typically include chicken, shiitake mushrooms, burdock, and leeks. Seasoned with salt, pepper, and garlic, kappo tori takes about 30 minutes to cook. When the moisture from the bamboo begins to bubble up, it is ready to be served.
Enjoy kappo zake, kappo tori, and other local Takachiho delicacies at the Nakayama Castle Ruins Campground or Kagura no Kan Lodge. You can make your reservation on the Takachiho Tourism Center website.