The Mishima area is nurtured by the nature of Mt. Fuji. The spring water from the Genbei River is an important part of supporting the town's industry, agriculture, and daily life. The clear, pure water has been selected as one of Japan's "100 Famous Waters," and is a symbol of the pure waters of Mishima, the "City of Water." We will introduce you to some of the attractive local spots brought about by the spring water from the Genbei River.

Genbei River, a symbol of the "Water City, Mishima"

Just a 5-minute walk from Mishima Station, the Genbei River flows with beautiful water.

The canal originates from the Obama Pond spring waters of Rakujuen, a national natural monument and scenic spot located in front of Mishima Station, and flows into the Nakago Warm Water Pond, an agricultural reservoir, and has been used as water for daily life and agriculture. It is approximately 1.5 km long.
The name "Genbei River" is said to come from Terao Genbei, the local guardian who constructed irrigation canals for rice paddy development in the late Muromachi period in the 16th century.
The tap water in Mishima City is natural water that has been collected from rain and snow that fell on Mt. Fuji, and has traveled down the lava flows over a long period of time as groundwater. There is no doubt that being able to drink delicious water every day is a great blessing in life.


Stepping stones and boardwalks have been installed in the river, allowing you to enjoy a stroll along the babbling brook.

There are stepping stones along the Genbei River where you can take a stroll, where fireflies fly around in June, and it is a place for local residents to relax.The river has been certified as one of the 6 Best Water Villages, the XNUMX Best Canals, and the XNUMX Best Waters of the Heisei Era.
The waterfront scenery that represents Mishima, the "City of Water," blends into the city and provides a soothing environment where you can commune with nature.
Let the sounds of the babbling brook and sunlight filtering through the trees soothe you and refresh your body and mind.

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Genbei River
[Address] Shibamotocho, Mishima City, Shizuoka Prefecture
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Growing mangoes is fun because it's my first time

Mishima City is widely known as a producer of high-quality ingredients. In particular, Hakone Seiroku Mishima vegetables are a popular brand of vegetables in high-end restaurants, but I heard that Suzuki Farm also produces mangoes, so I immediately went to visit Suzuki Farm's Takayuki Suzuki.
They used to produce mushrooms, but when asked "Why did you switch to mangoes?" Takayuki's father, Masao, decided to grow mangoes around 2007 because "they wanted something that other farmers weren't producing."
However, mango cultivation faces many challenges. He visited a mango farm in Miyazaki and, through trial and error, began growing mangoes, eventually arriving at his current production style, which has allowed him to produce sweet, delicious mangoes.


Stepping stones and boardwalks have been installed in the river, allowing you to enjoy a stroll along the babbling brook.

They grow and ship over 3 mangoes in three greenhouses. They mainly grow Irwin mangoes, but also a few other varieties. The mango season is from late June to late July, and when I visited, it was right in the middle of the season (July).


Mango wrapped in a net.

The mangoes in the greenhouse are carefully wrapped one by one in nets and hung up, and all of this work is done by hand. Suzuki is particular about only harvesting those that are fully ripe and have naturally fallen into the nets, and you can see how he carefully grows them by wrapping them in nets to prevent them from falling to the ground, which conveys his love for mangoes.

The secret to its rich sweetness with a sugar content of over 18%

Water is important for growing delicious mangoes. Large amounts of water are needed especially from the mangoes' swelling stage (when the fruit becomes dense) through to harvest season. Using mineral-rich underground water from Mt. Fuji that is pumped up from underground leads to an abundant harvest. This is a cultivation method that is only possible in Mishima. The mangoes are not planted directly in the ground, but rather grown in special pots with limited root zones, which limits root growth and prevents the trees from growing large. Instead, they send nutrients to the fruit in order to produce offspring. This apparently results in sweet, juicy mangoes packed with sugar.


Ripe mango - Rich sweetness, moderate acidity, and a melt-in-the-mouth texture.

Branding mangoes grown in Mishima: "Mishima Mango"

Suzuki Farm is the only farm in Mishima that grows mangoes. "We can't mass produce them, so we don't sell them to supermarkets, and it's difficult to increase our name recognition and sales channels," says Takayuki.
So they named the mangoes grown at Suzuki Farm "Mishima Mangoes" and began working on branding them.
They also planned an event called "Mishima Mizumizu Mango Eating Conference - How to Eat It Even More Deliciously."
This event is held every July in collaboration with local restaurant chefs, offering a limited-time menu of dishes and sweets made with mango.
The event started with Takayuki's simple question, "Is it best to eat mangoes raw?" The number of participating stores has increased, and the value of "Mishima mangoes" and new possibilities for mangoes are expanding, making it more and more exciting.

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Suzuki Farm
[Address] 12-1 Tamagawa, Mishima City, Shizuoka Prefecture
[TEL] 090-1821-8133
[URL] https://suzukifarm-mc.shop-pro.jp
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"Excellent Wine & Mama's Italian Restaurant ROSATO" serving local ingredients and top-notch healthy food

ROSATO: Great wine and Italian food from Mama

The restaurant we visited this time was Rosato, a cute Italian restaurant with a red facade located a five minute walk from Mishima Station and close to the Genbei River.
We were greeted by the owner and chef, Sasamata Eriko, who has been awarded the title of "Maestro Chef, a worker in creating the Food Capital of Fujinokuni."
Chef Sasamata explained, "After opening my cooking school in Mishima, I considered returning to my hometown of Akita and opening a restaurant, but Mishima is blessed with a rich natural environment and ingredients, and the people of Shizuoka Prefecture are very warm and welcoming to visitors from other prefectures. This comfort, along with the character of the Shizuoka people, and the supportive people, all influenced me to open a restaurant in Mishima."


Chef Sasamata is passionate about combining "good food" and "health"

Sasamata is also the first person to receive the Medi Chef Pro certification, a qualification held by food experts who prepare delicious, healthy meals. He has also been awarded the highest three-star rating by the Smart Meal certification system, which is based on the standards of the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, and is a Mishima City Food Education Certified Restaurant, which actively promotes food education.
Of course, the restaurant is also participating in the "Mishima Mizumizu Mango Eating Conference" so we immediately ordered a menu using mango.


Southern Italian local dish "Pasta con le Sarde"
Based on sardines, raisins and pine nuts, this original pasta dish uses Mishima mango and horse mackerel from Suruga Bay.


A luxurious pasta dish with large slices of mango

Chef Sasamata says, "Mishima mangoes are fully ripe and fall naturally, so they have no unpleasant odor and the flesh is in good condition, so in addition to being used as a dessert, I also recommend cooking it and using it in dishes."
The dish, which uses large, lavish slices of mango and exquisitely combines the saltiness of the horse mackerel with the sweetness of the mango, is perfect for summer. The fresh, sweet mango added a refreshing touch to the whole dish, making it even more delicious. This year's menu was also very popular and sold out quickly.

They say that "food makes the body," and it's wonderful to see a chef who is conscious of his ingredients, cares about health, and creates delicious food.

Not only is the food delicious, but Rosato's sommelier has the skill to have won high places in national competitions. It is also famous as a restaurant where you can enjoy the marriage of rare wines and food that are hard to come by, and is especially popular with foreign visitors to Japan. In addition, the restaurant understands the eating habits and culture of Muslims and is able to provide Muslim-friendly services, making it a popular restaurant that meets the needs of a wide range of foreign tourists.

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Exceptional wine & Mamma's Italian Rosato
[Address] 5-23 Shibamotocho, Mishima City, Shizuoka Prefecture
[Business hours] Lunch / 11:30-14:00 (LO)
Dinner／17:30-21:30 (LO)
Regular holiday / Tuesday
[TEL] 055-916-3956
[URL] https://www.rosatowine.com
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Finally
Mishima City is a popular destination for people who want to relax on their days off, and is also a popular destination for people moving from Tokyo. Blessed with spring water from Mt. Fuji and delicious ingredients, Mishima is a special place where you can enjoy food and experiences that you can't find anywhere else.
Please come and enjoy a trip to Mishima in Shizuoka.


Photo: Tsukasa Kozuka