"The Pride of Ryokan" is a series introducing the proprietresses and managers of ryokans (traditional Japanese inns) that are members of "The Ryokan Collection." This time, we introduce Joji Kakuda, president of "COVA KAKUDA," located in Ise-Shima, Mie Prefecture.

A one-of-a-kind hotel where you can become one with nature.

The hotel "COVA KAKUDA" is located on the shore of a quiet cove in Ago Bay, within the Ise-Shima National Park in Mie Prefecture. It is about a 30-minute drive from Kintetsu Kashikojima Station. This June marks the hotel's third anniversary. No more than 10 buildings stand on the vast 40,000 square meter grounds.

The complex consists of a reception building, a restaurant building, a sauna building, and four villas that serve as guest rooms. In winter, when the northwest winds are strong, the waves spray against the large windows of the restaurant building. The lowest-lying villa is so close to the sea that you can almost touch the water's surface from its deck terrace. The sea is calm and still at a normal level.

The restaurant building is at the center, with a tranquil cove in front and lush, tree-covered hills rising on either side. Sitting on the sofa and gazing at the cove, small boats occasionally pass by in the distance. Time seems to slip away.

Is there any other location that allows you to become so one with nature and soothe your soul? This is the ultimate luxury—this is what true luxury really means. With the sea and mountains before you and on either side, this hotel is truly one of a kind.

We spoke with Joji Kakuda, President and CEO of "COVA KAKUDA".

A superb location where the sea and mountains meet.

What language is the hotel name "COVA KAKUDA" from? What is its origin?

"Our family business was originally pearl farming and pearl processing, and I am the third generation. Ago Bay is the birthplace of pearl farming, and its heyday was in the 1950s and 60s. The current hotel stands on the site where the original pearl farm was located."Land-based facilities of pearl farmsThey were scattered around. Back then, factories were called "Koba," right? The hotel name "COVA" refers to that Koba. "KAKUDA" is Kakuda from Kakuda Pearl Co., Ltd., which manages this inn."

Kakuta Pearl is known as one of the longest-established companies in the pearl industry.

"At its peak, this factory had about 120 employees. It operated as a factory until 1970, but then pearl farmers produced too many pearls, causing their value to plummet, and so on."Along with the decrease in aquaculture operators in Mie PrefectureAfter that, it fell into disuse completely. Despite that, I used to stay there with my parents on weekends, and during my student days, we used it as a place for summer training with our club activities.

Furthermore, my grandmother was a female diver. When I was a child, we would catch turban shells and abalone together, and we could often catch sillago during the summer months starting in May. My mother would make tempura out of them, so I really understood the wonders of the sea around here.

So, when guests came over, I had accumulated a lot of ideas about what kind of games would be fun to play and how to entertain them in interesting ways. I was letting my imagination run wild with those ideas about 10 years ago. Then, around the time of the pandemic, the government started providing business restructuring subsidies, and using some of that, along with my own funds, my fantasies began to take shape."

A feeling of becoming one with nature

Ten years ago was 2016, the year the G7 Summit was held in Ise-Shima.

"At that time, we created pearl lapel pins for the leaders to wear on their suits. We gathered beautiful pearls and held a competition to select the best ones. What we thought about at that time was what we wanted to convey through these lapel pins. We came to the realization that it wasn't just about the beauty of the pearls, but that it was important to convey the 'satoumi (coastal life)' behind the creation of those pearls."

In other words, it is through human interaction with nature that the natural environment becomes richer. To convey this, even if people come to this area from the city, a day trip is simply not enough. I strongly felt that accommodation facilities were essential. So, I came to the conclusion that if there are vacant properties and many unused buildings, we should renovate them and turn them into accommodation facilities."

The building, which was originally a factory, still retains its framework and beams.

"We carried out the renovation while minimizing the impact on nature as much as possible."

The renovated interior, with its natural colors such as Owase cypress and white walls, is truly cozy. Moreover, the furniture and every single small item are in excellent taste. As a result, even when you are in the guest room or dining room, your body becomes attuned to the atmosphere of this place. You feel as if you are one with the surrounding nature.

What kind of contribution can a hotel make to the local community?

Mr. Kakuta's considerations extend beyond just his own company's economic activities.

"I live in Ise City, which is about a 50-minute drive away, but at the tip of the peninsulaOkushimaEvery time I come here, I see the reality that this land is becoming more and more desolate. I thought that if there were jobs here that would make people from the city want to come and work, it might be possible to slow down the process of this village becoming a depopulated area.

Furthermore, I thought that by running a tourism business here, we could contribute, even in a small way, to the pearl farming industry, as well as to the fishermen who make their living from seaweed and fish. I found meaning in running a hotel in this location in multiple ways, and that's why I decided to try COVA KAKUDA, even though it seemed a bit difficult."

That's not the only meaning.

While "satoyama" (rural landscape) is a commonly heard term, there is also "satoumi" (coastal area). It is indeed the satoumi that provides abundant blessings, including pearls. The problem is that this satoumi is in danger.

"Rias coasts are plateaus formed by uplift from the seabed, so the mountain ridges are all flat fields. In the past, people farmed there. They made manure pits and farmed. When it rained, the nutrients flowed into the sea. Then a rich sea was created, seaweed grew, and fish swarmed,Scallops and oystersThe plants grew, and so did the Akoya pearl oysters.

In Ise-Shima, there was originally a large-scale cycle where fishermen involved in seaweed cultivation, pearl farming, and edible shellfish farming would clean the dirt off the shellfish and their equipment, and then mix the waste, along with the inedible parts of their harvest, with fallen leaves and return it to the soil. However, as depopulation progressed and agricultural workers disappeared, the sea suddenly became less abundant, seaweed decreased, fish populations declined, and shellfish could no longer grow as they once did.

What to do then.

"The only way to restore the richness of the sea is to regenerate it. For example, the location of COVA KAKUDA is an inlet, so it is very susceptible to land influences. In that case, we should work on the land side. By working on the forest, we can create dappled sunlight and improve ventilation, which will allow humus to grow. We can also compost the waste products from fishing and return them to the soil."

Furthermore, if we continue farming, nutrients will flow into the sea. Setting aside the problem of rising sea temperatures, it might not be so difficult to restore the sea to what it was like around 1950. COVA KAKUDA is the place where the coast and the mountains intersect. In other words, by carrying out human activities there, we can return it to nature. That is the fundamental idea that underlies COVA KAKUDA."

What Mr. Kakuta envisioned was an almost unprecedented and incredibly ambitious endeavor in Japan: restoring the coastal and mountainous areas by building a hotel.

Outdoor adventures

First, let's talk about life in the satoyama (traditional Japanese rural landscape).

On the mountain side, they've created a farm with vegetable patches, an olive grove, a herb garden, and a shiitake mushroom farm. They also raise two breeds of chickens: Silkie chickens and Araucana chickens that lay blue eggs. On top of that, they've even started beekeeping.

"Along the coast, there are clusters of Ubame oak trees, which are the raw material for Binchotan charcoal. Binchotan charcoal is mainly produced in Kishu, but it's also abundant in Ise-Shima. We have charcoal artisans go into the mountains and cut down the trees. The thick trunks that aren't used for charcoal become excellent firewood when dried in the sun for two years. This firewood is used in fireplaces and saunas, and it smells wonderful."

We've also built a pier specifically for diving, and many people enjoy relaxing and getting ready there. Japanese guests also frequently come in the water. We use Ise-Shima Binchotan charcoal for our cooking, and we grill local food using local wood."

It can be described as an ideal utopia where the blessings of the mountains and the sea can be fully utilized. So, what kinds of activities are possible in a coastal community?

"To put it simply, it's about letting people experience the ocean as it is, and getting a glimpse into the livelihoods of the people who work there. For example, in winter,Scarlet fan oyster (Hiougigai)You could go to a place where they're farming them, bring a charcoal grill, and try grilling and eating some of them.Gillnets used for spiny lobster fishingWe also let them experience removing spiny lobsters that have been caught in the net.

There's a young man who used to work making cars at Toyota, but was drawn to this ocean and is now training here to learn pearl farming. From around May, the process of inserting nuclei, which are the source of pearls, into Akoya oysters begins, so we'd like him to experience that as well.

The most popular activity is visiting the fish market at the nearby fishing port. Fishing boats usually return around 7 a.m., so you can watch them unload their catch and put it up for auction. There's a daily limit of 300 kilograms, but tuna are often caught as well. The fish, shellfish, and spiny lobster picked up there are sometimes served for dinner in the evening.

I want people to experience firsthand how those who live by the sea interact with the ocean. That's what's so enjoyable, even though you might not understand the dialect they speak. Just like with my own travel experiences, I think the most meaningful thing is to encounter something that can only be found there."

There are also a wide variety of other activities.

Explore the vegetation of the countryside, chop firewood and start a fire, try plant dyeing and aroma extraction, enjoy matcha tea in a gazebo, kayak and kayak fishing, island snorkeling, surfing, fishing (including open ocean charters), sunset cruises, night cruises, bonfires and stargazing, beekeeping experience...

Why is it so diverse?

"There's also the way to revitalize yourself by arriving at your accommodation, doing absolutely nothing, and then heading home. That's how I envision travel to be. I think humans are like pendulums. I feel that ultimate relaxation comes when you put a certain amount of stress on your body and then release it."

I believe that enjoying some activities and receiving some stimulation can actually lead to deeper relaxation. That's why both I and the staff each come up with different menus. I make tea, and each staff member is in charge of their area of ​​expertise."

Regenerative beyond sustainability

Mr. Kakuta envisions a grand vision for the future.

"Furthermore, it's perfectly fine for people to be in nature, and in fact, nature becomes richer because of the presence of people. If guests can feel this larger cycle, which could also be called a circular economy, I think they'll be able to relax a little. If they have a lot to experience, I think the time they can spend feeling light and peaceful afterward will be incredibly fulfilling."

In short, what's being practiced here is the next stage of sustainability. Sustainability alone is simply not enough for the oceans and mountains.

"Sustainability is about the cycle continuing to run if even one of its functions is missing. Instead, it's about the cycle continuing to run, and then amplifying and improving. In other words, our facility practices regenerative principles, which involve continuing and making things even better."

Therefore, there is nothing extravagant about this facility. Instead, it offers a truly luxurious retreat where you can feel nature with your senses. This is likely why the number of discerning repeat visitors from both Japan and abroad continues to grow.

We are also engaging with nature from a different perspective.

"There is waste generated during the pearl farming process. For example, styrofoam and rope. When a business goes out of business, a large amount of this waste is generated that cannot be disposed of by the owner. If it is waste generated as part of the industry, we take responsibility for cleaning it up as part of our industry's responsibility."

There is a nationwide organization called the Japan Pearl Exporters Association, and I am its chairman. I am always thinking about how to promote Japanese pearls. From that perspective, I believe that such cleaning activities are just as important as promoting the beauty of pearls to the world."

The ultimate goal is the rise of the entire area.

I'd also like to mention the dining area.

"Chef Matsumoto used to be the sous chef at a traditional Japanese inn. At first, I didn't find his kaiseki cuisine very exciting, so I took him to various restaurants that I liked. What I told him was, 'Cross borders,' and 'Let's cross borders with the heart of Japan.'"

"Let's freely use a variety of cooking methods and ingredients," he said. "What I admire about Chef Matsumoto is that he has his own ideas, but he can also listen to what others have to say. Now his cooking has reached a level where I can't even offer any suggestions."

In simple terms, it's an "innovative fusion" based on Japanese cuisine. The menu changes seasonally, but it features local specialties such as spiny lobster, pearl oysters, aonori seaweed, blue crab, striped jack, and Matsusaka beef. The dinner course consists of about 11 dishes. Focusing on ingredients from Ise-Shima, the dishes, while utilizing Japanese, Western, and Chinese techniques, all excel at bringing out the best in the ingredients.

Finally, what Mr. Kakuta sees in the future is what the success of COVA KAKUDA will bring to the land.

"If what we're doing at COVA enriches the coastal and mountainous areas, and it becomes apparent that what we're doing there is creating a good environment, I think there's a great possibility that it will spread to other areas of Ise-Shima. If you cruise around the bay, you'll see that there are a lot of unused aquaculture sheds."

If COVA is successful, I think more people will be willing to renovate those kinds of cabins. If accommodations that are only accessible by boat start appearing all over the place, and it spreads organically, people will start to think, "This area is interesting." That's what I'm hoping for."

Joji Kakuda
Graduated from the Department of Social Sciences, College of Liberal Arts, International Christian University in 1995. Joined Mikimoto Ltd. in the same year. Joined Kakuta Pearl Co., Ltd. in 1997 and became president in 2014. In addition, served as chairperson of the Japan Pearl Promotion Association's Pearl Certification Committee, where she helped establish the pearl certification system. Became a member of the Japan Pearl Promotion Association's Research Committee and was involved in the formulation of the Pearl Standard. As vice chairman of the Japan Pearl Exporters Association, she was involved in the formulation of the Japan Pearl Pavilion Rule. As chairman of the Mie Prefecture Pearl Promotion Council, she led the lapel pin project at the 2016 Ise-Shima G7 Summit.

COVA KAKUDA

517-0701 1397-14 Katada, Shima-cho, Shima City, Mie Prefecture, Japan Tel: 0599-52-0231 URL: https://cova-iseshima.jp

Composition/Written by:Toshizumi Ishibashi   Former editor-in-chief of ``Claire Traveler'' and ``Claire.'' He is currently a freelance editor and writer, working as a contributing editor in the Premium Japan editorial department.

Photo by Toshiyuki Furuya