Outland Japan
Stories of travel, life and culture beyond the big cities. Outland Japan is a bi-weekly podcast hosted by Peter Carnell - a freelance tour guide based in northern Nagano – that transports you to rural, regional and the wilds of Japan in pursuit of stories that lie outside the neon hum of Tokyo and golden trimmings of Kyoto. Stories from the Japanese outlands.
Outland Japan
Son of the Smith & The Science of Cider with Ikeuchi Takuro
Episode 14 of the podcast takes us once again to Nagano Prefecture and Son of the Smith Hard Cider brewery. Opened in 2020, Son of the Smith Hard Cider are in many ways forging a new era for cider in Japan – a country that doesn’t have a strong cider tradition.
In this episode, I speak with head brewer Ikeuchi Takuro about the brewery’s founding vision and the cider they are now producing – work that is redefining what is possible when it comes to cider. As Ikeuchi-san explains, his background in organic chemistry underpins brewing techniques that respond to the variation in apples from season-to-season. Such methods allow Son of the Smith to utilise apple varieties typically considered unsuitable for good cider while also adapting methods used in the United Kingdom, United States – including production of hop cider - and Europe to pioneer a new Japanese tradition.
Make sure to check out the episode page on the Snow Country Stories Japan website for further information, relevant links and a map showing where the brewery is located. Given the size of Japan’s snow country and often unfamiliar place names, understanding where each episode is talking about can be confusing. For that reason, each episode has a page on website including links and maps to help you get your bearings and learn more about the people and places discussed. You can also follow Son of the Smith on Instagram.
For more information about the podcast and your host, visit our website: www.snowcountrystories.com. Make sure to subscribe, rate and review the podcast and follow us on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.
Outland Japan is a bi-weekly podcast hosted by Peter Carnell - a freelance tour guide based in northern Nagano – that transports you to rural, regional and the wilds of Japan in pursuit of stories that lie outside the neon hum of Tokyo and golden trimmings of Kyoto. Stories of travel, life and culture beyond the big cities. Follow the show on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube. Please note, prior to October 2024, Outland Japan was named Snow Country Stories Japan.
