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Musubibito-Coal Craftsman Hisayuki Kondo conveys the radiance and skill of the tradition in Tosa Binchotan
"Musubibito" The tradition and skills of Tosa Binchotan learned from Mr. Toshiyuki Kondo, charcoal craftsman
"Tosa Binchotan" is one of the leading industries in Kochi Prefecture and is one of Japan's three largest Binchotan charcoal. It is a high-quality charcoal that is used in famous restaurants to cook the ingredients deliciously because it is hard to bake and tighten. The production volume of Binchotan in Kochi Prefecture is one of the highest in Japan, and plays a major role in promoting industry and environmental conservation utilizing local resources.
This time, Mr. Toshiyuki Kondo, the only charcoal craftsman in Aki City who produces "Tosa Binchotan" in Musubibito, will provide an opportunity to learn "Tosa Binchotan" from the manufacturing process to the structure, characteristics and usage of kilns. At the end of the program, you will return to the hotel and eat a special pizza that is baked using Tosa Bincho charcoal.
[Overview of the Program]
◆Reservation Period From April 23, 2025 (Wednesday)
◆Date of implementation
1st May 23, 2025 (Fri) 9:30 to 14:00 Reception has been closed. （5/16 18:00）
The 2nd June Friday, June 13, 2025 9:30 to 14:00 Reception has been closed. （6/9 9:00）
The 3rd Friday, September 19, 2025 9:30 to 14:00 Reception has been closed. （6/16 23:00）
The 4th October Friday, October 10, 2025 9:30 to 14:00 Reception has been closed. （10/8 23:00）
The 5th October Friday, October 31, 2025 9:30 to 14:00 Reception has been closed. (10/24 23:00）
6th November Wednesday, November 19, 2025 9:30-14:00 Deadline: Wednesday, November 12
※It is scheduled to be held once a month. (It will not be held in July and August 2025.)
※The next event will be announced on the official website.
※If you wish to stay, please make a reservation for the previous day separately.
◆Implementation time Pottery tour/experience 9:30-11:00, lunch (pizza) 12:30-14:00
◆Number of people 4 to 8 people
◆Target age Elementary school students or older
◆Cost ¥11,000 / person (tax included)
◆Content included in the experience
・Tour of potteries
・Pottery experience
・Lunch (pizza)
◆Remarks
・All-inclusive accommodation reservations and charges are required separately. The contents are subject to change depending on the situation.
・You can move to the potter by yourself.
・It may be canceled due to the weather.
・If you are a minor, please be accompanied by a guardian.
・Since there is a work experience, we recommend wearing clothes that do not bother dirt and shoes that are easy to walk.
・The application deadline is one week before the program is held.
・Cancellation fee: 3 days before to 100% on the day (Cancellation due to weather will not be charged.)
"Musubibito" Profile
Mr. Toshiyuki Kondo, a charcoal craftsman
He has a bag ground called a former support school teacher. While having a desire to create a place for employment for persons with disabilities, he learned about the various work processes of Tosa Binchotan, a local industry, and said, "If you work together even if you have a disability, you can create employment." Find the possibility.
He became a disciple of a charcoal-grilling craftsman in Muroto City, and took over the potter in Aki City since 2015 and opened. It is the only place in Aki City to produce Tosa Binchotan.
I feel rewarding at the moment when I feel the delicious meal cooked with Tosa Binchotan I made, and I continue to burn the fire 365 days a year so as not to cool the heat of the kiln. I hope that people who are connected with a single charcoal will become a big "Japanese".
[Point of the program]
1.Learn about the characteristics and history of Binchotan while enjoying coffee roasting with Tosa Binchotan
A bag ground where he was taught about the history of "Bichotan", which has the image of professional charcoal handled by chefs at high-end restaurants, the history from becoming an industry in Kochi Prefecture, and the characteristics of grilling ingredients deliciously Mr. Kondo will explain in an easy-to-understand manner.
Using beans roasted with Tosa Binchotan, you can learn more about Tosa Binchotan with a fragrant coffee brewed with heart by Mr. Kondo in one hand.
2.A tour of the inside of the kiln, handmade by traditional techniques, which is not usually visible
Located in Aki City, next to the hotel, the only potterilator is located in a quiet place surrounded by forests. The kilns in the workshop, from the ground to the ceiling, were all handmade by Mr. Kondo faithfully to the traditional techniques of Kochi. You can observe not only the inside of the red burning kiln, but also the double ceiling made of red soil and the empty mouth for replenishment on it while listening to the explanation.
You can also visit another kiln that is currently in production, and you will enter a kiln that you cannot usually see and learn how logs can be obtained.
3.Learn about the production process of Bincho charcoal and experience charcoal making
After completing the tour of the potter, you can actually experience the work being done on the day or get a lecture on how to ignite Tosa Binchotan.
What kind of process Tosa Binchotan is completed through, such as putting out a kiln that emits red glowing Binchotan from the kiln wearing a heat-resistant mask and work gloves, cutting and boxing after charcoal is completed. You can experience. This is a valuable opportunity to learn about the 14 production processes of Binchotan, which are performed only by the members of the kiln.
In addition, there are tips to prevent explosive jumps that occur when burning Binchotan and to ignite smoothly. You can experience the ignition of Tosa Binchotan from scratch while having you give a lecture on the tips. For those who are interested in Bincho charcoal and want to use it for camping or barbecue, we will provide a perfect place for learning. (The actual work content will determine the contents of the day's experience.)
4. Experience the taste of Tosa produced by local industries and craftsmen with Tosa Binchotan × local ingredients
After learning about Tosa Binchotan, we returned to the hotel and had lunch at the poolside. You can enjoy charcoal-grilled and pizza of vegetables from Kochi Prefecture in an open space.
As Kondo says, "Vegetables that can bring out the most delicious ingredients with Tosa Binchotan are vegetables," charcoal-grilled does not generate water vapor and does not give extra moisture to the ingredients, so it will be baked with a rich flavor. Please enjoy the original taste of the ingredients directly.
In addition, we offer a special hotel pizza using local vegetables and ham as an arrangement menu. Pizza baked using Tosa Bincho charcoal in a pizza kiln handmade by the staff is topped with plenty of seasonal vegetables. You can enjoy an exquisite collaboration between crisp pizza dough baked with charcoal fire and fresh vegetables from Kochi Prefecture. In addition, we will also prepare dessert pizza featuring refreshing sweetness using shiratama sugar and banana, which have been a 100-year food in Geisei Village. Please fully enjoy the taste of Tosa baked with Tosa Binchotan.
Example of staying 3 days and 2 nights
Day 1
11:00 Kitagawa Village "Monet Garden" Marmottan
13:30 Lunch with a view of Tosa Bay at Sea House
16:00 Check-in and relax in the lounge
18:30 Dinner
20:30 Yosakoi Onsen
22:00 Slowly in the hot spring lounge
Day 2
07:30 Breakfast
09:30 Musubibito to Tosa Binchotan Kobo Tour & Work Experience
11:00 Sightseeing in Aki City
12:30 Tosa Binchotan lunch time at the hotel
15:00 Prefectural Makino Botanical Garden
18:00 Dinner
21:00 Comparison of Tosa sake at the lounge (Click here for details)
Day 3
07:00 Breakfast
09:00 Immerse in a hot spring
10:30 Check-out
11:00 Dragon River Cave Adventure
15:00 Explore places related to Takashi Yanase (for details, see the link below)
Kami City Takashi Yanase Memorial Hall
Okawakami Mirafu-jinja Shrine
※An example of a stay above is an image. Please check in advance the business hours of each facility.
What is Musubibito?
Considering urban areas and tourist centers around Japan as "Omoya" and beautiful areas that are not yet well known as "Hanare", "Mercure Kochi Tosa" is a hotel located in an area that can be called "Hanare". "#Hanare Journey" is a style of travel where you can enjoy the scenery rich in nature, the traditions and culture rooted in the area, and the interaction with local people. As one of the ways to enjoy this #Hanari Journey, we are developing the original experience program "Musubibito". In this program, people who are familiar with the region and continue to preserve tradition and culture are referred to as "Musubibito" and play a role in connecting customers with their communities. To date, we have developed programs at various hotels such as “Hot Hunter (Grand Mercure Beppu Bay Resort & Spa)” in Oita Prefecture, “Salt Craftsman (Grand Mercure Awaji Island Resort & Spa)” in Hyogo Prefecture, and “Traditional Sake Brewery (Grand Mercure Nara Kashihara)” in Nara Prefecture, but this time we will launch the first “Musubibito” program in Kochi Prefecture.
※On the journey # is: https://accor-resorts-japan.jp/hanaretabi/
