On April 29, 2024, "Satkam Seta-nay," a workshop for charcuterie (processed meat products) and patisserie (pastries), celebrated its grand opening in the town of Setana, Hiyama Subprefecture, Hokkaido.

The story began in the fall of 2020, when Kodai and Yurina Takahashi moved to Setana and opened "Satkam Seta-nay," a shop for processed meats and Western-style sweets in the Matsuoka area of Kitahiyama-ku. They later constructed a new workshop on a hill with a panoramic view of the Sea of Japan in the Futoro area of the same ward. While they began selling pastries in late 2023, the production of processed meat products started at the end of March, leading to this grand opening.

The workshop is located in a villa area called "Sunset Hills FUTORO," a place with a stunning view overlooking the Sea of Japan. From the workshop, you can see the hills of the "Setana Osato Wind Farm" to the east, where 16 wind turbines stand tall, harnessing the strong winds of Setana. To the west, you can see the northern tip of Okushiri Island, the only remote island in Southern Hokkaido, also known as the "Floating Island of Beech Trees."

Satkam Seta-nay aims to provide a complete culinary experience by combining processed meats and sweets made from carefully selected ingredients grown in the great northern land. Sausages flavored with local wild vegetables and pastries made with seasonal fruits bring regional character and nature's bounty to brighten up every dining table.

A highly recommended item is the 'Oishii Shokutaku Set' (Delicious Dining Table Set), a gift set of Satkam Seta-nay's unique processed goods and sweets. It is coordinated so that "you can enjoy a full meal with just one set."

The "Sakkam" in Satkam Seta-nay is an Ainu word for dried meat products, such as cured venison. While considering how to fuse the Ainu food culture of "Sakkam" with the charcuterie techniques he learned in France, Kodai wondered if he could utilize the region's natural energy.

So, in the new workshop, he installed a system called "PS Cantina." It is used for aging prosciutto and dry sausages, circulating cold water to keep the room at a stable cool temperature. In the future, it can also be adapted to a "himuro" (icehouse) system using snow and ice. When he launched a crowdfunding campaign for this installation, he received support that greatly exceeded his target amount.

When the shop had its soft opening at the end of 2023, selling only pastries, customers from both inside and outside the town, including fans from the previous location and supporters from the crowdfunding campaign, came to buy Yurina's sweets and cakes. With this grand opening, Kodai's processed meat products have been added to the lineup, and customers can now look forward to an even wider range of products, such as sets of dry sausage and pastries.

"I want to become a hub that connects local producers, retailers, restaurants, and consumers," says Kodai. Satkam Seta-nay's journey to deliver deliciousness from the small town of Setana in Hokkaido has just begun. "We've extended our summer hours until 6:00 PM so that visitors can enjoy the sunset over the Sea of Japan." With its stunning view of the sea, please come and visit Satkam Seta-nay!

Author: Katsuhiro Yamamoto

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Domingo Local Topics

"Domingo Local Topics" brings you the charm of various regions through the authentic voices of local people. From unique local shops and student initiatives to community-built events, the content varies by region. We deliver stories from the area that will make you feel closer to the local scene and want to visit.