Urahoro Charcoal is a charcoal maker with a history of over 100 years in Urahoro Town. In this tour, you can experience various tasks related to charcoal making. The activities you can try vary depending on when you visit. After the work experience, you can enjoy a barbecue lunch of chanchanyaki cooked over charcoal, then refresh yourself with a bath in a local hot spring. It’s a tour that is steeped in the industry and tradition of Urahoro Town. 

Urahoro Charcoal is currently owned by Madoka Seko, who took over the company in 2021 after the only charcoal burner in Urahoro Town retired. She aims to preserve the town’s long tradition of charcoal making, while also building on it by trying out various novel initiatives.

In this tour, you will experience the actual work done by charcoal burners. Some of the tasks you can try out include chopping the oak logs, loading the wood into the charcoal kiln, taking the charcoal out of the kiln, and sawing and packaging the finished charcoal.

The quality of the charcoal produced by Urahoro Charcoal is evident when it is used to grill food. After the work experience, you can re-energize yourself with a barbecue lunch of chanchanyaki (salmon and vegetables in miso sauce) made with local ingredients. Chanchanyaki is a traditional Hokkaido dish usually eaten by fishermen.

The hard work of a charcoal burner often leaves you covered in black soot and sweat. Before finishing the tour, you can wash up and refresh yourself at Urahoro Rushin Onsen, a secluded hot spring situated in the mountains of Urahoro Town.

Note: All images are for illustration purposes only. Your actual experience may vary.

Schedule

10:30	Meetup at Urahoro Charcoal
10:35	Task orientation, preparation
10:45	Charcoal-making work experience
11:45	Salmon chanchanyaki barbecue lunch
13:45	Hot spring bath at Urahoro Rushin Onsen
14:30	Tour finish