“Ayaka Nakamura’s 10,000-step treasure hunt” is where CBC reporter Ayaka Nakamura walks and investigates the hidden charms of notable areas in the Tokai region.

This time, we introduce three impressive spots—people, gourmet food, and outing spots—found in Seto City, Aichi, a pottery town known as one of Japan’s leading ceramic production areas and where the largest ceramic event in Japan, the “Setomono Festival,” is held.

Impressive Spot ①: “Seto Yakisoba,” a local gourmet dish loved by Setomono craftsmen

Nakamura-ana, visiting Seto City for the first time, starts her investigation by asking around in the “Ginza-dori Shopping Street.”

(Woman)
“(Q: What should I eat if I come to Seto City?) Seto Yakisoba. This yakisoba doesn’t use sauce.”

She was told about a nearby restaurant and immediately went there. The first impressive spot, reached after 1675 steps, is the local gourmet dish “Seto Yakisoba.”

“Yakisoba Panda-ya,” which she visited, is a specialty shop for Seto Yakisoba. The shiny noodles look like ordinary sauce yakisoba at first glance, but...

(Staff)
“Seto Yakisoba is soy sauce flavored. We make a broth from pork, add soy sauce, and make it into a broth, and there are some differences between shops. The noodles are brown. (The noodles) don’t have any flavor themselves.”

Generally, Seto Yakisoba uses brown steamed noodles made by long-established shops in the city. Other ingredients include pork and cabbage, and it is served in a Setomono (Seto ware) bowl. It is a local gourmet dish that has been loved by pottery craftsmen for a long time.

Nakamura was completely captivated by the taste, which looked rich but was not heavy.

Impressive Spot ②: A cafe directly managed by a fruit shop! Enjoy juicy and fresh fruits

Continuing her research for impressive spots in the shopping street, she was told about “Kamagaki no Komichi.” It is a charming walking path lined with “Kamagaki,” where old kiln tools used for firing pottery are reused for fences and walls. After passing through it, she found the “Suehiro-cho Shopping Street”!

When she asked a woman passing by for recommendations...

(Woman)
“There’s a fruit shop that has parfaits and juices.”

The day’s interview was on a scorching hot day. Nakamura, who wanted to cool down, was attracted by the word “juice” and headed for the fruit shop she was told about.
When she finally arrived at the shop...

(Staff)
“We take them from here (the storefront) and make fresh juice. The shop next door is run by my daughter. If you order at the shop, (my daughter) will come here to pick them up.”

The second impressive spot, reached after 7508 steps, is a super-sized parfait directly connected to a fruit shop. “Nagomi Chaya Maruko” is a cafe run by a fruit shop.

When Nakamura ordered juice and a parfait, the manager, Akiko Kato, went to her father’s fruit shop. She made the menu with fruits freshly selected from the storefront.

What was Nakamura’s reaction after drinking the “Freshly Squeezed Juice” made by blending an entire peach?

(Ayaka Nakamura)
“It’s the best. It’s more like drinking a peach itself than juice. I can really feel the fruit pulp. I’ve never had such delicious peach juice.”

The other item she ordered, the “Derakkusu Darake Parfait,” was a parfait generously topped with mango and Shine Muscat. She savored the juicy and rich fruits. (The fruits change depending on the season)

Impressive Spot ③: Unique to a pottery production area! Experience painting a beckoning cat bisque

Nakamura started walking again. After walking for a while, she found a large beckoning cat lying down. “Omodaka-ya,” which runs a shop here, is a direct store of a ceramic manufacturer in Seto City, and about 300 beckoning cats are lined up inside. Just looking at them seems to bring good luck, but here’s some useful information.

(Staff)
“There’s a place called Studio Yakushi next door, where you can experience painting a beckoning cat bisque.”

The third impressive spot, reached after 8465 steps, is the “Good Fortune! Beckoning Cat Painting Experience.”

“STUDIO 894,” which opened three years ago, is a complex facility with a coffee stand, a gallery, and an experience where you can paint ceramics such as beckoning cats. Nakamura-ana also tried the coloring experience, painting a beckoning cat bisque with paints and colored pencils. What did she complete after 45 minutes?

(Ayaka Nakamura)
“I made a friend for Doala (Chunichi Dragons mascot). I thought I had no artistic talent, but this painting experience gave me a lot of confidence. It’s cute! I hope it brings victory to the Dragons.”

She enjoyed painting the beckoning cat and finished after 10498 steps. She enjoyed the gourmet food and experiences unique to Seto City.

From CBC TV “Chant!” broadcast on September 9, 2026