The notion of a B.B.Q./barbecue in Japan is slightly different from that encountered in Western countries.
It is certainly organized with more precision and good service in mind!

Team Kumagusu is a group of like-minded chefs and friends who endeavor to promote the products of Shizuoka through different events. This particular B.B.Q., in its third edition, is the culmination of their efforts.
The number of participants (more than 60 this year!) meant that they had to change the locality of the B.B.Q. for need of more space.

SATO is a space owned by a local timber and architecture company up in the mountains in Ashikubo, Aoi Ku, Shizuoka City.
It can easily cater up to 100 people with great outdoors facilities complete with washroom and shower!

They even have wooden lodges for kid’s play!

A view of the company workplace.

Smokers are invited to indulge in their habit far away from the crowd!

First of all let me introduce the characters behind the event by starting with Team Kumagusu’s leader, Kenya Yoshimura/吉村健也, owner/chef of Uzu Izakaya!

Takahiro Nagashima/長島孝博 (and his wife), owner of Nagashima Wine shop in Shizuoka City, the main back-up of the event!

Kazutaka Takashima/高嶋一孝, owner and master-brewer of Takashima Brewery (Hakuin Masamune) in Hara, Numazu City.

Yuusuke Tozaki/戸崎雄介, owner-chef of Hana Oto Chinese Izakaya in Shizuoka City!

Junya Kimbara/金原純也, second chef at Hana Oto!

Takao Shimura/志村剛生, owner-chef of Narusei Tempura Restaurant in Shizuoka City.

Masataka Mochizuki/望月正隆, owner of Kanzawagawa Brewery (Shosetsu) in Yui, Shimizu Ku, Shizuoka City.

Toshiyaki Horie/堀江利彰, owner of Horie Chicken Farm in Shuzenji, Izu Peninsula, the only farm raising Amagi Shamo Chickens!

The day had started under in dry weather but overcast skies.

When it started raining all the charcoal bbq fires could be safely moved under the eaves of the building!

The ingredients of the day were published on brush-painted sheets of paper for all to see!
It certainly made for great reading!
I will send more precise pictures on request!

Red Ore Tomatoes, real fruits!

Organic green and yellow zucchinis from Biofarm Matsuki in Fujinomiya City!

Fresh wasabi roots from Sugiyama Farm in Umegashima, Aoi ku, Shizuoka City!

More organic vegetables!

Plenty of extravagant sake served by our two local brewery owners!

Shosetsu/正行き brand by Kanzawagawa Brewery!

Hakuin Masamune/白隠正宗 brand by Takashima Brewery!

Warm sake for the connoisseurs!

The brewers had even brought water from their own wells for all guests to drink!

Shigeru Sano/佐野茂治 preparing a salad of nagaimo, potato and lotus!

Mr. Keiji Sano/佐野佳治 of Sanoman Co. in Fujinomiya City who had contributed his own products to the even biding his time!

The guests starting enjoying themselves in earnest in spite of the rain outside. Note that the majority are ladies!

These ladies never miss such an event (I know them well!)!

Grating fresh wasabi for all these guests required a lot of wrist work!

Toshiyaki Horie/堀江利彰 demonstrating how to prepare his Amagi Shamo chickens for a BBQ!

The kids were invited to prepare the sweets of the day!

Extravagant rainbow trout sashimi from Kunugi Farm in Fujinomiya City!

Superlative leaf ginger from Kuno, Suruga Ku, Shizuoka City!

The vegetables, tofu and fish served while the meat was cooking!

The Amagi Shamo chicken cut and ready to be grilled!

Couldn’t wait to savor it!

Pork sausages from Sanoman Co.!

Truly extravagant dry ice-aged beef from Sanoman Co.!

I had pinched an Amagi Shamo chicken neck to grill all for myself! Actually I couldn’t resist the pleas of some friends and gave it away!

Takao Shimura/志村剛生 preparing the organic vegetables and chicken tempura!

Corn and onion tempura!

Now, who is this guy in his cups? LOL (a good friend of mine, actually!)

No need to say we shall meet again next year same place, same time with even more guests!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Tokyo Food File by Robbie Swinnerton, Green Tea Club by Satoshi Nihonyanagi in Shizuoka!, Mind Some by Tina in Taiwan, Le Manger by Camille Oger (French), The Indian Tourist, Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India, Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London, Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, 47 Japanese Farms Through The Eyes of Its Rural Communities, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Cooking Cute, Timeless Gourmet, Bento Bug, Ideal Meal, Bentosaurus, Mr. Foodie (London/UK), Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Good Beer & Country Boys, Another Pint, Please!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in kanzai by Nevitt Reagan!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery