Eat, Drink, and Connect with Noto — NOTONO DINER

Have you ever found yourself joining a circle of dancers, only to realise you’d somehow created a different rhythm altogether? That’s precisely how NOTONO DINER began.

In January 2024, we met Mr. Takaichi of iSU Co., a Kanazawa-based company centered on food-related initiatives, while volunteering in Noto after the Noto Peninsula Earthquake.
In October of the same year, during a visit to Noto by members of Loftwork, we spoke with Mr. Tsujino and Mr. Kokubun of DOYA COFFEE, who generously shared their story with us. Then, in January 2025, the Tokyo-based video production agency Wild Tame visited our special exhibition “NOTONO NOW” held at FabCafe Tokyo.

These three groups of creators, who met us at different times and in different places, were connected by small, quiet points of contact. Over time, those connections gradually overlapped, and have now come together once again at FabCafe Tokyo, where their activities take tangible form.

A single, casual action by someone can eventually lead to a connection with someone else. Perhaps getting involved with Noto can begin in just this way. On the night of the event, you are invited to experience the flavors, landscapes, and people of Noto. Please come and join the circle.

This year’s NOTONO Project takes the form of a one-night-only diner: NOTONO DINER.

Based in Kanazawa, Katsumi Takaichi of iSU Co. works to support the recovery of Noto’s primary industries and food culture through food-related production projects. Joining him is Minoru Tsujino of SCRAMANGA, who shares the appeal of Noto with audiences in Japan and around the world through design, digital creative work, and ventures such as coffee shops.

Together, they will present a special dining experience that allows guests to truly feel the richness and character of Noto.

At NOTONO DINER, we will serve two signature dishes created by Mr. Takaichi and Mr. Tsujino: “Fatty Noto Yellowtail Burrito” and “Noto Pork Panini.”

The “NOTO FOOD” series, developed by these two creators from the same hometown, is not simply a menu of local specialties. It is a project that aims to convey the everyday life and living rhythms of Noto through food itself. Each dish carries its own story, bringing the food culture of Noto into the flow of everyday life in Tokyo.

For this edition of NOTONO DINER, guests will enjoy a single plate featuring the Fatty Noto Yellowtail Burrito, the Noto Pork Panini, and three specially prepared appetizers.
Don’t miss this unique opportunity.

The ‘Buri Burrito’, also known as the ‘Buri Buri-tto’, features seasonal yellowtail sourced directly from Mr Nakata of Hinode Ooshi, Japan’s foremost yellowtail fisherman sought out by Michelin-starred chefs. This yellowtail is marinated in Noto koji and meticulously prepared. The rice is a special miso white rice, cooked using miso from Shinde Shōten, who make handmade miso in Oku-Noto. The vegetables, such as cumin-roasted carrots and stir-fried vegetables with garlic, are selected for their aromatic richness and fragrance, perfectly complementing the flavours of the yellowtail and rice. The key to the flavour is the special sauce, which ties the whole dish together.

Noto Pork is a branded pork raised in Noto’s clear water and clean air. It has very little of the distinctive odor often associated with pork, and its soft, chewy texture releases a gentle sweetness with every bite. For this dish, the pork is slowly simmered with vegetables, capturing every drop of its natural juices, and finished as a refined tomato-based sauce.

Another defining feature is the original panini bread, specially created for this menu using ingredients nurtured by Noto’s natural environment. The bread was made exclusively for this dish by 310 Pan (Satopan). Before the earthquake, the bakery operated in Wajima City, and has since reopened in Noto Town. They kindly agreed to create this original bread for us.

Seasonal vegetables and cheese are layered inside, topped with the Noto pork tomato sauce, and grilled until crisp.

At NOTONO DINER, we will also host a documentary screening and talk session featuring creators who have actively engaged in support activities and collaborative projects in Noto.

From their perspectives as Tokyo-based creators, they will share how they have been involved with Noto, as well as their insights on what is essential for local communities and outside partners to work together in healthier, more constructive ways to address and improve regional challenges.

A screening of the short documentary film ‘Rising from the Fire’, produced by Tokyo-based global filmmaking team Wild Tame, will be held. The director, Nanako Senda, will provide commentary on the work.

「還火 Rising from the Fire」

Film poster and Wild Tame Nanako Senda (right).

A cross-talk session will also be held featuring Ms Shimao and Ms Tsujino, members of the Noto no Wa Project, which operates support activities for Noto based in Sumida Ward under the concept of “face-to-face, accessible support”.