Working as a "hot spring lawyer" for the sake of his family
His mother has a summer house in Stevenson, Washington, about an hour's drive from Portland. His mother, who enjoys tennis, used to go to hot springs in Carson, Washington, for a long time when she felt pain in her body.
Her parents bought a vacation home in Stevenson, a five-minute drive from there, hoping for a place to stay nearby. "Then my father, who had the 'American Dream,' started saying that if we dug on our land, we might find hot springs..." After inviting experts to conduct geological exploration, they actually found hot springs 27 years ago. They excavated about 2,000 feet! That was the story behind the birth of Tenzen Springs and Cabins, the hot spring facility currently run by Miyuki's family.
"We wanted to use this hot spring to introduce Japanese hot spring culture to the local area," so the couple initially thought of building a resort facility. However, they found it necessary to clear various laws and regulations, and the plan proved extremely difficult. "The Columbia River flows nearby, but as a new business, we couldn't directly discharge the hot spring water into the river. So we had to dig a new well to purify the hot spring water before discharging it."
This rule is called "Return Well" and is part of sustainability. However, digging wells for water injection was quite difficult, and they repeatedly failed. They finally succeeded 20 years later in 2016, just a few days before her father passed away. It was Miyuki who handled the complicated legal procedures with the Washington State Department of Health and the Department of Environmental Protection. "I've become a self-proclaimed hot spring lawyer," she says with a smile.
Initially, the plan was to open a day spa with a sauna, pool, and cafe, but the COVID-19 pandemic forced further changes to the plan. Finally, in the summer of 2022, six cabins with open-air baths opened.
The cabins were built with an emphasis on being eco-friendly and private. Although the cabins are small in size and built on a large site, you can enjoy the view from each bathtub, and each shower room has a steam sauna function. There is also a charging station for electric cars. Of course, the main attraction is the hot spring water that flows directly from the source without using chlorine.
After use, the hot spring water is filtered and returned to its original source. American law requires the use of chlorine for public use to maintain water quality, but this has been avoided by installing a bathtub in each cabin. Many customers are visiting a hot spring for the first time, but they all say it was an exquisite experience, and even though it has been open for less than a year, there are quite a few repeat customers. "Next, I am thinking of renovating my mother's nearby vacation home and opening a cottage with an open-air bath. My mother's name is Toyoe, so I plan to call it Toyo House. It would be great to make it a place that families can rent."
Taking on new challenges as a sake sommelier
Besides being a lawyer, Miyuki also works as a sake sommelier. At first glance, this doesn't seem like an easy profession to fit into, so what was the reason behind this?
"About eight years ago, I attended the Emperor's birthday party held at the Japanese Consulate in Portland. I saw people toasting with French champagne and thought it was strange. I wondered why they didn't use sake for a Japanese celebration."
Out of curiosity, he first took a one-day sake class. However, he found that it was not enough, and ended up attending the Sake School of America in Los Angeles. He overcame the extraordinary busy schedule of working as a lawyer in Portland during the week and attending a sake school in Los Angeles on weekends, and obtained a sake taster qualification in English. Now he is busy working as a sake event supporter and sommelier at receptions.
He says that in the future he would like to take on the rigorous sake program offered by WSET (Wine & Spirits Education Trust), the world's largest wine education institute headquartered in London. "The program is offered in America and Asia, but I want to take it in London, where it originated. Students come from all over Europe, so maybe I'll make new sake friends all over Europe?"
During this COVID-19 pandemic, he also began studying wine, hoping to be able to recommend sake to wine lovers. He sent his resume to wineries in Oregon and was hired as a part-timer at two of them. While studying for the WSET Level 2 Wine course, he worked as a customer service representative in a tasting room once every two months. "My lawyer friends ask me, 'Are you doing legal work?'" he said with a laugh.
What is the driving force behind Miyuki's work in various fields? "I have always been interested in Japanese history and culture, including the pottery used in the tea ceremony, which I studied during my time at Columbia University Graduate School. I think what's at the root of it all is the desire to share Japanese culture and spread it to the world."
During her high school days, she served as an interpreter for the Japanese high school students who came to Portland every year from Sapporo, Portland's sister city. From that time on, she developed a desire to be a bridge between the two countries and cultures. The identity she developed while being born in Japan and raised in America supports her today.
"The sake I often give to people is Dewazakura. Its mellow bouquet-like aroma is recommended even for people who usually drink wine. I would like to get involved in importing sake in the future." Miyuki's spirit of inquiry and challenge knows no bounds.
Tenzen Springs and Cabins A hideaway accommodation that combines Japanese hot spring culture and Nordic spa culture. All six two-person cabins have a covered open-air bath. You can catch a glimpse of the Columbia River through the trees. Adults only, minimum stay of two nights. Reservations can be made on the website. 932 Berge Rd., Stevenson, WA 98648 |
*This article is reprinted from Seattle lifestyle magazine Soy Source (March 9, 2023).
© 2023 Hitomi Kato / Soy Source
