Delicious gelato made with ingredients from Noto that are "kind to the soil"
"The most important thing about gelato is the texture. It needs to melt instantly on your tongue, and that 'happy aftertaste' needs to last at least five minutes. And ultimately, it needs to tell a story," says Shibano Daizo, the world's leading gelatieur (gelato artisan) and owner of Margare Gelato.
"Theory alone or intuition alone is not enough. Gelato is a microcosm that combines science and intuition."
The background of the craftsman's upbringing and the environment in which he developed his sensibilities are also important factors. The same goes for the producers of ingredients.
"You can't create a surprising flavor unless you take into account the producers' commitment to their daily work and their outlook on life."
Daizo's father was one of the leaders of dairy farming in Noto. For nearly 30 years, he raised dozens of dairy cows. Daizo, the eldest son, and his four brothers and sisters grew up drinking that raw milk every morning. In order to follow in his father's footsteps, Daizo studied international agricultural development at university, and immediately after graduating he took over the farm and began his career in dairy farming.
However, the road was tough. At the time, a wave of sixth-sector industries was spreading, with dairy farmers themselves handling processed products. The desire to overcome this difficult situation and the strong desire to spread the deliciousness of Noto's raw milk intersected. What kind of dairy product would make everyone happy and energized when they ate it? The idea came to him: the first gelato in the Hokuriku region, directly operated by a farm.
From there, trial and error began. After all, he was a complete amateur who had never attended a confectionery school. He made many prototypes, referring to the recipe book that came with the machine and cookbooks he had ordered from Italy. In 2000, he opened his main store in Noto with his father. The store gradually gained popularity, and in 2004 he opened a branch in Nonoichi, near Kanazawa.
Although he has gained support in Ishikawa Prefecture, he wonders if his gelato will be accepted in Italy, where it originates, and begins to enter competitions. However, he suffers a series of crushing defeats. Still, he continues to try, and after seven years, an old man calls out to him.
"You're interesting. Why don't you come to my workshop?" I later found out that the old man was actually the father of the president of the Italian Gelato Association and a legendary gelatieur. This legend told me, "Gelato is a science. It doesn't work with intuition and technique alone."
"It was an eye-opener," he said. He explained in detail how gelato is made by combining three elements - air, liquid, and solids - and that there is an optimal ratio between these, that the sugar content must be changed to suit the ingredients, and that the hardness and smoothness change depending on the sugar used, and that taking these into consideration, the recipe is constructed structurally and theoretically.
After studying and applying the theory he learned from the legend, he became number one in Japan the following year, and number one in the world two years after that. Since then, Margar Gelato has become known throughout the country.
Noto's nature and family love create a unique flavor
One of Daizo's goals is to revitalize the local community through gelato. The fresh milk that forms the backbone of gelato is delivered every morning from a farm in Noto.
The showcase displays signature products such as Noto Premium Milk, which features raw milk as the main ingredient, and Noto Salt, which uses salt from Suzu, Ishikawa, made using traditional methods, as well as the world-renowned Pineapple, Celery, and Apple Sorbet, and seasonal gelatos made with local ingredients grown in the climate of Noto, which is said to be ``gentle, even the soil is gentle.''
In 2021, both the main store and the Nonoichi store were awarded the title of "World's Best Gelato Shop" by a federation recognized by the Italian government.
On the right is Daizo's prized Noto Premium Milk and on the right is his work that won him the top prize in Japan. 
Junichi Yamagishi (right) of Suzu Salt, who continues to make salt using the Agehama method. 
The hit "Noto Salt" was born thanks to the salt of 88-year-old Yamagishi. 
The coast of Suzu rose 2 meters in the aftermath of the earthquake, so seawater for salt production had to be pumped from far away. 
Taira's blueberries are frozen and processed to become Daizo's gelato. 
Hira Miyuki (left) of Hira Miyuki Farm, which grows large blueberries.
In October of the following year, the Nonoichi store was relocated and renovated to open Margar Lab Nonoichi. Visitors can observe the glass-walled workshop as they stroll along the leisurely approach from the entrance to the showcase. They can also get a glimpse into the work of both Daizo and his younger brother, Kosuke, who followed in his footsteps and became the world's best.
Numerous trophies line the walls. The whiteboard is filled with recipes that are updated daily. Everything you see makes you want to eat it.
"This place is literally a lab, fusing natural science and art," says the older brother. "The structure is that the older brother is the artist who creates the flavors, and the younger brother is in charge of not only production, but also management and merchandising," adds the younger brother. In this lab, their mother helps with sales, and their younger sister handles the administration, supporting the creation of the world's best gelato.
In front of the lab. Kosuke is on the left and Daizo is on the right. They eat lunch together every day. 
Numerous award trophies. Below that, on the whiteboard, there are recipes that are updated every day.
Now, we head to the main store in Noto. The simple store, standing alone in a surprisingly tranquil rural landscape, was damaged in the Noto Peninsula earthquake and closed for a long time. It reopened today. It was an unseasonably cold day, so we were worried about the number of customers, but even before opening time there were already a few customers. As soon as the store opened, customers started arriving one after another. We can only imagine how much everyone had been looking forward to this.
The main store is run by the older sister and her husband. The father makes cheese in a small workshop in the back. With the love and energy of the whole family poured into it, Margareto continues to grow in strength and brilliance.
Daizo says, "Reconstruction in Noto is progressing slowly and will take time. I hope that through our gelato we can bring some cheer to the local people. Gelato is deep precisely because there is no right answer. It will continue to evolve and deepen."
Cars arrive one after another. Many are families and groups. Everyone loves gelato. Once you've tried it, it's a taste you'll never forget. 
"Mascarpone and Orange Vanilla" and "Akazaki Strawberry" double cone for 520 yen. Plus, you get a free bite of your favorite flavor. That's great.
