An artisan is a person skilled in making a product by hand – according to the dictionary. But, perhaps it’s more than that – a focus on the product almost to the exclusion of reason…

They appear in the most unlikely spots – usually where they love to live – not where the most feet fall.

Thus, it is was with some surprise that- but perhaps not really in Japan – that we happened across an artisan chocolate store in the middle of fields on the way to the Izumo airport. This isn’t Haighs it has a dedication to seasonal chocolates and the variation of flavour based on different sugar sources. Made by hand and with love.

It makes a hot chocolate and a chocolate muffin something very special.