Features

Shoyu production is said to have begun in the area around Yuasacho almost as soon as Kinzanji miso was brought over from Song. The starting point was when workers noticed that a kind of fluid with an unusual flavor accumulated at the top and bottom of miso barrels during the miso production process. That fluid was improved over and over, leading to the creation of delicious shoyu. The flavor of shoyu was distributed throughout Japan from the port of Yuasa, and by now it has a place on tables around the world, as “soy sauce”.

Wakayama is famous as a production region forumeboshi, leading Japan in both volume and value produced. The ume plums used umeboshi are mainly of the nanko variety. That’s the highest-grade variety. Ume, one of Japan’s traditional ingredients, has various benefi cial health effects. It contains abundant amounts of citric acid, malic acid, succinic acid, dihydroxysuccinic acid, and other organic acids that have effects such as aiding recovery from fatigue. The nutritional value of ume is high even compared to other fruits, as it is rich in protein, minerals such as calcium, potassium, phosphorous, and iron, and vitamins such as A, B1, B2, and C. There are now processed products such as granules and pastes that use ume, making it easier to bring into your daily life.

Taking Wakayama Ume to the whole world. Kishu Ume Burger was created in June 2014 as a way to get people outside Japan to try eating unfamiliar umeboshi and processed ume products.
How can we spread information about ume, which helps the body and builds health, to consumers outside Japan? How about matching ume with hamburger, which is a major kind of food overseas? That idea prompted the formation of the Kishu Ume Burger Research and Development Group in October 2012. Three types of burger product have been developed so far. The research stage considered new ways of using ume to complement burgers, then the developed ideas were commercialized as products, so the Kishu Ume Burger was the starting point for proposing new ume products. It’s something you just have to try when you visit Wakayama.

Japan’s kamaboko (processed fi sh paste) is eaten in all kinds of situations. As a side dish with rice, as a snack with sake, as a souvenir gift, as a snack when you’re hungry, or a more luxurious version as a thank-you gift: Kamaboko is an indispensable element in Japan’s diet. Company president Mr. Minami says “All the paste products we handle are made in our own factory. They are vacuum packed and sterilized at high temperature, so they can be eaten with peace of mind. Mechanization of kamaboko production is advancing, but we make our top product, “Iso Nanba”, carefully, one sheet at a time, by our unchanged traditional production method”. Proudly, he adds “We offer over 300 types of kamaboko, so we can provide the form the customer wants”.

Founded 118 years ago, Ito Noen uses Wakayama-grown citrus to produce and market 100% pure juice, kanten gelee marmalade, and other additive-free products. Company president Ito describes the secret of his products’ success, saying “We devised a machine to squeeze only the flesh of citrus fruits. We place halved fruits on a bowl-shaped machine which squeezes gently from above. Only the inside is squeezed, leaving the peel behind, so it’s just like eating fresh citrus”. The company’s Kanten Gelee uses 100% pure juice, solidifi ed with nothing but kanten (Japanese agar) and sweetened with raw sugar. No pectin, gelatin, or other additives are used to produce the subtly balanced jellyish sensation. Spend some luxurious time enjoying it.

Founded in 1897, this company is 120 years old this year. It has kept on making umeboshi to match Japanese people’s tastes and preferences as they changed with the times. Other than umeboshi, the company makes processed ume products and umeshu (ume liquor). Company president Tanaka says “We have kept the same unchanging spirit since our foundation. In every age, we want to carry on conveying the taste of Japan, and the taste that is in our hearts”. The most notable product is umeshu that could only be made in the heart of the ume production region, centered on matured Nanko ume. The lineup of umeshu varieties really is rich and diverse. There are white, red, honeyed, black sugar-sweetened, green tea-flavored, yuzu (citron) -flavored, cassis-flavored, and other varieties. Sparkling versions have become popular additions to the lineup lately. President Nakata adds that “The techniques handed down in the region and our unique production methods have built up the confidence of our customers”.

This dedicated umeboshi manufacturer was founded in 1932. Umeboshi has been a familiar, traditional Japanese food for centuries. Company managing director Kawamoto says “While we maintain tradition, we are also boldly working to develop new products”. “Yakiume” is one of those popular products. Ume are toasted slowly and thoroughly with infrared heat to condense their umami fl avor and make their tartness more rounded. Ume Hachimitsu is umeboshi with the salt content kept down to 2.8%. Using Japanese honey, it achieves superb mellowness. The company’s “Towa no Shizuku” umeshu brand has won two stars from the International Taste & Quality Institute (iTQi), which uses world-class chefs and sommeliers as its reviewers. Mr. Kawamoto says the reason for the popularity of umeboshi is that “Umeboshi contains many nutrients that are essential for human health. The other reason is our innovative work on processed umeboshi products.”

This company produces “Osacchi”chips, which are popular for their taste and fragrance, and are made from the “Naruto Kintoki” variety o f sweet potatoes. Naruto Kintoki sweet potatoes grow on sandy soil containing abundant marine minerals, and are rich in dietary fiber and vitamin C. Company president Mr. Fujiwara says “we use only 100% Japanese-grown ingredients, with absolutely no artificial sweeteners, colorings, flavors, antioxidants, chemical flavorings, emulsifiers, raising agents, or thickeners. These are healthy chips you can eat with peace of mind, and that’s the secret of their popularity”. The three varieties are natural flavor, plain flavor, and salt flavor. This is a new product that the company started making in February last year, and it is spreading its sales network, particular to souvenir and gift shops within Tokushima Prefecture. They have also had inquiries from overseas. The price is JPY290 for 50g.

Kitomura was born as an okara cake bakery. Their popular Okara Cookies are “habit forming!”, say repeat customers. The secret of these cookies is the umami of the ingredients, which are simply presented and gain more flavor the longer one chews them. The raw materials include okara (the soybean residues left from tofu production) from Japanese beans, Japanese-grown wheat, and eggs from chickens grown on safe feed. “Kito Yuzu Shibori”, which is hand-squeezed yuzu juice, is another popular product. It can be used to add fragrance and fl avor to a wide range of dishes, and in desserts, juices, cocktails, and more. Company director Mr. Nakagawa says “The Kito yuzu-growing district has a wide range of temperatures, from -4 to +37°C, and the strength of its temperature variations nurtures the strength of fragrance and tartness in our yuzu.

Yutouan is a yuzu (citron) farm. It handles all aspects of growing, harvesting, product processing, and marketing of yuzu of the Kito variety. Kito Village in Tokushima Prefecture has high rainfall and wide ranges between high and low temperatures, so it can grow sweet-tasting, highly fragrant yuzu. The president, Ms. Sakakino says “In Tokushima’s Kito Village, every household has yuzu in its refrigerator. The villagers live with yuzu in their lives, and getting that tart flavor from yuzu is an everyday thing”. Yuzu contain abundant vitamin C, and their skins are the most nutritionally rich part, so they are squeezed whole. “Kito Yuzu Jelly” is a popular jellied yuzu product, and a bestseller in summer, when it is delightful to eat chilled. It is priced at JPY350 for 160g. It is particularly popular with women in their 30s and older, and the sharp taste and fragrance of yuzu are well loved.

This producers’ cooperative of 15 members grows 350 varieties of vegetables. With 40 varieties of potato, 50 of tomato, 50 of kabocha squash, 15 of zucchini, and more, they grow vegetables with distinctive differentiation unavailable on the market, and market them via direct shipping from the grower. They load vegetables onto light trucks to market them, and the producers communicate the appeal of farming at the same time. Their business also serves to develop their town of 3,000 people. The coop’s representative, Mr. Takahashi, says “We can’t sell produce lined up on shelves, so presentation is important. We make sure people can pick the right potatoes to match what they’re going to cook. Just like tomatoes, potatoes have differences in sugar content and sweetness. The Inca Mezame variety is sweet. The Destroyer variety has a fl avor that averages between sweet potato and regular potato, which is excellent for dishes like potato salad. We aim to be the closest farmers to the consumer”.

The leading product is “Puchipuyo Tomatoes”. They have extremely thin skin, and the sensation of eating one is like eating a stoneless cherry. They are good for fruit compote or for marinating, but another popular way to eat them is whole and frozen. The Sugary Midi Tomato has absolutely no bitterness or unwelcome flavors. The company has partnered with a local chef to use this tomato to make a real, popular tomato sauce pasta dish that is ready in 10 minutes. It won high praise as a tomato that overturns the conventional idea of tomato sauce. The farm’s representative, Mr. Takahashi, says “We grow over 80 varieties of crops in rich soil that has abundant organic content.We ship and market our produce through direct transactions. To make our crop cultivation exploit the changing needs in each consumption situation, we are trying measures that are linked with the places where our products are actually consumed”.

This sake brewery has 350 years of sake-making history and tradition. It was born in Itami, Hyogo Prefecture. Since 1977, it has won a succession of gold medals in overseas alcoholic beverage competitions. The first condition for making sake is that the water must taste good. The Otokoyama brewery is blessed by subsoil water flowing from the permanent snow pack of the Taisetsuzan mountain range, and by the bitter cold of the local climate, said to be the best for sake brewing. Executive Director Mr. Yamazaki says “We produce 1,260 kiloliters a year, the highest production volume among the 11 sake breweries in Hokkaido. Of that, 60% is consumed in Hokkaido, 25% elsewhere in Japan, and 15% overseas, but first of all, we want to be a company that is loved by the local community”. The company haws a Museum of Sake Making which is a place to learn about the history of sake and the culture of Japan. It also offersfree tasting.

Noin produces and markets caffeine-less coffee, and operates Agri Coffee Kurocafe. The manager, Mr. Moriyasu, says “We wanted to produce local coffee that makes the most of local characteristics, for people who don’t react well to caffeine, and for women refraining from caffeine during pregnancy and lactation. We blend in black beans and red rice (unpolished) to help people to recognize the appeal of local agricultural produce. Black soybean blended coffee uses Okayamagrown Sakushuguro high-quality branded black beans. Black beans include high levels of polyphenols, which have strong antioxidant effects. Black beans characteristically have a sweet flavor and make it hard to taste acidity. Red rice blended coffee includes large amounts of protein, vitamins, and minerals from red rice, and is refreshing to drink.

This company was founded 70 years ago, and is Okayama’s only specialist kibi dango (millet dumpling) manufacturer. The secret of their popularity is their refined, rounded flavor, created by traditional techniques. The director of sales, Mr. Okamoto says “We want to pass the fl avor of kibi dango and the nursery tale of Momotaro on to future generations”. The story of Momotaro is a nursery tale that everyone in Japan knows. In the story, his grandmother gives him kibi dango and he drives demons back to Onigashima (demon island), backed by his entourage of dog, monkey, and pheasant. Mr. Okamoto adds “We are working to develop products that help to pass on the story of Momotaro. When you open the box, each individual product inside is individually wrapped as Momotaro, a demon, dog, monkey, or pheasant. Our kibi dango are characterized by playful creativity and a smooth softness in the mouth”. The basic concept is “Fun to open, delicious to eat”.

Shioya miso (fermented bean paste) was founded 220 years ago. Miso is an essential ingredient of Japanese people’s diets, with over 1,300 years of history. A fl avoring with a balance of sweet, tart, spicy, bitter, and umami tastes, miso has been proven to include abundant active ingredients and nutrients that are effective for health enhancement. Company president Mr. Ishiai says “Shioya’s miso characteristically uses no additives. We carefully remove the skins of stringently selected, high-quality beans, and restrict salt content out of concern for health. Abundant use of koji (rice malt) gives a rounded, rich flavor. You really should try its special fragrance and delicious taste”. Other popular products besides miso include amazake (sweet fermented rice drink) containing ingredients such as red rice malt and chlorella. Shioya is the only company in Japan making amazake with added chlorella . It tastes great served chilled in summer and hot in winter.

Tosa Meisankai is the fi rst and only producer of buntan (citrus grandis) in Kochi Prefecture with JAS certification from the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. The sweet and delicious buntan that grows on the sloping mountainside land of the area, which is well drained and exposed to wind from the sea, is a popular product for Tosa Meisankai. The company also develops and markets 100% juices and drinkable jellies squeezed from the whole fruit of Tosa buntan, ponkan (a tangerine variety), konatsu (citrus tamurana), and yuzu (citron), which are all common fruits of Kochi prefecture. This product has been selected by Cuisine Kingdom for its top 100 delicious foods of Japan, and by various other magazines. Company representative Mr. Aoyama says “Our buntan has branch scuffs, sun burn, spots, and the like, so it’s not very pretty to look at, but it’s grown organically with no chemical applications in the last fi ve years, so it’s healthy and a welcome gift, for anyoneto eat with peace of mind”.

With the slogan “A land that calls people with its fragrance”, Studio Okamura started the Tosa Bergamot Project fi ve years ago. The characteristic produce of Kochi Prefecture is citrus fruits like satsuma mandarin oranges and yuzu. But, it has been forecast that as global warming advances and average temperature rises by 1.5°C, it will no longer be possible to harvest high-quality satsuma mandarins, and that sense of crisis led them to start this project. Looking back, representative Mr. Kobayashi says “Bergamot is characterized by a wonderful scent that attracts people. In producing it, we struggled with the air temperature and the rootstock. Some days in winter drop below -5°C, and it is important for cultivation that the temperature never drops below that. We also went through a process of trial and error to find the ideal rootstock for grafting saplings onto”. At last, the company is now able to offer a product that is rarely produced in Japan.

Okinoshima island off the southernmost tip of Shikoku is a tiny island with a population of about 200 . The surrounding area of sea is known to be a fertile one, at the meeting of rising tidal water from the Kuroshio sea current at 10,000m, the current from the Seto Inland Sea, the current fl owing into Sukumo Bay, and spring water running off Okinoshima. The katsuo (bonito) and buri (yellowtail) that grow here are of the highest quantity, with good fat deposits and well-toned meat. Mr. Ike, in charge of sales and planning, says “We stick to the single-line fishing method. IWe do that because we want to coexist with the sea, rather than harming the balance of the ecosystem with overfishing. We deliver the taste of the best fish to households that order mainly natural buri, katsuo, and sea bream”.