Katsuo Tsubozuke (Pickled Daikon with Bonito Flakes) (かつおつぼ漬)
Producer: Fujisaki Shoji
Prefecture: Kagoshima
Suggested uses: Serve with rice or enjoy as a snack. Try it in the Chirashizushi with Pickles and Curry Fried Rice with Katsu Tsubozuke Pickles and Minced Pork recipes available on our website.
Storage: Refrigerate after opening and use as soon as possible.
Producer: Japan Energy Food
Ingredients: Starch syrup (made in Japan), brown rice, powdered miso (contains soybeans), almond flour, beet sugar, sesame oil, onion powder, cocoa powder, pepper, sansho pepper
Vegan, Gluten-free, Dairy-free
Suggested uses: Enjoy as is.
Inspired by the hikyaku, couriers who ran the mountain trails of Japan delivering mail, and rickshaw runners who pulled two-wheeled carts for 10km every day, Japan Energy Food has crafted this unique energy bar for life on the go. Made with traditional ingredients like domestic brown rice and miso, these lightweight cereal bars are perfect for running, hiking, and playing sports. Puffed brown rice gives the bars a pleasant crunch and mild sweetness that is perfectly balanced by the umami of wooden tub-aged miso.
Driven by his experience as a child with food sensitivities, Japan Energy Food’s founder, Kazuhiro Aizawa, set out to create delicious, convenient, and nutritious foods safe for those with allergies. Combining his experience with studies on Japanese diets and rikshaw runners, he created this unique line of simple and savory energy bars. Today Japan Energy Food’s line of products has expanded to include a variety of active lifestyle food items inspired by traditional ingredients and flavors, like dashi-flavored protein powder.
Kokuto (Black Sugar) Kirazu (Soybean Pulp) Crackers (きらず揚げ 黒糖)
Producer: Otoufu Koubou Ishikawa
Prefecture: Aichi
Ingredients: Wheat flour (wheat (domestic)), raw sugar, vegetable oil (rapeseed oil), okara powder (soybean (domestic)), kokuto (black sugar), salt, leavening agent (baking soda)
Suggested uses: Enjoy as is. Pairs well with Japanese tea.
Otoufu Koubou Ishikawa’s first shop was established during the Meiji Period. Now in its fourth generation, they are looking to support the Japanese soybean industry through their soy-based products. They have a personal relationship with local, non-GMO soybean farmers and hope to make tofu the centerpiece of every table!
Hokkaido Mint Japanese Black Tea (北海道ハッカ和紅茶)
Producer: Wako Kogyo
Prefecture: Hokkaido
Ingredients: Japanese black tea (domestic), Japanese peppermint (Takinoue Town, Hokkaido)
Vegan, Gluten-free, Soy-free, Dairy-free
Suggested uses: In a cup, pour boiling water over a tea bag, and steep for 1 min. Sweeten with sugar or honey if desired and enjoy. We also recommend enjoying this refreshing tea iced. Pairs well with both Western and Japanese sweets or can be enjoyed after a meal as a palette cleanser.
This unique tea combines rare Japanese peppermint with the smooth, delicate taste of Japanese black tea. Hakka, Japanese peppermint, has more menthol than typical Western varieties of mint, giving it a brighter flavor and a more intense cooling sensation. Paired with black tea from some of Japan’s most renowned tea gardens in Kagoshima and Ibaraki Prefectures, this blend has a refreshing flavor, minty aroma, and beautifully balanced bitterness.
The peppermint used in this tea is grown in Takinoue Town in Japan’s northernmost prefecture of Hokkaido, where local farmers have been carefully cultivating and drying this special type of mint for over 100 years. Takinoue Town now produces 95% of the hakka peppermint grown in Japan, preserving this unique heritage crop.
Tororo (Grated Yam) Salad Dressing (信州ドレッシング とろろ)
Producer: Shinshu Shizen Okoku
Prefecture: Nagano
Ingredients: Fermented seasonings (rice bran koji, rice koji, salt, yeast, lactic acid bacteria) (manufactured in Japan), nagaimo (Japanese mountain yam), rice vinegar, sugar, white soy sauce, botan koshou (Japanese green chili pepper), granulated dashi (includes nagaimo (Japanese mountain yam), wheat, and soybeans)
Featuring some of Nagano’s traditional produce, this unique salad dressing is luxuriously thick with a subtle spiciness. Naturally thickened with nagaimo, a Japanese mountain yam that takes on a viscous texture when grated, this dressing coats salad ingredients to ensure each bite is perfectly seasoned. The earthy flavor of the mountain yam works wonderfully with the subtle sweet-tart taste of the rice vinegar and koji. The star ingredient, however, is the botan koshou. A type of green chili pepper local to the Shinshu area of Nagano, it is used to add color and spice to many regional dishes. Finished with white soy sauce and dashi granules, this flavorful dressing has a complex sour and savory flavor.
Established in 1983 as a production and shipping association for farmers wanting to participate in organic farming, Shinshu Shizen Okoku has since expanded its business to include over 200 sauces, jams, and side dishes. Handmade in small batches and featuring local produce, these items offer an authentic taste of regional cuisine and culture. In addition to creating these delicious foods, the company is invested in promoting environmentally friendly business practices and educating others on the benefits of organic farming.
Smoked Skipjack Tuna Jerky(食べるおだし)
Producer: Ishihara Marine Products
Prefecture: Shizuoka
Dashi is an integral part of Japanese cuisine. Vital to building the umami-rich flavor of many dishes, dashi is made by steeping ingredients such as katsuobushi (bonito flakes) and konbu (kelp) to create a flavorful broth. This unique smoked skipjack tuna jerky offers the taste of a traditional dashi with the texture and chew of a jerky. Made with domestically caught skipjack tuna that has been dried, smoked and thinly sliced, these chips have an eye-catching almost wooden appearance. Seasoned with soy sauce and a blend of other umami-rich ingredients, the distinct smokey umami flavor and aroma increase as you chew.
Situated in the port city of Yaizu, Ishihara Marine Products offers a wide variety of seafood-based items. From traditional items like bonito flakes and seasoned fresh fish to inventive culinary creations like tuna prosciutto, Ishihara Marine Products seeks to preserve traditional food culture while promoting creativity. At the forefront of the commercial fishing industry, the company has won the Fishery Agency Commissioner's Award, been featured by various media outlets, and even created Japan’s first continuous searing machine for bonito and tuna.
Kokuto (Okinawa Black Sugar) & Kinako (Roasted Soybean) Sesame Crunch
(黒ゴマ黒糖きな粉 セサミクランチ)
Producer: Okinawa Pioneer Foods
Prefecture: Okinawa
Ingredients: Roasted black sesame (domestic), sugar (kokuto (Okinawa black sugar), medium coarse sugar), peanuts, starch syrup, kinako (soybean flour) (contains soybeans), starch, salt
Vegan, Dairy-free
Suggested uses: Enjoy as is. Pairs well with a sweeter tea such as kuromamecha* (black soybean tea). Can also be added to trail mixes for a fun touch of Japanese flavor.
This unique sweet highlights one of Okinawa’s regional specialties, kokuto (lit. “black sugar”). Kokuto, which is made from 100% local sugarcane juice, has a rich licorice flavor with notes of caramel and toffee. Combined with the toasted, nutty flavors of domestic black sesame seeds and kinako (roasted soybean powder), this sweet treat is packed with local flavors and an addictive crunchy texture.
Despite the company’s small size, Okinawa Pioneer Foods offers an expansive selection of snacks and confections highlighting unique Okinawan and Japanese flavors. Okinawa Pioneer Foods recognizes that while tastes may change, people’s desire for health, happiness, and longevity does not and has committed to producing high-quality snacks that suit the times.
Fresh Izumo Soba with Dashi Broth (生出雲そば)
Producer: Honda Shoten
Prefecture: Shimane
A specialty of Shimane Prefecture, Izumo soba is one of the three most famous types of soba in Japan. Featuring flat buckwheat noodles and a savory dashi broth, this dish can be enjoyed hot or cold. Honda Shoten’s soba noodles are made using traditionally ground unhulled buckwheat, giving them a darker color, richer flavor, and more chewy texture. Packaged using the company’s innovative steam sterilization technology, these fresh noodles are shelf-stable without the use of preservatives and ready to eat in just minutes. The included dashi broth is made with dried flying fish, bonito flakes and soy sauce, giving it a deep umami taste that is the perfect accompaniment to the robust noodles.
For five generations and over 100 years, Honda Shoten has been committed to producing authentic noodles using traditional techniques. Situated in the mountains of Shimane Prefecture, Honda Shoten strives to preserve the region’s unique soba culture. Taking pride in using tried and true old-fashioned methods, the company still mills their buckwheat flour in-house. Honda Shoten’s innovative steam sterilization technology has also allowed them to share their fresh noodles with people worldwide.
