Rei Kojima– Author –
-
Nara Prefecture Miwa Somen Industrial Cooperative
About the Nara Prefecture Miwa Somen Industrial Cooperative. The Nara Prefecture Miwa Somen Industrial Cooperative is an organization that keeps protecting the hand-stretched method handed down over generations in the Miwa area, said to be Japan’s oldest somen-producing region. About 80 producers are currently affiliated, making Miwa somen with a commitment to fineness, firmness, and smooth throat feel... -
Shima rakkyo has many fans! How to eat it salt-pickled or as tempura, and its best season
So beloved that people say "shima rakkyo has a lot of fans," it is a popular vegetable rooted in Okinawa's food culture. Different from ordinary rakkyo in variety, size, and flavor, its sharp pungency and distinctive aroma bring dishes to life. In Okinawa, salt-pickling, tempura, and champuru are the standard ways to eat it... -
Okinawa island vegetables: individualistic vegetables nurtured by a subtropical climate
日本の最南端に位置し、独自の食文化で知られる沖縄県。その食文化を支える柱の一つが、「島野菜」と呼ばれる伝統野菜です。沖縄独自の亜熱帯気候で育まれ、個性豊かな島野菜について、定義や28品目の一覧、代表的な種類の特徴、味わい、乾燥野菜としての... -
Shimonita green onion: appealing for its melting sweetness and rich flavor
"Shimonita negi," grown around Shimonita Town in Kanra District, Gunma Prefecture, is known as a Gunma specialty, characterized by its distinctive shape and sweetness. This heirloom vegetable, nicknamed "lord's negi," comes into season in winter and is also popular as a year-end gift. This article covers the features of Shimonita negi... -
Kaga lotus root: featuring a sticky, thick-fleshed texture
"Kaga vegetables," the traditional vegetables handed down in Ishikawa Prefecture since the Edo period. Among them, "Kaga lotus root" has an especially long history and has been beloved by locals for many years. This article covers the characteristics, history, nutritional value, and recommended ways to eat Kaga lotus root, plus dried vegetables and... -
Kaga vegetables: Kanazawa brand vegetables where tradition lives on
Ishikawa Prefecture, known for the Kaga domain of a million koku. In this region, where traditional culture remains strong, there are traditional vegetables called "Kaga vegetables." Nurtured by the local climate and land, many with a history since the Edo period, Kaga vegetables are brand vegetables certified by the Kanazawa City Agricultural Products Brand Association. This article... -
The appeal of Kansai heirloom vegetables | Specialties of Naniwa, Kyoto, and Yamato thoroughly explained
In Kansai, centered on Kyoto, Osaka, and Nara, there are many traditional vegetables handed down since long ago. Each has its own appeal rooted in that land's climate and culture, and they're still beloved on the table and at market. This article covers the characteristics and representative varieties of Kyoto vegetables, Naniwa vegetables, and Yamato vegetables... -
Kyoto heirloom vegetables: Kyoto specialties with a long history
You may have heard the phrase "Kyoto vegetables" at least once. Nurtured through a long history in the ancient capital of Kyoto and developed alongside Kyoto's rich land and culture, Kyoto vegetables are packed with an appeal not found in other vegetables. This article covers the difference between Kyoto heirloom vegetables and brand vegetables... -
A list of heirloom vegetables of the 8 prefectures of Kyushu and Okinawa｜A thorough introduction to characteristics, growing regions, and seasons
Kyushu and Okinawa are home to many distinctive heirloom vegetables rooted in the character of each place. From striking looks and deep flavor to the history handed down behind them, each vegetable is packed with regional pride. This article introduces the heirloom vegetables passed down across the eight prefectures of Kyushu and Okinawa... -
Know the heirloom vegetables of Edo Tokyo | The city’s vanishing food culture
In the streets of Tokyo where high-rises stand, rich farmland once spread, and vegetables of each season were grown locally. "Edo Tokyo vegetables"—such as komatsuna, Takinogawa gobo, and Naito togarashi, whose names still remain—are urban traditional vegetables handed down since the Edo period. But the city... -
They'll make you smile! The fun names of heirloom vegetables and their origins
Across Japan there are many heirloom vegetables with distinctive names. Unique vegetables whose very names make you smile. This time, we introduce in detail the interesting names of such heirloom vegetables and their origins. Heirloom vegetables are those grown in that land since long ago... -
5 cases and strategies that succeeded in branding heirloom vegetables
In an era of advancing mass production and mass consumption, there is a growing movement to find value in "authentic taste" and "local character." Drawing attention within this trend is the branding of heirloom vegetables—varieties rooted in the land. Not mere naming, but everything from history and culture to cultivation methods and market development... -
What is the regional character of heirloom vegetables? The tastes and stories handed down across the land
Across Japan there are many "heirloom vegetables" nurtured within the climate, land, and culture unique to each place. Rooted in the region over long years, deeply tied to the lives and palates of local people, these vegetables are not mere ingredients but a presence that harbors the region's stories and memories... -
What is shima-kabocha? Also called "chinkuwa" or "nankuwa"
沖縄の伝統野菜「島カボチャ」。沖縄では「ナンクヮー」や「チンクヮー」とも呼ばれ、琉球料理の食材として受け継がれてきました。この記事では、島カボチャの特徴や歴史、味わい、食べ方、乾燥野菜としての活用法まで整理します。 島カボチャとは 島カボ... -
A list of heirloom vegetables from the six Tohoku prefectures | The regional food culture we want to protect
The Tohoku region, with its dramatic seasonal changes, retains many locally distinctive heirloom vegetables. Landrace varieties rooted in the climate and terroir are food materials and, at the same time, a resource that carries the region's cultivation techniques and food culture to the present. On the other hand, with diversifying diets and a shortage of successors, cultivation is declining... -
Japan's Heirloom Vegetables: Precious Varieties Handed Down in Each Region
「伝統野菜」とは、特定の地域で古くから栽培されてきた在来種・固定種の野菜の総称です。全国のスーパーには似通った品種が並ぶ一方で、各地には地域固有の呼称や形をもつ野菜が残されています。この記事では、伝統野菜の定義、歴史、各地の代表品目、味... -
Kintoki Carrot: A Vividly Colored, Strongly Sweet Kyoto Vegetable
Kintoki carrot (kintoki ninjin) is one of Japan's traditional varieties, cultivated in the Kansai region including Kyoto. Its greatest feature is a vivid red color distinct from ordinary orange Western carrots, an ingredient often used at celebratory occasions such as osechi and New Year's simmered dishes... -
What is the Kyoto heirloom vegetable Kujo green onion? The difference from green onion, plus season, ways to eat, and storage explained
"Kujo negi" is a green negi that represents Kyoto, certified as a Kyoto heirloom vegetable with about 1,300 years of history. It's an ingredient essential to Kyoto cuisine—Kyo-udon, Kyoto hot pot, and as a garnish—prized for the sliminess of its leaf flesh, the sweetness that increases in winter, and its rich aroma. This article covers Kujo negi's position as a Kyoto vegetable... -
Shishigatani Kabocha: A Kyoto Vegetable Prized for Its Distinctive Shape and Gentle Sweetness
Shishigatani kabocha (shishigatani kabocha) is one of Kyoto's traditional vegetables, with a history of being brought to Kyoto from present-day Aomori Prefecture in the Edo period. A Japanese kabocha prized for its distinctive gourd-like shape and gentle sweetness, its delicate flavor distinct from ordinary Western kabocha... -
Autumn Kyoto Vegetables: The Flavor and Texture of Shogoin Kabu and Kintoki Carrot
Vegetables have a "season" for each period, and eating them in that period lets you enjoy more deliciousness and nutrition. Autumn Kyoto has an abundance of flavorful Kyoto vegetables. In this season, when it cools and the appetite grows, incorporate Kyoto vegetables—prized for a cozy sweetness and richness—into the daily table... -
Spring Kyoto vegetables: the seasonal taste of Kyoto bamboo shoots, mibuna, and Kujo green onion
Every vegetable has its season, and by enjoying them season by season you can savor flavors unique to that time of year. Spring, along with the start of the new fiscal year, is when fresh vegetables line the shop shelves. Vividly colored, full of character, spring Kyoto vegetables include Kyoto bamboo shoots, hanana rape blossoms, and Kyoto udo—all shaped by Kyoto's climate and land... -
Shogoin Kabu: A Kyoto Vegetable with a Smooth, Refined Flavor
Shogoin kabura is one of Kyoto's heirloom vegetables, a turnip known for its large, round shape. Among turnips it boasts one of the largest sizes in Japan, and it is famous as the ingredient for Kyoto's specialty senmaizuke pickles—a true seasonal signature of Kyoto's winter. -
Shogoin Daikon: The Round, Sweet Standard-Bearer of Kyoto Vegetables
Shogoin daikon is one of Kyoto's heirloom vegetables, characterized by its large, round shape. It takes its name from Shogoin in Kyoto's Sakyo Ward, where it was first cultivated in the Edo period. In the early Showa era, it began to be grown in the Yodo district of Mimaki Village in southern Kyoto (around present-day Kumiyama)... -
Winter Kyoto vegetables: the deep umami of Shogoin daikon and Kujo green onion
The "Kyoto vegetables" that color Kyoto's winter are packed with deep sweetness and umami, slowly nurtured through the cold. As temperatures drop, vegetables store up sugars, so Kyoto vegetables that come into season in winter grow sweeter and taste all the better in hot pots and simmered dishes. Here we introduce Kujo green onion, Shogoin daikon... -
Fushimi Togarashi: A Kyoto Vegetable with Little Heat and Standout Sweetness
Fushimi togarashi is one of the Kyoto vegetables originating in Fushimi Ward, Kyoto Prefecture. Prized for being long, slender, wrinkled, and vividly green, it bears the name "togarashi" (chili) but is a kind of sweet chili with almost no heat. For that reason, children and those who dislike spicy food... -
What Is Horikawa Gobo? A Thorough Explanation of Its Characteristics, Cultivation, How to Eat It, and Nutrition
What Is Horikawa Gobo? The Difference from Ordinary Gobo. Horikawa gobo is a Kyoto vegetable cultivated in Kyoto for about 400 years. Certified as both a "Kyoto Heirloom Vegetable" and a "Brand Kyoto Vegetable," it's known as a rare Kyoto vegetable used even at high-end restaurants. General... -
Manganji Togarashi: The Large, Thick-Fleshed King of Kyoto Vegetables
Manganji togarashi is one of the summer Kyoto vegetables that represent Kyoto. Though a member of the chili family, it has almost no heat, and because it's large, thick-fleshed, and sweet, it's also called the "king of chilies." With few seeds and easy to eat, it's used for suyaki and nibitashi... -
The Real Reason Chefs Use Kyoto Vegetables
A column penned by chef Tamotsu Yoneyama, who runs "Potsura Potsura" and "Utsura Utsura" in Shinsen, Tokyo, earning Michelin Bib Gourmand at both restaurants. We share what he feels about the power of ingredients and producers' aspirations as he faces Kyoto vegetables in the daily kitchen. The customer's expression a single dish creates... -
Kyoto Vegetables and Dashi —The Resonance Between the Ingredient's Voice and the Dashi—
When cooking, what always comes to mind is "how to listen to the ingredient's voice." Above all, I think the relationship between Kyoto vegetables and dashi is a presence that answers that question head-on. A Kyoto vegetable has flavor that stands out even simply boiled. But by adding dashi, that individuality... -
Kyoto Vegetables and Sake. The Happy Relationship of a Dish and a Cup.
As a chef, the time spent thinking "what drink shall I pair with this dish" is actually very enjoyable. As much as finishing the dish itself, what sways the customer's expression is "pairing." What cup to match with a dish centered on Kyoto vegetables. That moment... -
Vegetables and Heat Control. Between High and Low Flame
When talking about cooking, our eyes inevitably go to seasonings and plating, but in truth, I think most of a chef's work is a dialogue with "heat control." Whether to go high flame, or low and slow. That single judgment can utterly change a vegetable's face... -
Vessels and Kyoto Vegetables. Creating the Scenery of Plating.
What always comes at the end of cooking is the step of "plating." After cutting, applying heat, and adjusting the flavor, the moment of setting the dish on the vessel. Here, the dish's impression changes greatly. It doesn't change the flavor itself. But the color, texture, and shape a vessel holds, when they meet a vegetable... -
Tasting Kyoto Vegetables by Aroma. The Pleasure of Cooking That Begins at the Tip of the Nose
Cooking is something you taste by putting it in your mouth. So it tends to be thought, but in reality it begins much earlier. The green aroma that rises when you put in the knife, the sweet scent that drifts the moment it's put over the flame. That aroma reaching the nose is, for a chef, the first signal, and for the eater... -
The Cut Face of a Vegetable. The Difference the Cut Makes.
The fun of cooking, I think, is actually hidden in very small places. For example, "the cut." Even the same vegetable becomes an entirely different dish with a single way of putting in the knife. How you listen to the vegetable's voice—a chef's work appears in that moment. Shogoin kabura... -
The Technology to Lock In the Season. The Seasonal Story Dried Vegetables Connect.
As a chef, you constantly face the question of "how to handle seasonal ingredients." Vegetables are living things. Their most beautiful moment arrives in only a brief span, and their face utterly changes with a single shift in temperature or rain. That's exactly why how to deliver the "flavor of only now" to the customer... -
Drying Is Another Kind of Cooking
When I'm cooking, the phrase "hi-ire" (applying heat) carries a certain special resonance. Do you sear it all at once over high heat, or coax the heat in slowly over a low flame? Depending on your distance from the fire and how much time you give it, the very same ingredient reveals a completely different face. But one day I realized... -
We Prototyped "Basil Powder" Using Domestically Grown Sweet Basil
Agriture recently prototyped "sweet basil powder" using domestically grown sweet basil. Sweet basil is a herb with a refreshing aroma and faint sweetness, known as a versatile ingredient that elevates the flavor of a whole dish. The freshness distinctive of the fresh leaf... -
We Prototyped "Purple Chili Powder" Using Domestically Grown Purple Chili
Agriture recently prototyped "purple chili powder" using domestically grown purple chili. Purple chili is a variety rich in anthocyanin, prized for its beautiful purple color and fruity aroma. It has a deep richness within its heat, and gives color and flavor to dishes, sweets, drinks, and more... -
We Prototyped "Asparagus Powder" Using Domestically Grown Asparagus
Agriture recently prototyped "asparagus powder" using domestically grown asparagus. Asparagus is a vegetable that comes into season from spring into early summer, prized for its juicy sweetness and aroma. It's rich in amino acids including aspartic acid and B vitamins, and health... -
We Prototyped "Green Papaya Powder" Using Domestically Grown Green Papaya
Agriture recently prototyped "green papaya powder" using domestically grown green papaya. Green papaya is papaya harvested before full ripeness, and because it's rich in enzymes and dietary fiber, it draws attention as "papaya as a vegetable." The enzyme papain in particular... -
We Prototyped "Chestnut Skin Powder" Using Domestically Grown Chestnut Skins
Agriture recently prototyped "chestnut skin powder" making use of domestically grown chestnut skins. Chestnut skins have so far been a by-product often discarded in the food-processing process, but they draw attention as a sustainable ingredient. In particular, chestnut's inner and outer skins contain polyphenols and tannins... -
We Prototyped "Dried Banana" Using Domestically Grown Bananas
Domestically grown bananas are high in sugar, fruit prized for a rich, creamy sweetness. By drying fully ripe bananas, you can concentrate the ingredient's own aroma and sweetness, enjoying a natural flavor without using sugar or additives. Unlike imported bananas, a fresh aroma distinctive of domestic... -
We Prototyped "Dried Nameko" Using Domestically Grown Nameko
Nameko is a mushroom prized for its distinctive sliminess and rich umami, widely enjoyed in miso soup, dressed dishes, and more. Drying concentrates the umami components and raises shelf life, so it can be used in a form suited to commercial and processing uses. Because nameko's texture and flavor remain firmly even after rehydration... -
A Notice About the Rose Prototype
The rose is known as an aromatic, gorgeous flower, and because it contains relaxing aromatic compounds beyond just visual beauty, it's also used for food and herbal tea. Edible rose is an ingredient that can add aroma and color just by adding a small amount to sweets, beverages, seasonings, and more... -
Agriture was featured on the official site of Takii Seed's "Fight & Rich"
An interview article with Agriture Inc. was featured in the "User Introductions" content on the official site of "PhytoRich," Takii Seed's functional-vegetable brand. They introduced our low-temperature drying technology, our use of the varieties, our upcycling initiatives, and more. "User Introductions..." -
We Prototyped Lotus Root Powder
Agriture recently prototyped "lotus root powder" using domestically grown lotus root. Lotus root is widely cultivated throughout Japan, a vegetable prized for its crisp texture and gentle sweetness. It's used in a variety of dishes—simmered, stir-fried, deep-fried—and is rich in dietary fiber and vitamin... -
Agriture's dried vegetables featured on Nippon TV's "Meguru Shokutaku"
Agriture's initiative was recently featured on the Nippon TV network program "Meguru Shokutaku (The Table Comes Around)." The broadcast date is September 3, 2025. The episode is No. 18, "Value in Non-Standard Vegetables: Dried Vegetables." It's an episode that introduces putting non-standard and surplus vegetables to good use, creating new value through dry processing... -
Products from OYAOYA, A Letter from a Pear, and Agriture featured on "Urelio"
Our brands OYAOYA, Letters from a Pear, and Agriture have been listed on "Urelio," a platform that supports international trade in food ingredients and processed products. Under the philosophy of "bringing more of Japan's deliciousness to the world through the power of IT and storytelling," Urelio connects domestic food... -
We have begun handling coconut
Agriture has newly begun handling coconut ingredients based on fair trade principles. By connecting directly with farmers in producing regions and conducting fair transactions, it is an initiative that supports sustainable agriculture and livelihoods in those communities. Coconut is widely produced mainly across Asia... -
We published a press release for the corporate "Yasai Yakuzen" service
Agriture Inc. published a press release regarding the official release of "Yasai Yakuzen," a corporate health-management program. "Yasai Yakuzen" is a new service that provides a mechanism by which employees can practice self-care without strain from their everyday meals, using familiar vegetables from a yakuzen (medicinal-food) perspective...
