The Origin of HANGOBEI Grocery Store

Ltd., located in Sanjo City, roughly in the center of Niigata Prefecture, began its business as a grocer dealing in malt, fruits and vegetables, and grains in 1811 (Bunka 8), during the Edo period (1603-1868). At that time, brewing malt and controlling temperature and bacteria required a high level of technology. It is said that the origin of this business started when the first generation, Hangobei, started a business using malt called “chinkouji,” in which he received one square of rice, brewed it, and exchanged it for one square of malt. They also began making miso and pickles by utilizing the techniques of controlling temperature and bacteria cultivated in the malt-making process, and started dealing in local special vegetables as well.

Making use of technology for “delicious food for everyone, anytime

As the times changed and households stopped making their own soy sauce and miso, miso and soy sauce began to replace them, and along with pickles, became the mainstay of sales. As food became more Westernized, sales of miso and soy sauce began to decline. Then, in 2011, the flooding of the Igarashi River damaged the miso and soy sauce warehouses at the time, and that was the end of miso and soy sauce production.

Currently, the company’s main business is processed foods such as pickles.

Today, pickles and other processed foods are the mainstay of the company’s sales, but it also continues to utilize its grocery store aspect as a wholesaler of fresh vegetables for restaurants and a middleman who wholesales cut vegetables to supermarkets.

In this snowy area, there is not much variation in the vegetables available in the winter, so the company has devised a way to make a wide variety of vegetables available even during the winter season by pickling fresh vegetables in salt. Through Nojima Shokuhin’s processing technology, even those vegetables that are not widely available in the market due to their short harvest season or freshness can now be enjoyed by anyone at any time of the year.

Niigata is Japan’s largest eggplant producer. Eggplant Processing: High Technological Strength

The know-how accumulated since the company’s establishment has enabled Nojima Foods to successfully commercialize “Juzen Eggplant,” which was considered difficult to commercialize due to its poor shelf life.

In fact, Niigata Prefecture is Japan’s largest eggplant producer. Juzen eggplants for pickles are smaller than most eggplants. They are also known as “nashi nasu” (pear eggplant), and are widely loved by local residents. Nojima Shokuhin is said to be the only company in the world that handles everything from cultivation to processing.

New Products Promoting Niigata’s Attractiveness

The fresh vegetable procurement routes and vegetable preservation and processing technologies that Nojima Shokuhin has cultivated over its history as a grocer are now being developed into new products that are being sold throughout Japan.

The “Grocery Store Dressing” series was developed as a new product for the next generation of Nojima Foods in the midst of the dwindling pickle consumption market.

In order to deliver fresh vegetables to consumers nationwide, the company had to solve the inevitable problem of freshness, such as transportation time, which could not be overcome. By choosing to make a dressing, the company was able to ensure the longevity of the product and expand its sales channels. The company also decided to take the plunge, believing that the convenience of the dressing would make it easier for people of all ages to accept the product and win over more fans. The company aims to expand nationwide under the brand “Yaoya Hangobei,” named after the first generation Hangobei.

Attention to making the best use of the taste of the ingredients themselves

The lineup consists of six kinds of vegetables and three kinds of fruits. The lineup consists of three kinds of vegetables, three kinds of fruits, “Carrots under snow” whose sweetness is enhanced by wintering under snow, “Uonuma Wasabi” cultivated in the subsoil water of Mt. Echigohime” strawberries are large, high in sugar content, have a gentle acidity, and a mellow aroma. We were particular about making the most of the characteristics of the ingredients themselves. In order to bring out the original taste, aroma, and color of the ingredients, no chemical seasonings, synthetic preservatives, or synthetic coloring agents are used, and a non-heating process is employed.

As can be seen from the lineup, the company is dedicated to making people aware of the deliciousness of Niigata’s unique vegetables and fruits.

Niigata’s delicious vegetables are not available outside of the prefecture

There are many delicious vegetables in Niigata, but most of them are consumed within the prefecture. That is why they are not famous throughout Japan,” says Yusuke Nojima of the company. Perhaps due to its low name recognition, the company struggled when it first began selling the dressing, but once it was used in the first-class in-flight meals of a major airline, inquiries came in from supermarkets in the Tokyo metropolitan area, and the product gradually gained recognition.

Koshihikari is not the only underlying strength of Niigata’s agricultural products.

Niigata has a strong image as a rice-producing region, with Koshihikari and other rice varieties often hidden from view, but the variety of crops harvested in Niigata is actually quite rich. In the Edo period (1603-1867), Niigata was a port of call for the Kitamae Ship, which brought in a variety of crops from both cold and warm regions, from east, west, south, and north. With cold winters and hot summers, abundant snowmelt, and fertile land on the lower reaches of the Shinano River, there were clear reasons for the development of agricultural technology, both in terms of weather and geography. In the past, people did not understand the preciousness of something they had taken for granted for so long. Our channels for purchasing local vegetables are one of the strengths of a company with such a long history.” That is why Mr. Nojima says he wants to take this opportunity to make the taste of Niigata Prefecture agricultural products more readily available to people all over Japan.

Dressing that enhances dishes

The “Grocery Store Dressing” series can be used not only as a simple dressing for salads and other vegetables, but also for meat and fish dishes. For example, after lightly salting fried meatballs and colorful vegetables such as bell peppers, use “strawberry” as a flavor enhancer to bring out the sweetness of the meat. Also, simply sprinkle “Uonuma Wasabi” on white fish carpaccio, etc. to complete the dish. It can also be used as a sauce for sweets, such as milk pudding, and can be used in a variety of dishes. Depending on your ingenuity, your dishes will be enhanced. The flavor of the dressing can also bring out the essence of the vegetable itself. For example, the dressing for carrots under the snow removes the off-taste of the carrots and their sweetness stands out more than if the carrots were eaten as they are. Furthermore, because the original color of the ingredients is preserved, the dressing is visually vibrant.

Aiming for Further Evolution

Now, even more new efforts are underway. This is the development of products utilizing “flash freezing” technology. By flash freezing at -30°C, the cells are not destroyed and the deliciousness of the ingredients is preserved. As long as the defrosting process is carefully followed, it is possible to reproduce the taste of the product as it was before freezing. By making full use of this technology, “Yaoyahan” is striving to let people all over Japan know the deliciousness of vegetables and fruits that are familiar to Niigata residents and that they cannot usually taste, and to continue to promote the appeal of Niigata through dressings so that Niigata producers will be more energetic. We hope that you will taste the world brewed by “Gobei”.

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Dashi” brings “umami” and “depth” to dishes

Dashi” is an indispensable ingredient in Japanese cuisine. The history of dashi dates back to the Nara period (710-794). The presence of high-quality, delicious dashi brings umami and depth to dishes. Futaba Corporation, founded in 1953 and headquartered in Sanjo City, located in the center of Niigata Prefecture, is a comprehensive dashi manufacturer for professional chefs, supplying dashi packets for commercial use to hotels, inns, and kappo restaurants nationwide. Its distinctive feature is its extract packs, which are packed with umami. At a time when dashi packs did not yet exist, Futaba took a hint from tea and black tea packs and developed a product in which crushed dried bonito flakes are coated with bonito extract and packed in a packet as a natural seasoning. With the creation of these dashi packs, restaurants that made dashi from multiple types of ingredients, such as vegetables and dried foods, only needed to use a set number of dashi packs, thus making the taste more uniform and efficient. Futaba’s dashi is especially appreciated by large hotels and inns with a large number of customers.

Beliefs of Futaba Corporation

Because dashi is something that is used every day, Futaba is committed to quality and safety with no chemical seasonings or preservatives. The main ingredient is dried bonito, but Futaba also carefully selects and purchases all other kinds of bonito, mackerel, sardine, tuna, horse mackerel, flying fish, kelp, shiitake mushrooms, etc. Sensory tests are conducted, and only products that meet various quality standards in terms of aroma, taste, dashi color, and clarity are shipped to kitchens in various regions. Professional chefs from all over Japan trust us not only because of our blending techniques and consistent quality that always delivers the same consistent taste, but also because of our belief that we do not use any chemical seasonings or food additives.

The Science of Dashi

Cutting-edge research continues to be conducted on the umami of dashi. Futaba’s concept is “the science of dashi. In addition to sensory testing by the human sense of taste, Futaba has established a laboratory and focuses on scientific analysis using analytical instruments. Nutritional components, protein, amino acids, and other parameters are quantified using state-of-the-art equipment, and the company is constantly thinking about what constitutes delicious dashi. To begin with, there are still many things we don’t know about the ingredients that are described as “umami.

In order to reach more people

Through repeated research, new ideas are created and many new products are born. Recently, vegetable dashi, which seals in the umami of onions, carrots, cabbage, and other vegetables, has been well received. The company has established an in-house “agriculture team” and has begun growing its own vegetables. Currently, the company uses a blend of vegetables purchased from suppliers and those harvested in-house, but in the future it intends to increase the ratio of vegetables grown in-house to ensure safety and quality stability, starting with the raw materials. In addition, since the products they offer vary depending on the person to whom the dashi is used, as a comprehensive manufacturer of dashi, they have developed a wide variety of dashi products to date. For example, the daily dining table of the average household requires a well-balanced and complete umami taste. On the other hand, for chefs and professional cooks, dashi that can be designed by the chef to have a unique umami taste that makes the most of the characteristics of the ingredients is needed.

We want to expand the possibilities of dashi so that more people can cook delicious and easy-to-prepare dishes,” says Akira Eguchi, president and representative director. To this end, the company has launched “ON THE UMAMI,” a lifestyle brand for general consumers, offering a lineup of various types of dashi for home use that can be used in Japanese, Western, and Chinese cuisine. The company has begun selling products through its online store and in stores. Traditional Japanese bonito dashi and kelp dashi are popular for use not only in miso soup but also in onigiri (rice balls). Chicken dashi is also useful as a secret ingredient in egg soup and fried rice. Vegetable dashi, which can be used as a veggie broth, also demonstrates its flavor when used to elevate curry, pasta, and other dishes. There is also a wide variety of dashi for baby food, hand-drip dashi that can be drunk like coffee or soup, risotto and pasta sauce, and so on. The company proposes opportunities for people to notice and feel the delicate sensitivities and sensations in the food culture unique to the Japanese people in their daily lives.

Today, Japanese food has been registered as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage and umami has become known as “MAMI” in the world as a common official language. We look forward to Futaba’s future product development as it continues to expand the possibilities of dashi.

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Aoki Sake Brewery, a sake brewery handed down in snow country

 Located in the southern part of Niigata Prefecture, the town of Shiozawa once prospered as a post town along the Mikuni Kaido Road connecting Edo and Echigo (present-day Niigata Prefecture). It is also known as one of the best rice-producing areas in Niigata Prefecture, where high quality rice can be obtained. When you visit this small mountain town, you will be greeted by a beautiful townscape with its quaint “gangi-zukuri” style, which is unique to the snow country. The scenery along the street, called “Shiozawa-juku Makino-dori,” has won the Urban Landscape Grand Prize and is highly regarded as a tourist attraction, attracting many tourists who come to take a look.

In one corner of the area, there is a sake brewery that has continued to make traditional sake since the Edo period. Aoki Shuzo brew s the nationally famous “Tsururei,” the brewery’s top-class “Bokushi,” and “Yukio,” a dry line of sake popular for its unique hairy creature label.

The Minamiuonuma area in southern Niigata Prefecture, where the Aoki Brewery is located, has long been known as one of the heaviest snowfall areas in Japan, with snow accumulating to over 2 meters even in urban areas. The book “Hokuetsu Setsuppu,” written in the mid-Edo period, describes the hardships and difficulties of people living in such a snowy region, their lifestyles, customs, and ways of utilizing the snow, and the wisdom of these people has been applied to the lives of people today. The author, Makiyuki Suzuki, is also an ancestor of the brewery, and it is said that he named the sake “Tsururei,” Aoki Shuzo’s signature sake. The brand name “Makino”, which is brewed for the annual National New Sake Competition, is also named after him.

The spirit of “Wago” is an important part of sake brewing

The Minamiuonuma area is known as a battleground for famous sake breweries, and Aoki Shuzo is the oldest sake brewery in the area. Founded in 1717, Aoki Sake Brewery has made the most of the benefits of the snow, from raw materials to brewing facilities, and has continued to brew sake while respecting the characteristics of the snow country and its relationship with the local community. The brewery is also committed to contributing to the local community by donating a portion of the proceeds from the sale of “Yukio” to mountain rescue teams, as well as other efforts to create beautiful towns.

Taking advantage of the snow to make sake that suits the palates of the locals

The taste of sake also clearly expresses the characteristics of this region. The sake is characterized by its “umakuchi” taste, which maximizes the natural flavor of the rice, and is light but not dry, as is typical of Niigata. Our goal is to make a sake that goes well with meals and can be drunk as a mealtime sake,” said Muneyoshi Higuchi, toji (master brewer) of the brewery. Aoki Shuzo’s sake, of which about 40% is still consumed locally, is made with the belief that it must be enjoyed by the local people.

Aoki Sake Brewery uses Koshitanrei rice grown in Niigata Prefecture, which is grown in clean, melted snow, and water from the subsoil of Makihata Mountain, one of the 100 most famous mountains in Japan. The soft water, which is soft and tasty, is widely enjoyed by the local people. The facilities are thoroughly sanitized to produce clean koji mold over a long period of time. They are also particular about the balance of acid accents and aroma. In addition, they took the opportunity of the 300th anniversary of the company’s founding to build a new snow cellar storage facility. The entire cellar is cooled year-round by the power of natural snow, and the entire cellar can now be kept at a nearly constant temperature. All sake produced at the Aoki Brewery is stored in this cold storage facility, which utilizes natural clean energy, and is shipped fresh.

Since all alcoholic beverages in Japan are exempted from the labeling of expiration dates, sake is also not required to display an expiration date, and most sake is labeled with only the date of manufacture. However, temperature control is essential to preserve the sake’s aroma and flavor. The temperature in the snow cellar is kept at a constant level of approximately 4°C. The area dedicated to long-term storage can maintain a temperature of -5°C year-round with the help of electricity. The ability to store sake for 5, 10, or even longer periods of time allows Aoki Sake Brewery to explore the possibility of producing long-aged sake and other products. Aoki says that since the sake can be stored for five, ten, or even more years, the brewery would like to explore the possibility of producing long-aged sake. Aoki Brewery is also taking on the challenge of new brewing possibilities by further evolving the wisdom it has developed over the region’s history of working with snow.

Sake brewing for the future

Aoki Sake Brewery has a long history of 300 years since the Edo period, and its traditions have been handed down from generation to generation. Higuchi says it is important to continue this tradition in the future. We will continue to brew sake diligently, carefully, and honestly. Polishing politeness and taking on the challenge of brewing sake in line with the times are the motto of the current Aoki Sake Brewery. The ideal of sake brewing in the snow country will surely be steadily passed on to the future.

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Cast metal is manufactured by pouring molten metal into a mold. Cooking utensils made of cast metal inevitably have the image of being thick and heavy. Whether it is a frying pan or a pot, women in particular often find it difficult to handle due to its weight, and often feel stressed when washing it. Sanjo Special Foundry, located in Sanjo City, Niigata Prefecture, is a foundry that specializes in the manufacture of thin and light products.

A Turning Point from Machine Parts Manufacturing

Sanjo City, located roughly in the center of Niigata Prefecture, along with the neighboring city of Tsubame, developed from the production of Japanese nails in the Edo period, and the skills of blacksmiths who smelt metals to create products have traditionally been cultivated. The area is known for its manufacturing of cutlery, metal, and Western tableware. Sanjo Special Foundry was established in 1961. Sanjo Special Foundry also inherited the local culture and began its factory history by manufacturing machine parts and other casting products. For many years, the company’s main business has been the manufacture of parts for various machines, including automobile parts, which require strength and precision, and its strength lies in manufacturing lightweight, easy-to-handle parts. In the world of castings, where prices are determined by weight, the reputation of lightweight parts was not very satisfactory. A turning point was needed.

New Light Found in Cooking Utensils

The turning point came in 2010. A kitchenware brand asked him to produce cast cooking utensils on an OEM basis. The company was asked to create a lightweight, durable, and ultra-thin frying pan, and it did so by combining the technological expertise and pride of its craftsmen. The result was a product that met expectations.

The frying pan turned out so well that we decided to try our own product, a light and easy-to-handle enameled cast iron frying pan,” said Teruyoshi Uchiyama, CEO of the company. We decided to try our hand at cast metal enameled pans, which are light and easy to handle,” said Teruyoshi Uchiyama, CEO of the company. In his own life, he has seen his family members using cast iron pots and pans struggling with their weight. That is what prompted him to take on the challenge.

A subcontractor company launching its own brand like this is a hurdle we will have to overcome someday in our own growth,” he said. The strength of this company is its technology for achieving thinness, the resulting lightness, and its ability to make products with good thermal conductivity.”

Utilizing this know-how, the company launched its own brand in 2014. The brand name is UNILLOY, a combination of “unique” and “alloy. The design team was led by Komin Yamada. Yamada is widely known for his product designs, which have won prestigious product design awards in Japan and abroad, and his work is in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York. For about two years until the completion of the product, the craftsmen took pride in their challenge to create the best product in the world. More than 200 prototypes were made, starting with the enameled cast iron pot. In 2015, they won the “Red Dot Award: Product Design 2015,” a design award held in Germany, from among about 5,000 entries from 56 countries around the world, In 2015, Uniloy cast iron enameled pots and pans won the top prize at the Red Dot Award: Product Design 2015, a design award held in Germany, from among some 5,000 entries from 56 countries around the world.

Craftsmanship that has created a lightness that defies common sense

In order to achieve lightness, it was necessary to create a thin design, which is unthinkable with ordinary cast metal. In the process of pouring liquid metal melted at high temperature into a mold (casting), the mold is narrow because of the thin design, and the speed of pouring is slowed down, resulting in rapid cooling of the metal in the process. This causes problems such as solidification before the material reaches the end of the mold. The biggest obstacle was to cast the entire mold while maintaining the thin structure, and the trial production was extremely difficult. However, the high technology and pride of the factory and craftsmen enabled them to meet the thinness requirement.

It is difficult to make thin products. At first, when we made 100 pieces, 80 of them were defective,” said Uchiyama.

For example, most frying pans on the market are 4 to 5 mm thick, but Uniloy’s frying pan is only 2.5 mm thick, which is the thickness with the best heat conductivity and high heat storage capacity. It is ideal for cooking meat and fish, with its savory surface and juicy interior.

Because they are thin and light, they are easy to handle and can be used every day. Enameled pots and pans take advantage of the one-piece molding process that is one of the features of cast metal, enabling a seamless and beautiful design from the pot body to the handle. The key point of this product is not only its durability, but also its ergonomics and ease of use, making it less stressful to use. The most popular product is the matte black enameled pot, and the frying pan is the best-selling one.

Never stopping the challenge of new products

Sanjo Tokushu Kogyosho’s “Uniroy,” which is packed with technical expertise, dares not to apply for a patent. This is because they are confident of their unrivaled technical capabilities without obtaining a patent. The company has no hesitation in developing new products that take advantage of this technological strength.

In addition to frying pans and enameled pans, the company currently offers a wide range of products characterized by lightness and ease of use, including cast iron gear for use in camping (camping tool brand “SSCamp! The recent camping boom has also helped to attract the attention of camping enthusiasts.

Mr. Uchiyama is enthusiastic, “I hope that the value of cast metal will be known around the world through the development of products that make the most of our technology. Mr. Uchiyama is enthusiastic.

Women are also active in the Sanjo Special Foundry factory. It is hot in summer and cold in winter. It can be said that it is a dangerous and harsh workplace where high-temperature metals are handled. Even so, each and every one of the craftsmen work hard every day with pride, believing that their mission is to enhance the value and attractiveness of cast metal and to spread the word about it. The pride in preserving local traditions and the joy of being a part of a new page in history are what make their work so rewarding.

The kitchen items, which are the crystallization of the casting technique born of tradition and innovation, are thin and light, but they are also filled with the passion of the craftsmen.

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Abe Sake Brewery” Recovers from the Threat of Going Out of Business

In Kashiwazaki City, facing the Sea of Japan in the Chuetsu region of Niigata Prefecture, there is a small sake brewery with a history of over 200 years. It is the Abe Brewery, which has been producing “Koshino Otokoyama,” a local staple sake brewed with the soft water of Kashiwazaki. Founded in 1804, the brewery employs an “uchi-toji” system, in which the head of the brewery serves as toji (chief brewer) and also manages the business, and Yuta Abe, the sixth-generation head, is currently in charge of production.

Before the fifth generation took over the family business, however, Abe Sake Brewery was in danger of going out of business. At the time, the company produced only 40 koku of sake, or about 4,000 bottles. That is, about 4,000 bottles of sake. This was not a very large production volume. At the time, Abe was working for a Tokyo-based company that operated an Internet restaurant management website. If I had returned three years later, our brewery would have collapsed,” he says.

The Challenge of Brewing Sake

To get more people to drink our sake, we need to make more sake.” Abe learned the basics of sake brewing at the Brewery Experiment Station. He learned the basics of sake brewing in a short period of time, just six weeks, he says. After that, he gradually invested in equipment to increase production, receiving instruction from his father and other senior brewers in the area. Now, eight years after returning to the brewery, production has increased to 240-250 koku.

Because of Mr. Abe’s thoroughness down to the smallest detail, he increased the number of staff working at the brewery and accepted many trainees to create the sake brewing environment he sought. Many breweries in Niigata Prefecture are light and dry, and his predecessors favored dry sake. However, Mr. Abe wanted to try the exact opposite, and in the beginning he brewed sweet sake anyway.

After realizing that “if I don’t make sake that I think tastes good, I can’t do my best to market it,” he gradually shifted to making sake with a moderate sweetness and using acidity to give it a more defined flavor. He became thoroughly committed to the kind of sake brewing he was aiming for.

Competing in Tokyo, not in Niigata, a Sake Capital of Japan

Niigata is one of the largest sake-producing regions in Japan. There are four sake breweries in the city of Kashiwazaki. The local market will be left to other local breweries, as it has been in the past, and the company will venture out into the market. In other words, they decided to take a chance to increase their visibility in the Tokyo metropolitan area.

The goal was to make sake that would be chosen by restaurants. The first time I tasted sake was at a restaurant, and I thought it would be the perfect place to first get people to know about it.
In the first year, he took the sake he had made to sake stores in Tokyo, but the response was not positive. Some rejected Abe Shuzo’s original brand name, “Koshino Otokoyama,” because it was a combination of common sake brand names, and some even refused to buy it at all. It was not the smooth start he had envisioned. When he heard good news from his friends at Akatake Brewery and Kamonishiki Brewery, who were trying to make their first sake at the same time, he felt frustrated.

The time had finally come for the sales activities that had been so frustrating to him to be recognized. A local liquor store in Niigata agreed with Mr. Abe’s passion for sake brewing. They said, “We don’t care if it tastes good or not, we will support you anyway,” and began to sell to liquor stores they knew in Tokyo and to do business in Niigata and Tokyo. He encouraged us to sell the sake and use it as a war chest to make even better sake. The hardships he had experienced up to that point made the encounter all the more poignant, Abe says.

Thus, Abe Shuzo now produces the largest number of “Abe” series, which started in 2015. The series was created to create a signature product under a brand other than “Koshino-Oyama. The series emphasizes the balance between rice flavor and acidity, and offers a rich lineup of both standard and seasonal sake.

What is “Abe Shuzo” sake?

The clean label with two hiragana characters is also impressive. All of the rice used for the sake is 100% Niigata Prefecture rice, including Gohyakumangoku, Koshitanrei, Takananishiki, Ipponshime, and Koshikagura, all of which are suitable for sake brewing. Currently, 70% of the rice is locally grown in Kashiwazaki.

The sake is fired at a low temperature. The sake is sterilized while keeping the freshness in mind. However, the aroma is not lost. In addition, all sake is made with a lot of time and care. It should also be noted that all sake is squeezed in a traditional “tub” (fune), a device that slowly squeezes the sake by placing the mash in a sake bag. The process takes four days instead of the usual one day. This process softens the sake and gives it the softness that Mr. Abe is aiming for.

Kashiwazaki has both ocean and mountains, and rice paddies are just a stone’s throw away. We want to make sake that is uniquely Niigata,” he said, and so he has started a series of sake breweries that feature different rice paddies.

The sake is brewed using rice harvested in specific fields, such as the “Kaminarashinden area,” which features Niigata’s unique environment surrounded by the sea and mountains, and the “Noda area,” located inland from Kashiwazaki, allowing sake brewers to enjoy the differences in taste depending on the field.

A portion of the proceeds from the sales of this series is used to help contract farmers maintain their fields and to protect the landscape of Kashiwazaki. This is a sake to be enjoyed while envisioning a typical Niigata rural landscape of beautiful rice paddies.

We want to increase opportunities for people to experience sake.

As he continues to take on new challenges, Mr. Abe says his desire to “continue to make good sake in a straightforward manner” grows stronger. I am now able to aggressively take on new challenges with the basic premise that I myself enjoy sake brewing and am willing to accept failure.” Abe says, “I am now aggressively taking on challenges with the mindset that it is okay to make mistakes. He is particularly focused on sake brewing with an emphasis on acidity. Instead of using multi-acidic yeast, he uses a common yeast used in the prefecture to produce acidity, and is conscious of bringing out the flavor of the rice and the acidity.

He says, “More than being recognized in the industry, I want to increase the number of general consumers who drink sake. I want to create opportunities for people to come into contact with sake. He is determined to continue to grow and develop. To achieve this, Mr. Abe continues to grow and take on new challenges.

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MARUNAO began as an engraving business decorating temples and shrines in Sanjo City, Niigata Prefecture.
Today, Marnao produces a wide variety of woodworking products such as chopsticks.
The products, which inherit the traditional techniques of carving and the experience of handling fine wood, are characterized by their high functionality and sophisticated appearance.
We offer products that are beautiful down to the smallest detail, combining the skillful handcraftsmanship we have accumulated over many years with the latest technology.

The Beginning of MARUNAO’s “Chopsticks

The Tsubame-Sanjo area is located slightly northwest of the center of Niigata Prefecture. Yahiko and overlooking the countryside of the Echigo Plain, lies the factory that also serves as the store for MARUNAO (MARUNAO Corporation). In this modern factory surrounded by forests, wooden cutlery, such as octagonal chopsticks and other high-end chopsticks and spoons, are carefully handmade one by one by craftsmen.

Marnao was founded in 1939. The company was founded in 1939 (Showa 14), when the grandfather of the current president, Takahiro Fukuda, started manufacturing carpentry tools in anticipation of postwar housing demand, based on the traditional techniques of temple and shrine and Buddhist altar carving that he had been engaged in until then. The company’s main product was the Sumitsubo Guruma, one of the three sacred tools of carpentry and a necessity for drawing straight lines. Since then, the company has continued to manufacture carpentry tools even though the year has changed to the Heisei era. However, as the times changed, demand for construction work declined and construction methods changed, necessitating a new business development. The third generation of the company, Mr. Fukuda, then, decided to use his craftsmanship in making hand tools to create chopsticks, which he saw as “something close to the human body and close to the delicate senses of those who use them.

Marnao Products Spreading Around the World

Carpenters who continue to use the tools they are accustomed to will never use them again once they are betrayed by them. Knowing this, Marnao wanted to produce only tools that they could be proud of and confident in. After much trial and error, they arrived at the octagonal wooden chopsticks with a tip of only 1.5 mm. When held in the hand, the even-numbered angles that fit the middle finger were the most stable, and the shape was both easy to grasp and pleasant to the palate. The shape of the chopsticks was also found to be suitable for hard woods such as ebony and ebony, which have a high density and do not allow water to penetrate easily. In particular, ebony, which is a representative wood for Marnao products and belongs to the family of Oysteraceae, has excellent water resistance, which is essential for wooden chopsticks that do not have lacquered surfaces, and the wood itself has antibacterial properties that are hygienic and beautiful to look at as well as being extremely durable. However, the use of rare and precious wood naturally led to high selling prices. At the time of the launch, the most expensive pair of Wajima-nuri chopsticks sold in department stores was priced at 5,000 yen, while the most expensive pair of Wajima-nuri-chopsticks was priced at 12,000 yen. Buyers were skeptical, asking why wooden chopsticks were so expensive. Nevertheless, Marnao’s chopsticks received high acclaim each time they were sold in person at major department stores, and consumers who actually enjoy eating with chopsticks began to understand how easy they were to hold and how good they felt in the mouth. In 2004, when torrential rains hit Niigata Prefecture, causing the Igarashi River running through Sanjo City to overflow and forcing the replacement of all machinery and materials at the Marnao factory, Mr. Fukuda, who had a solid response to the chopstick production, decided to change the course of his business plan to focus on chopstick production and persuaded his father, the second generation The following year, Mr. Fukuda assumed the position of representative director. The following year, Mr. Fukuda assumed the position of representative director and began to further develop the chopstick manufacturing business in earnest.

In 2009, the company exhibited its chopsticks alone for the first time at Ambiente in Frankfurt, Germany, the world’s largest international trade fair for consumer goods. The response was not bad. The following year, with an eye on demand for Western-style food, the company added wooden spoons to its lineup, with a base pressure of only 2 mm, which were both pleasant to the palate and beautiful to look at. The spoons and chopsticks caught the eye of Joel Robuchon, a master of French cuisine, who happened to be in town and decided to use the spoons and chopsticks at his Japanese restaurant in Monaco. With this as a foothold, the company next exhibited at Maison & Objet, an international exhibition held in Paris. Once the spoon and other culturally-appropriate products were accepted, chefs from prestigious starred restaurants began to seek out cutlery produced by Marnao’s advanced polishing techniques, and the company’s name recognition in Europe grew rapidly.

Tradition and innovation create MARNAO’s tools.

As Marnao’s products began to gain recognition and many buyers began to visit the factory, the craftsmen began to experience undue stress from having to interrupt their work every time a visitor came to the factory. In order to open the factory to the public at all times, a new building with an open factory and a directly-managed store was established in 2014 at the current location, where consumers can freely observe the manufacturing process. The glass partition between the manufacturing site and the gallery blocks out the presence of visitors, and the dark tone of the space on the visitor’s side makes it difficult for the craftsmen to see the visitors, allowing them to concentrate on their work. The design also allows visitors to feel the passion of the craftsmen for their craftsmanship up close, even through the glass. This structure led to a moderate sense of tension among the craftsmen, which positively contributed to the improvement of their technical skills.

In 2017 (Heisei 29), the company opened a directly managed store in Tokyo. Two years later, he opened his first overseas store in Paris, a long-sought-after first for Niigata Prefecture, as he wanted to “take on the challenge in a place with a different food culture and food history.

Plans are underway to build a new restaurant on the factory grounds to provide a place where visitors can actually eat with Marnao chopsticks and spoons. Marnao’s craftsmanship, which began with traditional carving techniques before World War II, has become the creation of beautiful and ideal tableware with the same high level of craftsmanship as at that time. The main focus should be on food, and the utensils should play a supporting role,” says Fukuda. The utensils should be easy to hold, easy to use, and clean. We have a strong awareness that we are making eating utensils that are touched by hand and put in the mouth,” he says proudly. This confidence and pride in providing the world with products that are truly good will continue to support Marnao’s further development.

Marnao’s craftsmanship began with the traditional techniques of engraving. Today, the company skillfully utilizes the outstanding skills of its elite craftsmen to produce products with high precision and beautiful workmanship. We will continue to produce tools that fuse tradition and innovation based on the trajectory of our predecessors.

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The post Beautiful MARUNAO “MARUNAO” luxury chopsticks created with pride of craftsmanship and fine wood / Sanjo City, Niigata Prefecture first appeared on NIHONMONO.

SUWADA’s nipper-type nail clippers,” well-reputed from all quarters.

Nail clippers are one of the daily household tools that everyone uses on a daily basis.In Sanjo City, Niigata Prefecture, there is a company that has been refining its craftsmanship for more than 70 years since the end of World War II, specializing in the comfort and ease of use of nail clippers for the sole purpose of cutting fingernails and toenails.The company is Suwada Seisakusho Co.Suwada’s world-famous products, which have won numerous awards both in Japan and abroad under the brand name “SUWADA,” are characterized by their nipper shape.Conventional folding-type nail clippers, known as clipper-type nail clippers, have a short blade opening of only 2 to 3 mm when in use, so it is often difficult to cut ingrown or deformed nails as desired.The nipper type, however, has a wide blade opening and a flexible angle of approach to the area to be cut, making it easy to cut nails of any shape.They are highly evaluated by nail artists and medical and nursing care professionals.

Suwada Seisakusho was founded in 1926.The company’s origins date back to 1926, when it began manufacturing “kuikiri” tools used by carpenters to meet the demand for housing reconstruction after the Great Kanto Earthquake.The manufacturing technology and shape of the tool evolved into today’s modern nail clippers, which have two blades that fit together from both sides to cut the object.Since its founding, Suwada Seisakusho has been synonymous with technical prowess, and the technology of the “aiba” blade has created a sharpness that sets the company apart from the rest.The blade is polished by hand with sandpaper, and adjustments are made while polishing it down to the micron level.This delicate process, the most difficult and time-consuming of the entire process, has been handed down from generation to generation by skilled craftsmen.The sharpness of the blade produced in this way has won the overwhelming support of professionals.

The “SUWADA’s nipper-type nail clippers” are the reason for this feature.

All manufacturing processes at Suwada Seisakusho are supported by the craftsmanship of skilled craftsmen, from the selection of materials, forging, parts processing, polishing, and mating of blades.Even a single nail clipper requires 50 to 60 processes before completion.Some products require more than 100 processes before they are finally finished.There is no compromise on quality and beauty.Currently, production continues at a pace of 8,000 pieces per month, but they are so popular that they can barely keep up with orders and have no room left in their inventory.Suwada Seisakusho makes genuine and long-life products.I don’t think there is any other company that pushes nail clippers this far.”Rui Saito, sales manager, is proud to say so.Since they are blades, they can lose their sharpness or their springiness over time.Suwada Seisakusho handles maintenance for all of its products.Craftsmen resharpen the blade, adjust the movement, and replace the spring, making it possible to continue using the product for a long time as a truly long-life item.

Suwada Seisakusho continues to grow

In 2020, the company opened a stylish open factory as an “open factory.The interior is all black, but there is a reason for this that is unique to Suwada Seisakusho.In the forging process, craftsmen judge the quality of work by the color of the material heated by fire.For this reason, work has traditionally been done in a dark place so that it is easy to see.By opening up the actual manufacturing process to the public through factory tours, the philosophy of craftsmanship and understanding of the products have deepened, and at the same time, the motivation of the craftspeople has increased.Today, the factory also has a store, restaurant, and café, and is one of the area’s most famous tourist attractions.It will soon be 100 years since the company was founded.The nipper-shaped nail clippers, which have been refined through a thorough commitment to “creating the real thing,” appear to have already reached their ultimate perfection, but “there are still many areas for improvement,” Saito says.Saito has also begun to take on the challenge of entering the new field of tools for use in the kitchen and dining room: the “sommelier knife” and “wine opener,” which won the 2020 Good Design Award, have been recognized not only for their sophisticated design and functionality, but also for their “food” aspect, which has not been directly linked to the “food” field until now.They were also a catalyst for the company’s emergence in the field of “food,” a field to which it had not been directly linked until then.In addition to these products, Suwada Seisakusho’s new initiatives, such as expanding its cutlery lineup, have been attracting a great deal of attention.Suwada’s uncompromising attitude in its constant pursuit of better products must be the craftsmanship that the world appreciates.

The post Nipper-type nail clippers by Suwada Seisakusho, hand-made by skilled craftsmen / Sanjo City, Niigata Prefecture first appeared on NIHONMONO.