Unique Flavours of Ibaraki & Saitama: Find Uni-Flavored Chips, Soy Sauce Ice-Cream & Mini Natto Snack!
Craving for fresh Japanese produce and unique specialities, but unable to get them due to the travel restrictions? Japan, known for its incredible culinary scene with a heavy focus on seasonal produce and locally sourced fruit and vegetables making for unique dishes from one town to the next.
The global pandemic has affected the business landscape in many parts of the world, and Japan is no exception to this change. Farmers and manufacturers faced many challenges in their business due to the tourism slowdown.
If you’re a fan of Japanese Produce and Snacks — you can now find unique and interesting specialities Like Uni-flavored Chips, Hokkaido Mini Natto, Soy Sauce Ice-Cream (I know, right?!) & many more from Ibaraki 茨城県 & Saitama 埼玉県 — delivered right to your footstep!
Ibaraki — The Land Of “Natto”
Source: All About Japan
Located in the Kanto region, at the northeast of Tokyo along the Pacific coast. You might have known/heard that some of the prefecture’s popular sightseeing spots include Mount Tsukuba, Aiki Shrine, Ibaraki Branch Dojo, Hitachi Seaside Park.
Other than its various attractions, Ibaraki is also blessed with fertile lands and a mild climate. The prefecture is the home for high-quality food such as melons, sweet potato, green peppers, Koshihikari rice, and soybeans.
In collaboration with JETRO, you can now find the following unique specialities from Mogushop, a home-grown local japanese online grocer!
Source: Mogushop
Delicious Hokkaido Mini Natto is made only from top quality Hokkaido soybeans using Ibaraki's traditional natto manufacturing methods.
Due to the traditional long-term ageing fermentation method, this product has a rich flavour and aroma that makes it stand out from other types of natto.
Fun fact: This product has also received the "Excellence Award" at the 25th Japan National Natto Appraisal in 2020, identifying it as a gold standard amongst all the natto in Japan!
Source: Mogushop
For the health-conscious and yuzu-lovers, you’ll be happy to know that this extremely popular Japanese drink is finally available on our shores now! Originated from Ibaraki, this special drink contains more than 200 types of nutrients, including Omega-7 fatty acids, known as "youthful fatty acids", Omega-3, Omega-6, and 9 fatty acids that cannot be produced by the body, as well as Vitamins A, C and E, and Iron. It balances and brings out the original potential health of the body, promoting better blood circulation, and improving skin condition. I’m definitely in.
Note: It’s currently on backorder!
Source: Mogushop
Priced at $5.90 for 70g, Hoshi Imo is a healthy snack (great for those who are on a no-sugar diet) — filled with the natural unique sweetness and texture of carefully dried sweet potatoes of the Beniharuka variety, known for its refreshing and elegant sweetness as one of the most popular varieties used for dried potatoes in Japan! Best known for its sweet potatoes, rest assured you’re getting the best quality of this product ;)
Source: Mogushop
For the adventurous and savoury tooth, you can now enjoy the taste of Kurosawa Soy Sauce now in the comfort of your home.
Fun Fact: Kurosawa Soy Sauce Ice Cream is a local speciality commonly served as a soft serve to many locals and tourists in the region.
Priced at $6.50 for 100ml, this dessert is a special combination of traditional Japanese seasoning soy sauce and high-quality vanilla ice cream. The Niemon soy sauce, produced using a special method that enhances its unique aroma, lends an umami aftertaste to this popular ice cream treat!
Saitama 埼玉県 — “Greater Tokyo”
Saitama is located at the north of Tokyo and it is an area blessed with a variety of sightseeing resources represented by "Little Edo" Kawagoe. The prefecture retains its appearance from the Edo Era and the greenery of Chichibu and Nagatoro!
Saitama is also well known as the place for bonsai, with tourists from abroad visiting the Omiya Bonsai Art Museum to view bonsai-related ukiyo-e (a type of traditional Japanese artwork) and historical documents on various bonsai subspecies.
Some of the popular sightseeing include Kawagoe City's Kurazukuri Street and the Bell of Time, The Hundred Caves of Yoshimi, The Steam Locomotive Train of Chichibu and the Hitsujiyama Park in Chichibu.
Saitama - not only known for its sightseeing spots but also, carry with them a rich tradition of their food culture passed down since the Edo Era.
Saitama has wide range of treasure trove of foods rich in regional flavour, including rice crackers and sweet potatoes (we love)!
Source: Mogushop
Left to right: Honda Seika Kin no Uni-sen Rice Crackers, Corn Potage Rice Crackers, Ebi no Hana Rice Crackers
These are also made from finely milled, high-quality rice similar to the famous Koshihikari, which provides a crispy and delicate texture to the product.
Source: Mogushop
The unique bottle design includes an illustration of 'Toki no Kane’, a famous landmark of Kawagoe and is a throwback to traditional bottles of cider that were once sold on street corners.
Saimoo, as it is popularly known in Kawagoe is a strongly carbonated, roasted sweet potato-flavoured cider created with the region's speciality: Japanese sweet potato. The refreshing taste and delightful sweetness of this sweet potato cider have made it a popular item among visitors of Kawagoe, Saitama's "Little Edo".
Shop for the full range below, ranging from more than 10 over products exclusively brought in by the folks from Mogushop!
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Don’t forget to check out with….
“MOGUNANI5”
to get 5% off purchases from Mogushop’s Ibaraki and Saitama’s Catalog!
*Valid till 31st March 2021
Mogushop’s Story
Founded in April 2020 (during the circuit breaker last year) by two young entrepreneurs, Rebecca and Lavender, Mogushop is a one-stop online Japanese-centric grocer. The online grocer quickly became a hit locally and within six short months, MoguShop has expanded its offerings to more than 500 products, such as air-flown Japanese Unagi, Miyazaki Japanese Wagyu Beef, Sashimi-Grade Hokkaido Scallops as well as top-grade MoguShop Japanese seasonal fruits.
The 24-year old duo were track and field competitors with a healthy rivalry back in their junior college days. They then reconnected again when they both attended Singapore Management University and realised that they have a lot in common, especially their love of Japanese food and snacks.
They have also expanded their product range and launched a new concept Mogushop Snack Bar — read more about it here.
*This article is brought to you in partnership with Mogushop.
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