GLOSSARY
Do terms or concepts used on our site seem complicated? We are here to help!
Organic in Japan is still a relatively niche market compared to the offerings available in the West. We have gathered here all our Japanese products from organic farming.
The smoked bonito flakes “katsuobushi” is a central ingredient in traditional Japanese cuisine. Soaked and then heated in a kombu infusion.kombu, these pink flakes indeed provide the seminal broth of Japanese culinary tradition: dashi. This powerfully umami concoction forms the base of miso soup, ramen, and many sauces, including ponzu or tsuyu. It's impossible to truly cook Japanese without them!
The process of making katsuobushi is long and delicate. The fillets of skipjack tuna (and only this tuna) are cooked in water and then smoked for days (sometimes two weeks). Dried and then brushed with noble mold spores from the family Aspergillus, which also includes the famous koji, they then dry in the sun for two weeks. At the end of the process, the fillets are as hard as wood, red and translucent like a ruby... And they emit a delicious aroma.
Katsuobushi is a natural flavor enhancer – a highly sought-after property in Japan. It is sometimes used as a seasoning, particularly on octopus balls “takoyaki” and “okonomiyaki” omelets. The heat waves then make the bonito flakes “dance” on the plate... A hypnotic movement that is hard to forget.
Find all our products with smoked bonito...
Fattoria al Fiore is a young winery in the Northeast of Miyagi Prefecture. Its story began after the 2011 tsunami. It is run by a couple of winemakers: Reina Meguro and Hirotaka Meguro. Their philosophy? “Nothing but grapes and love.” Indeed, like Grape Republic, the couple ventured into natural wine with unbridled passion. They vinify without any additives, without chemical crutches, without artificial intervention… And with organic grapes, of course.
If they only need grapes and love, they also need a lot of perseverance and work to produce such successful cuvées. Reina and Hirotaka primarily use hybrid and table grape varieties (Steuben, Niagara, Delaware…) grown by winemaker friends in the Yamagata and Yamanashi regions. Grape varieties known to be difficult to vinify!
Marked by great drinkability, the wines of Fattoria al Fiore unfold a rich and complex aromatic palette that will charm all natural wine lovers: from fruit bombs with sharp acidity to precise and complex macerations. precise and complex passing through unique bottles so singular that you won't find an equivalent elsewhere.
The young winery Grape Republic extends its pergola vines on the slopes of the Japanese Alps, in Yamagata Prefecture. Launched only in 2017, it quickly became a reference for Japanese natural wine. Its aura extends well beyond the country's borders to attract enthusiasts, wine bars, sommeliers, and chefs from around the world.
Focusing on hybrid grape varieties present in Japan such as Muscat Bailey A and the Delaware but also European grape varieties like Chardonnay or Merlot, Grape Republic builds clever bridges between modernity and tradition. The goal of the estate is clearly to show that Japan can produce good wine, even without additives!
Their cuvées, recognizable by the care given to the labels as well as the precision of their winemaking, immediately captivate. At the forefront of a recent and exciting movement of natural wine revival around the world, Grape Republic shows the way to a different approach to wine.
The Hassaku is a Japanese citrus fruit with still uncertain origins. It is said to have been discovered in Hiroshima Prefecture in a temple of Onomichi at the end of the 19th century. While the Japanese believe it comes from their country, the Chinese think it comes from China. It doesn't matter who discovered this citrus first, as the question is rather: who are its parents?
The hassaku is a strange natural cross between a grapefruit tree and a Kuendo mandarin tree (a variety of Chinese mandarin, introduced via Indochina to Okinawa in the 16th century). About the size of a small grapefruit, with light orange skin, it is a very acidic fruit that needs to be stored away from light for two months before being consumed (to calm its acidity).
The Japanese eat it at the table, in wedges with a bit of sugar, taking care to remove the white skin first, which is too bitter. It is also found in juice to be consumed fresh. But also in desserts (jelly, jam, coulis, ice cream...) or as zest. It is particularly appreciated for the freshness and bounce it brings to both cakes and savory preparations.
Particularly appreciated in Japan, the Hassaku even has its own festival in Kyoto for over a century!
It’s sad but it’s better to talk about it right away: it’s impossible to think of Hiroshima without thinking of the atomic bombing of August 1945. Like its twin in disaster, Nagasaki, the city embraces its historical place. Its center houses a museum and a memorial for peace but also a building struck by the bomb: burned, partially collapsed, skeletal, but still standing.
That said, Hiroshima is much more than a bombing site. It’s a city right by the sea, dense, calm, and green, surrounded by wild trails. And of course, the food and drink there are wonderful.
Hiroshima is primarily known for its sake. For a long time, the water from its natural springs was considered too low in minerals to produce sakes capable of competing with the finest cuvées, those from Kyoto or Hyogo. (Brewers have been operating in the city since the 16th century, however.) But at the end of the 19th century, a master brewer named Miura Senzaburo discovered that this so-called too-soft water produced magnificent sakes when used as a base for long, cold fermentations. A few years later, Hiroshima's cuvées had become the most popular in Japan.
Today, the brewers of the city claim that the sakes of Miura Senzaburo were the very first ginjo de l’histoire. Ce style fruité et floral, extrêmement populaire au Japon et dans le monde depuis les années 80, est en effet issu d’une fermentation longue et froide. On est prêt à parier que les brasseurs de Kyoto et Hyogo sont prêts à disputer cette paternité.
Hiroshima has another strong competitor in the category of good things: Osaka. The two cities are known for their okonomiyaki, a type of cabbage and octopus pancake generously brushed with barbecue sauce and mayonnaise (the description doesn't sound great but it's excellent). But when Osaka mixes all the ingredients together, Hiroshima arranges them in successive layers sometimes topped with noodles. Obviously, each of these cities considers its variation to be the best. At Umai, we love both equally…
Find the products from the Hiroshima prefecture...
Hokkaido is the northernmost island of Japan. It is renowned for the harshness of its climate, the unreal beauty of its nature, its thriving agriculture and livestock… And, above all, the exceptional quality of its products. The food self-sufficiency rate of Hokkaido Prefecture is 200% in a country that imports 73% of its calories. It's a matter of quantity, then, but also of quality: many products originating from Hokkaido, particularly grains, milk, and seaweed, are known to be delicious. But why?
Everything starts in the soil. Hokkaido is surprisingly rich in volcanic soils covered with organic compounds. These "andosols" are overflowing with nutrients that allow farmers to grow the best grains in the country: rice, wheat, and buckwheat from Hokkaido are as expensive as they are delicious. Similarly, the cows grazing in the local pastures benefit from the richness of the soil. Their meat rivals that of Kobe beef, and their milk is sometimes described as the best in the world.
And that's not all. Hokkaido is also famous for its seafood: kombu seaweed, oysters, sea urchins, crabs and spider crabs, scallops, salmon roe, squid… The waters of the prefecture are conducive to life due to their freshness, but also because of their great richness in nutrients. These are simply said to be "deposited" in the local seas by icebergs from Siberia. The nightlife district of Sapporo, the capital of Hokkaido, is also renowned throughout Japan, but that's another story.
Find the products from the Hokkaido prefecture...
Let's be concise: the "jabara" is a wild cross between the "kunenbo" mandarin-pomelo and the famous " yuzu ". It appeared naturally in the garden of a Shinto temple on the Kii Peninsula, often considered the "spiritual heart" of Japan due to its countless places of worship. When? No one knows. But since its discovery in the 1970s, it has enjoyed great culinary, cosmetic, and medical success.
The juice of the jabara is renowned for its balance and peppery notes. Delicately acidic and just sweet enough, it finds its place everywhere in Japanese cuisine. The jabara is also known for its bark, which is extremely rich in narirutine, a "phytonutrient" that several scientific studies attribute anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic effects to. Finally, the heart of the jabara or "pericardium" is used in Japanese beauty products for its moisturizing properties. We thank nature for this beautiful work.
"Junmai" literally means "pure rice" in Japanese. It is an important term in the world of sake. This word (spelled 純米, watch for the bottles!) indeed refers to sakes without added alcohol, in other words, those that contain only the bare essentials: yeast, koji, rice, and water.
Attention! Unlike the terms " ginjo " or " daiginjo ", which refer to sakes with fruity and floral profiles, "junmai" conveys no information about the taste of a cuvée. In theory, at least. Because in practice, sakes that are only "junmai" often have a deeply umami taste, with woody and cereal notes…
Attention again! These sakes are often considered more "noble" than sakes with added alcohol known as "honjozo." In our humble opinion, that's a shame. Adding alcohol (generally distilled alcohol at 95% from sugar cane, perfectly neutral) to a sake allows its aromas to unfold. Junmai or honjozo, a sake can therefore be excellent!
"Junmai" refers to sakes without added alcohol, in other words, sakes made with the strict essentials: water, rice, koji, and yeast. "Ginjo" refers to sakes brewed with rice polished to at least 60% of its original volume, meaning stripped of at least 40% of its outer layer. You may have guessed that "junmai ginjo" sakes combine these two criteria.
A "ginjo" designation guarantees (except for notable exceptions) that a sake will develop floral and fruity aromas: melon, strawberry, banana, white flowers… In a sake with added alcohol, a category known as "honjozo", these aromas are invigorated and verticalized. In a "junmai" sake without added alcohol, they are more horizontal and silky.
"Junmai ginjo" is a remarkable designation. Sakes from this limited family come from deep expertise and significant work. There is only one designation that is even rarer and more noble: " junmai daiginjo ».
"Junmai" refers to sakes without added alcohol, in other words, sakes made with the strict essentials: water, rice, koji, and yeast. "Ginjo" refers to sakes brewed with rice polished to at least 50% of its original volume, meaning stripped of at least 50% of its outer layer. You may have guessed that "junmai daiginjo" sakes combine these two criteria.
"Junmai daiginjo" sakes are widely described as the most noble and refined. Producing a cuvée of this category requires an enormous amount of work and time… Only the most noble rice varieties allow for its production, the polishing of the rice and fermentation are long and risky…
As a result, junmai daiginjo are rare and can reach high prices. In return, they always leave an unforgettable memory.
The kimoto method is known for producing sakes with deep and sharp flavors, almost cutting. But what does it consist of? To understand, we must start from the beginning. The sake fermentation process can be divided into two main stages: the initial fermentation "moto" and the main fermentation "moromi".
The initial phase "moto" takes place in a small barrel called a "starter tank." It already contains all the necessary ingredients for sake production: water, steamed rice, koji, and yeast. Its purpose is to initiate a healthy and vigorous fermentation, without which the main phase "moromi," which contains the same ingredients but in much larger quantities, could not take place. This is where the ancient and respected method " kimoto ».
Sake fermentation produces sugar and heat that attract bacteria and other wild yeasts suspended in the air of the brewery. In the vast majority of cases, these microorganisms are undesirable. Fortunately, the kimoto method has been there to prevent them from settling in the "moto" for over 300 years.
Its principle is simple yet demanding: during the first days of fermentation, brewers stir the starter tank with large wooden spatulas every three hours. (Yes, even in the middle of the night.) Thus disturbed, the fermentation "strengthens" by generating large amounts of nutrients that keep the pesky microbes at bay. Easy!
A typical seaweed of Asian cuisine and more particularly of Japan, kombu is mainly cultivated in the Hokkaido region. This product, extremely rich in umami, potassium, and iodine, has a complex and deep flavor. This seaweed is most often sold dried but can also be consumed fresh in sashimi.
It can also be infused alone to produce a very flavorful broth called kombucha or "kombu tea." Combined with the dried bonito, it forms the second pillar of Japanese cuisine after white rice: dashi broth, the base of the miso soup and a thousand other Japanese preparations. Kombu is a powerful seaweed, and it is advisable to prepare your broths with simmering water (or cold) to avoid extracting too much flavor and making your preparation undrinkable!
A French company specializing in the import of modern and artisanal Japanese sakes since 2015. They offer a rigorous and precise selection of different brewers across the Archipelago. They promote a new agricultural vision that respects Nature. The sakes imported by Madame Sake are of great finesse, and we regularly offer a small selection.
In its most basic form, miso is a fermented soybean paste that has been found in Japan for millennia. Its production is so simple that many Japanese prepare it themselves in their kitchens: it is enough to soak the beans, cook them quickly, crush them, and inoculate them with a mixture of sea salt and a noble mold that every Japanese cooking enthusiast should know.
The fermentation of miso is ensured by the Japanese "national fungus": Aspergillus oryzae, better known as " koji ." Koji is found in the production of sake, soy sauce, rice vinegar… Depending on the strain of koji used, the grains and other ingredients added to the mixture, the temperature and duration of fermentation (from a few days to several years), and even the seasons, completely different misos are produced.
There are thus white miso, sweet and lightly fermented, red miso more robust, and particularly fermented black miso… A more detailed taxonomy classifies them according to the grains that compose them along with soy: wheat, rice, barley, lentils, " azuki " beans… The combinations are countless and often characteristic of a region, or even a city. If you ever pass through Nagoya, in the Japanese Alps, we highly recommend tasting its famous three-year fermented red miso…
The word "nori" in Japanese refers to all the seaweeds that grow on rocks in seawater – even those that are not edible. Unsurprisingly, the words that designate seaweeds are numerous in Japanese. However, the edible "nori" belongs to a single family, that of purple seaweeds or "porphyra."
Purple seaweed grows all over the world, even in Brittany. However, the Japanese know it better than anyone as they have been consuming it for over 1000 years and actively cultivating it for more than three centuries. It's normal, then, that it can be found everywhere in the cuisine of the archipelago: in sushi, of course… But also in the furikake, soups, okonomiyaki…
Nori has many qualities. Besides their delicately iodized and roasted taste, they are excellent for health. Their high calcium and vitamin content has long been known, and many studies indicate that they are good for the heart, immune system, and digestive system.
Barley is a versatile and nutritious grain that holds a special place in Japanese cuisine and culture. Used for centuries, it is appreciated for its texture and delicate flavor. It comes in several forms, including whole grains, flakes, and flour.
This grain is found in different forms in Japan, starting with its alcoholic version (other than its malted version which is obviously used in the production of beer and whiskey, very popular in the country).
Barley alcohol (or shochu), called "brewed barley" is a Japanese spirit obtained by fermentation and distillation of the latter. The shōchū is appreciated for its sweet and rich flavor that can be consumed neat, on the rocks, or mixed with water (in a High Ball). Its character sometimes has an "animal" and intoxicating nose en font un partenaire de choix pour les amateurs d’alcool pendant les nuits torrides de l’été tokyoïte.
It is also found in the form of an infusion: the “ mugi-cha » (barley tea). It is a refreshing, caffeine-free drink made from roasted barley grains. It is particularly enjoyed during hot summer days and can be served hot or cold. Mugi-cha has antioxidant properties and is reputed to aid digestion.
Finally, it is also used in the production of miso “mugi miso,” a type of fermented paste made from barley and soybeans. This miso has a rich and earthy flavor that adds depth to soups, marinades, and sauces.
Japanese sesame, also known as "goma," is an oilseed highly valued in Japan (and around the world). It is renowned for its unique flavor and numerous nutritional benefits. Native to Asia, it is primarily cultivated in the southern regions of Japan, such as Kagoshima and Miyazaki, where the subtropical climate is favorable. The rich and slightly sweet flavor of Japanese sesame is highly appreciated in cooking.
It is often used in various forms, such as whole sesame seeds, ground, or even in oil form. It can be found in many traditional dishes, such as goma-ae, a salad of vegetables seasoned with a sesame sauce, or the famous goma-dofu, a sesame-based tofu. Black sesame, called "kurogoma," is also used to prepare desserts such as wagashi, delicate Japanese pastries.
We can finally find it in the form of paste, white or black, perfect for thickening a vinaigrette or a sauce! Japanese sesame is renowned for its superior quality and nutritional richness. It is particularly rich in fiber, protein, and essential minerals such as calcium, iron, and magnesium. Sesame oil, on the other hand, is particularly valued for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, which contribute to the prevention of many diseases.
Tempura is a frying technique unique to Japanese cuisine. It involves dipping an ingredient in a batter made of eggs, wheat flour, and ice-cold water (sometimes sparkling for added lightness) and then briefly immersing it all in very hot oil. Tempura is less about the ingredients and more about the technique (the batter should not be over-beaten) and the perfectly controlled temperature difference between the batter and the frying oil.
Meats, vegetables, fish… Many ingredients can be cooked in tempura. Forgive our purism, but we are nonetheless convinced that the most traditional ingredients are also the best: green onions, shrimp, lotus root, sweet potato, mushrooms… Cooked while still fresh and according to the rules, they take on a unique texture and delicious juiciness. A successful fry will add just a touch of crispiness, without encroaching on those flavors that only tempura can reveal.
It is typically Japanese in its spirit of delicately sublimating "pure" foods. However, frying with batter was "revealed" to the Japanese by Portuguese missionaries in the 1500s at the port of Nagasaki. (A few centuries later, in the same place, the Dutch would introduce beer and gin to the Japanese.) Before this, the Japanese were already practicing frying without batter in sesame or tea seed oils. Traditional tempura is still cooked in such oils.
“Tokubetsu” means “special” in Japanese. When applied to sake, this word becomes a designation applied to cuvées that have (drum roll) a “special character.” However, no law regulates the use of this designation. Many things can therefore be considered a “special character”: the use of rare sake rice, an exotic polishing rate, filtration in traditional cedar wood presses… In the vast majority of cases, “tokubetsu” sakes are worth the detour.
Do not be intimidated by the fact that this designation is not legally regulated, unlike labels for sakes without added alcohol (“junmai”) or made from highly polished rice (“ginko” and “daiginjo”). In Japan, sake brewers are trained, guided, and monitored by powerful guilds. These organizations ensure the transmission of knowledge and the maintenance of quality standards, as well as the preservation of sake's reputation. Under their watch, nonsense is not told.
Japanese plums or Prunus mume has a terrible secret: despite what their name suggests, they are apricots. This confusion does not prevent them from holding a prominent place in everyday Japanese cuisine, especially in an ultra-famous fermented version: the "umeboshi." These wrinkled plums, sometimes pink, sometimes orange, are one of the most common accompaniments to white rice. (We are talking about almost daily consumption for a good portion of the Japanese.)
Japanese refinement requires that there are several types of fermented plums "umeboshi". The most traditional ones spend three days in the sun after being soaked in salt. Legend has it that these plums remain good for consumption for centuries. More recent versions called "chomi-umeboshi" ferment the plums in a mixture seasoned with shiso, smoked bonito, kombu seaweed... Let's also mention the umeboshi "hachimitsu" aged in honey, rare and delicious.
The Japanese attribute many properties to umeboshi: antiseptic and antibacterial, stimulating and anti-inflammatory for the digestive system, anti-nausea... We can also assure you that their consumption invigorates the body and mind, making them ideal for breakfast. A bowl of white rice, a spoonful of natto, a fermented plum... Nothing like it to start the day.
Japan has been cultivating grapes for several centuries and producing wine since the end of the 19th century. This somewhat marginal production (compared to the much more abundant sake on the archipelago) houses an even more confidential sub-category: Japanese natural wine. Natural wine is a wine made as naturally and cleanly as possible. Its producers use organic grapes and indigenous yeasts but no additives – except for sulfur in rare exceptions. They also refuse filtration and fining. This winemaking, which is ultimately just a return to ancient methods, finds an increasingly important echo among winemakers and enthusiasts, particularly in France. Japan is no exception, and there are a small number of estates or winemakers participating in this global effort to rediscover the original essence of wine.
Among these explorers of exhumed traditions, we can mention the estates Grape Republic and Fattoria Al Fiore, located near the Japanese Alps, Hitomi in Shiga Prefecture, or the winemaker Yuki Nakano in his urban cellar in Tokyo. Japanese natural wine is not just a curiosity on the global wine map. It is primarily a foundational work to rehabilitate grape varieties that are better known on tables than in bottles. This is the case for hybrid grape varieties like Koshu, Muscat Bailey A, Steuben or Delaware. These rare and surprising cuvées develop a characteristic aroma of small fruits…
Exceptional delights to discover in our shop, the only one in France offering such a wide range of Japanese natural wines!
Wasabi, also known as "Wasabia japonica" or "Eutrema japonicum", is a perennial plant native to Japan, famous for its pungent root and unique flavor. Belonging to the Brassicaceae family, it is closely related to cruciferous vegetables such as mustard, horseradish, and cabbage.
Primarily cultivated in the mountainous regions of Japan (historically in Shizuoka Prefecture) since the Keicho era (1596-1615), wasabi is known for its delicate growing conditions and specific needs for moisture and temperature.Shizuoka depuis l’époque Keicho (1596-1615), le wasabi est réputé pour ses conditions de culture délicates et ses besoins spécifiques en matière d’humidité et de température.
Due to its rarity and the high cost of production, true wasabi is often unfortunately replaced by substitutes made from horseradish and food coloring. While the mouthfeel may initially seem similar, the taste will have little in common with the original. So be wary of what is served to you in most so-called Japanese restaurants in France!
The wasabi root is traditionally grated to obtain a green paste, used as a condiment in Japanese cuisine. Its pungent taste and distinctive nasal heat are appreciated for enhancing the flavor of sushi, sashimi, and other Japanese specialties.
In addition to its culinary use, wasabi also possesses antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, contributing to health and well-being.
Sakes produced using the "yamahai" method are known for their deep and clear flavors but also more tender than those of sakes produced using the " kimoto " method. But what exactly is yamahai? We explain it to you by starting from the beginning.
The production of all sakes begins with a small-scale fermentation called "moto." All the necessary ingredients (water, steamed rice, koji, and yeasts) are mixed in small quantities in a small barrel called a "starter tank." The goal of this initial and critical phase is to initiate a vigorous fermentation. If all goes well and the "moto" appears healthy, large quantities of water and steamed rice will be added to launch the main fermentation phase or "moromi." Unfortunately, ensuring the health of the "moto" is a complicated matter... Fortunately, the "yamahai" method is here for that.
The fermentation process of sake produces sugar and heat that attract airborne microbes. Unless brewers attempt to make a "natural" sake fermented by wild yeasts, these microbes are obviously not invited into the starter tank. To prevent them from arriving anyway, brewers can force the "moto" to produce enzymes and nutrients that these microorganisms hate using the "yamahai" method. Just add a lot of water and keep the starter tank slightly above 5°C. Easy!
The yamahai method descends from the centuries-old kimoto method. This labor-intensive technique involves mixing the mash with large wooden paddles every four hours during the "moto" phase, which "stresses" the fermentation and forces it to produce molecules that wild microbes refuse to approach. The yamahai method produces a similar result with significantly less effort.
Find all the Yamahai vintages...
Yuzu is the star citrus of Japanese cuisine. Ranging in color from green to yellow depending on its ripeness, it has large seeds and produces little juice. With an intense and distinctive aroma, it navigates between lime, grapefruit, and mandarin. In truth, it is unique, and its qualities make it a choice fruit for chefs and cooks around the world.
In Japan, at least, yuzu holds a prominent place in gastronomy. It can be found in the form of peels, powder, sauce, pure juice, syrup or in the preparation of the famous ponzu. Its use gives dishes a freshness and a unique personality, both for savory and sweet.
It is also the source of many beverages, from simple lemonade to liqueurs that bear the name " yuzushu ." Some sakes also use its juice! On this page, you can discover all our favorite Japanese yuzu products. Beware: this little citrus is too elegant to be forgotten.
