Why Chefs Choose This

• Shiroikuchihama origin: One of the three named shores in Hakodate's elite kombu district. Shiroikuchihama ma kombu is prized for producing the clearest, most elegant dashi — the preferred kombu of Kyoto's kaiseki tradition.
• 10 year ageing: A decade of controlled storage reduces moisture, concentrates glutamic acid (umami), and mellows the raw seaweed character. Aged kombu produces a noticeably smoother, more refined stock than fresh-season kombu.
• Grade 1 Inspected: 1等検 — the top classification under Japan's kombu grading system, based on thickness, colour, width, and absence of defects.
• Wild-harvested (天然): Not farmed. Wild ma kombu develops in the natural tidal currents of the Tsugaru Strait, producing a denser, more flavourful leaf than cultivated alternatives.

How to Use

• Ichiban dashi (first stock): Cold-soak a 10cm piece in 1L water for 30–60 minutes, then heat slowly to just below boiling and remove. The result is a clear, golden stock with deep umami and no cloudiness.
• Kaiseki-grade applications: Suimono (clear soup), chawanmushi (savoury custard), shabu-shabu broth — anywhere the dashi is the star, not the supporting act.
• Niban dashi (second stock): Re-simmer the used kombu with bonito flakes for a robust everyday stock — nothing wasted.
• Kombu-jime: Use a strip to cure sashimi-grade fish between two sheets of kombu for 2–4 hours. The ageing makes this kombu particularly effective for kombu-jime, as the concentrated glutamates transfer more readily.