As the days grow warmer and the cherry blossoms are in full bloom, this season is filled with many farewells and new beginnings in our lives. Perhaps you have noticed such changes in your own life as well.

 

As the cherry blossoms bloom and spring deepens, we discover new seasonal delights while reluctantly bidding farewell to those that have passed their peak. Today, we would like to introduce one such seasonal delicacy.

 

Ah, Wakame - one of spring’s true bounties.

Though familiar to almost every Japanese person, wakame, too, has its own season.

 

Found along the coasts of the Japanese archipelago, the Korean Peninsula, and China, it is one of Japan’s most familiar seaweeds.

 

Like vegetables on land, it sends out new growth in spring and continues to develop. Harvested from March to May, it is typically preserved in salt to ensure a stable supply throughout the year.

 

However, during this brief season of new growth, truly fresh wakame becomes available.

Here it is: fresh wakame.

It's color may not seem particularly striking at first. But when dipped into boiling water, it transforms instantly into a vivid emerald green.

The season for wakame coincides with a gift from the mountains. In Japanese cuisine, such moments are cherished as serendipitous pairings.

That gift from the mountains is bamboo shoots.

A simmered dish of spring wakame and freshly dug bamboo shoots is a beautiful pairing that captures the essence of spring.

 

Spring is a season of meetings and partings, yet it overflows with culinary delights.

To these fleeting encounters and farewells, we raise a glass of dry sake - cheers.

 

 

【Contact us】

Itabashi Trading Co., Ltd

Food Department　

TEL :+81-3-3248-1016（Workday 10:00～17:00）　

FAX :+81-3-3248-1008

Email: shokuhin@itabashi-trading.com