Niigata Sanko "Salmon Shiokara (Long Jar)"

Founded in 1937, long-established food maker Niigata Sanko manufactures and sells products using traditional fermentation and aging techniques, with rice, sake, mountain produce, field produce, and seafood. Its most popular item is Salmon Shiokara.

This exceptional delicacy is made with carefully selected harasu, a rare, fatty cut of Atlantic salmon, seasoned and aged together with domestically produced rice malt and salmon roe. The melt-in-your-mouth richness, the tender yet pleasantly firm texture of the harasu, and the pop of the roe are irresistible. It also showcases skilled craftsmanship, as each batch is carefully prepared by hand over a four-day aging period so the salt rice malt blends evenly into the salmon.

It is perfect not only over steaming hot rice, but also paired with Japanese sake. Combine it with cream cheese for a Western-style appetizer. You can also toss it with pasta or use it as a filling for rolled sushi, and the ways to enjoy it are endless. It is sure to be appreciated not only as a souvenir for yourself, but also as a gift.