Speaking of kelp, it is an indispensable product in Ise.Kombu is also included in the many items of "Shinsen" that God eats at Ise Jingu, and it is presented in the morning and evening.

Sakatoku Kombu, founded in the 2017th year of the Meiji era, celebrated its 105th anniversary as of 45.Sakatoku Kombu's main product, "Oboro Kombu," which has preserved and inherited traditional techniques and tastes for a long time, is all hand-cut by craftsmen without using machines!

In addition, I heard the information that you can experience "Oboro Kombu hand-shaving" from the shopkeeper's passion to let everyone know about the traditional culture of kelp-shaving, which has a long history.
"I also want to experience the tradition of Ise!"
With expectations in mind, I went through the store's curtains.

The black-painted store, which makes you feel warm and calm, has a wide variety of products such as Oboro Kombu, Tororo Kombu, Dashi Kombu, and Tsukudani!On this day, Mr. Satomura, the president, gave us guidance.
Before the practice, you will receive an explanation while watching a DVD about the history of Oboro Kombu and Ise. Japanese food was registered as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2013, and the taste element "umami" attracted the world's attention.Combined with this, it seems that the number of foreign customers is increasing in recent years to learn the soup stock culture centered on kelp.
“If you wish, we can also provide tour information,” says Satomura.

Next, we visited the brewery where "Tororo Kombu" is performed, in which kelp is soaked in vinegar to add flavor while making Oboro Kombu.We have been tasting the secret vinegar of Sakatoku Kombu, who has been protected for over 100 years since its establishment.You can see that the umami of kelp is condensed in the sourness.The state of vinegar changes depending on the season, so it seems that the degree of pickling is also adjusted.

Now it's time to practice shaving!
At the workshop, young craftsmen are shaving kelp with a good rhythm.
I am also ready with a happi coat and work gloves!

The tool is a special kelp knife with a sharp edge called "Kusuriyakiba" on only one side, and the way to hold it is also different from general knives.
We will cut both sides of thick kelp from Hokkaido, which is over 1m long!

First of all, while getting support at hand, hold the kelp with your right foot and slide the knife to scrape it.It is now a thin and beautiful strip-shaped rag kelp!After shaving to a certain extent, I was urged with a smile, "Let's shave myself next time!", And enthusiastically started shaving.However…

"Gigigigi ..." I hear a strange sound and I can't cut it as I want.It seems easy, but this is quite difficult!If you put your hand on it, you can cut it to a beautiful width.

"That's right. The beauty of the shaved kelp is influenced by the" angle "where the kelp and the knife hit, and the" force adjustment (how to apply force) ". Instead, you can use your entire body to shave evenly with good rhythm, "says Satomura.

Oboro Kombu shaving is thin enough to show through the other side, and a beautiful wave pattern called "pleats" appears on the surface, which makes it more palatable.Also, since each piece of kelp has different hardness and thickness, it seems that hand-shaving is the best way to deal with such delicate parts, not by machine.Sakatoku Kombu is surprised that it takes at least five years to master the shaving technique.
If you eat freshly cut kelp, it tastes very fluffy and elegant.it tastes very good! “People of all ages will experience it, but if everyone is pleased, it will encourage the craftsmen,” says Satomura.

They packed a lot of bags for take-out!
I was able to see the handicrafts of the craftsmen who continue to protect the technique and taste with pride, and it was a valuable time to know the difficulty and depth of shaving through the experience.Craftsmanship, that is exactly "a picture is worth a thousand words"!
Please do try that out!