Hidaka Kombu

The town of Hidaka, which gives its name to kombu gathered on the nearby beaches, lies near the southern coast of Hokkaido. Hidaka kombu is classified according to which beach it is grown near. Beaches are classified into 'top quality beaches’, superior beaches’, 'intermediate beaches’ and ‘regular beaches’. These are further broken down into sub-categories A, B and C.

Hidaka kombu is characterised by its dark green and blackish brown colour, and soft texture. This last point means that it is not only used for dashi but also eaten in other dishes. The dashi it produces is less sweet tasting than other varieties, and it is most commonly used in the Tokyo area and northwards in the popular stew, oden.