Izu wasabi
わさびIngredient
Izu wasabi suits food lovers who want to grate the fresh root themselves over soba, and the real thing costs far more than the paste in a tube.
Where to eat Izu wasabi · 2 places
Wasabi cultivation began in Shizuoka. The prefecture's heritage site says villagers in Utogi, up the Abe River, first planted wild wasabi in spring water in the Keicho era, between 1596 and 1615. In 1744 Itagaki Kanshiro, a forest keeper from Amagi-Yugashima, brought seedlings back to Izu as thanks for teaching shiitake growing, and Izu became a growing area of its own. Wasabi from Amagi went to Edo by ship from Ito harbour from the 1780s.
Growers in Nakaizu built the first tatami-ishi wasabi fields around 1892, terraced beds of layered stone that keep cold, oxygen-rich water moving through the roots. That method spread across Japan, and in 2018 the FAO named the traditional Shizuoka wasabi growing system a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System. Izu city, Matsuzaki, Kawazu and Higashiizu all sit in the heritage area.
Fresh wasabi gives a clean, cool heat that fades within minutes of grating, so grate it at the table. On the Izu roads look for menus that say nama wasabi, fresh wasabi, beside the soba.
Worth knowing
- Grate slowly in small circles and eat it soon after; the bite fades within minutes.
Quick answers about Izu wasabiよくある質問
Where did wasabi farming start?
Shizuoka's heritage site says wasabi farming began in Utogi, in today's Shizuoka city, in the Keicho era (1596–1615), and reached Amagi in Izu in 1744.
Is Shizuoka wasabi a World Agricultural Heritage system?
Yes. The FAO named Shizuoka's traditional wasabi growing a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System in 2018.
How do you order Izu wasabi?
Order zaru soba or a wasabi rice bowl where the menu says nama wasabi, fresh wasabi, and grate the root at the table.
When is Izu wasabi in season?
Izu wasabi: Year-round. Wasabi grows in cold spring water, and fresh roots are on sale through the year around Amagi and Nakaizu.
Where can you eat Izu wasabi in Japan?
Places we list for Izu wasabi include Michi-no-eki Amagigoe, Zenpuutei Nanaban.