Algae Nori

History of nori seaweed

Maruyama Nori offers a range of nori seaweed from the finest sources. A luxury item in the early centuries of Japanese civilization, nori was also used to pay taxes at the imperial court. Later, it became a prized ingredient in Buddhist cuisine. It was at the beginning of the Edo period, in the 17th century, that it began to be formed into thin sheets, using techniques similar to those used in papermaking.

A delicate process

Meet us by the sea, near a river mouth with nutrient-rich waters. This is where the different stages of nori seaweed production take place. Seaweed seeds, placed in oyster shells, develop from May to August. The white shells then turn black with spores, which attach themselves to nets laid out in shallow water. The nori seaweed grows on these nets from September to October, before being harvested from November to April. It is immediately washed in fresh water, crushed, and dried. A first cooking process is carried out. It is at this point that the seaweed is sold at auction. The traders then perform a second cooking: the moisture content of the seaweed drops from 12% to 2%. Next comes the preparation of the seaweed: various seasonings, cutting, and packaging. A year of care and ingenuity in a small package.

Nori flavor

One benefit of the sun: photosynthesis

The tidal range in Ariake Bay is very large (6 meters). At low tide, the nori receives abundant sunlight, allowing for natural photosynthesis. The sun's rays give Ariake Bay nori its renowned mild flavor.

One benefit of the forest: nutrients carried by the river

A delicate balance between fresh and salt water is essential to the flavor of nori. Water from streams and rivers carries nutrients from the forest to the sea. Coastal currents and tides stir and disperse these nutrients along the entire coastline. The finest nori is harvested in Ichiryu-hama, on the Ariake Sea, at the mouth of the Chikugo River. Maruyama Nori's "Saga-no hashiri" seaweed comes from the first harvest of the year in Ichiryu-hama.

Seto Naikai
The blackest nori come from the Seto Inland Sea.

Sea Ariake
Northern Kyushu offers nori seaweed of unparalleled softness. Its taste, melt-in-your-mouth texture, and crispness are characteristic of this premium origin.

Tokyo Bay
Tokyo Bay provides seaweed with a maritime taste, which perfectly coats sushi.