Aoiya is a small company based in Hikimi Town, Masuda City, Shimane Prefecture, Japan. Established by individuals who returned to their hometown, Aoiya focuses on revitalizing local wasabi cultivation and utilizing regional resources. The company emphasizes the use of natural methods to produce products that highlight the authentic flavors of their ingredients.
Aoiya's flagship product is Hikimi Wasabi, renowned for its balanced spiciness, sweetness, aroma, and stickiness. Unlike the artificial stone-lined "tatami-ishi" method, Hikimi wasabi is cultivated using the natural "keiryū-shiki" method, where stones are stacked on steep slopes to create a natural environment.
This cultivation occurs at elevations above 500 meters, resulting in cooler summers and winters with over two meters of snow, which halts wasabi growth. This extended cultivation period enhances the wasabi's flavor and sweetness. However, due to repeated floods and an aging producer population, the wasabi's market presence has diminished, making it a rare commodity. Read more
In addition to wasabi, Aoiya has developed Hikimi Kuro-moji Shōchū, a unique spirit infused with the aroma of kuro-moji (Lindera umbellata), a deciduous broadleaf tree native to Japanese forests. The company began this project in 2017, collaborating with Okadaya Honten, a sake brewery, and released the product in April 2019.
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