Fragrant red shiso, harvest peak in Shiranuka
Eastern Hokkaido’s town of Shiranuka entered its peak harvest period for red shiso (perilla), the leaf used to make the distilled alcoholic shiso shochu beverage by Godo Shusei (Tokyo) called “Tantakatan”.
Workers dexterously harvest the red-purple palm-sized shiso leaves, and the surrounding area is infused with a refreshing fragrance. The Farming Corporation Shikosha in the town cultivates shiso plants without using agricultural chemicals. Shiso seedlings grown inside plastic-covered greenhouse facilities were transplanted in late May to an approximately four-hectare field spreading out along the foot of Mount Tantaka, from which the shochu beverage takes its name. There, harvesting began on August 27, and will continue until mid-September. After being dried, the shiso leaves are crushed and stored.
Next year they will be delivered to the Godo Shusei Asahikawa Plant to make the shochu beverage that is loved for its shiso flavor.
Location
Shikosha
Related
On June 13, shipments of the specialty high-end ‘Densuke’ watermelon began in the town of Tohma in the Kamikawa region of northern Hokkaido. Due to continued fine weather, this year’s watermelons a...
The shipment of small Himawari (sunflower) watermelons, a specialty of the town of Hokuryu in the Sorachi region of central Hokkaido, began on June 10. The yellow flesh is reminiscent of a sunflowe...
The year’s first auction of Yubari Melons was held at the Sapporo Central Wholesale Market on the morning of May 26, and a successful bid of 3 million yen for a box of two top-grade ‘Superior’ Yuba...