Why Toyama Eats More Kombu Than Anywhere Else in Japan

Toyama produces almost no kombu of its own, yet its per-household consumption is frequently cited as among the highest in Japan. This traces back to the Edo-era Kitamaebune shipping route, which carried Hokkaido kombu south along the coast, and to Toyama's historic medicine-peddler merchants, who traveled widely and are credited with helping spread the habit of cooking with it into everyday local meals.

Beyond its common use for dashi stock, look for kobujime — thin fish fillets cured briefly between sheets of kombu, which firms the texture and adds umami, a staple at Toyama sushi counters — as well as shredded tororo or oboro kombu used as a topping for rice, soup, or onigiri. It's worth trying at least one of these to see the local habit in practice.