Through Hamamatsu, Meet Japan

Get to Know Hamamatsu

  • Eat
  • Buy

Japan’s fastest new white onion “Premium White”. What is the secret behind its rich sweetness and freshness that isn’t spicy even when eaten raw?

“Premium White” appeared on “Manten★Aozora Restaurant” (Nippon Television Network) which aired on Saturday, January 25, 2025 at 6:30 pm!

 

Shinohara district is located along the Enshu Nada Sea, south of Hamamatsu City, Shizuoka Prefecture.

Here you can find “New White Onions,” which are amazingly juicy like fruit and have a mellow sweetness.

It’s called “Premium White.”

Image source: Lake Hamana Farmers Market

Shipment begins in the winter, which is said to be the earliest in Japan, and since it is rarely available on the market, it is also known as the “phantom new onion.”

This time, together with Hamamatsu and Lake Hamana tourism ambassadors, Ms. Yuto Hoshiyaku Yuto and Ms. Funa Shirai , we interviewed Mr. Takahiro Muramatsu, CEO of Confirm Co., Ltd., the producer of Premium White!

We asked him about the secret behind its deliciousness and the ingenuity used in its cultivation.

Shinohara District: Japan's fastest growing new onions

New onions are a seasonal vegetable that is often thought of as being available in early spring.

However, in the Shinohara district of Hamamatsu City, Shizuoka Prefecture, onions are harvested from late December through January, meaning that you can enjoy the freshest new onions in the country!

Among them, the “Premium White” cultivated by Muramatsu is a white onion characterized by its flat shape and pure white color.

Due to limited production, it is said that there is very little of it on the market.

Mr. Takahiro Muramatsu, CEO of Confirm Co., Ltd.

I visited in mid-January, during the still bitterly cold winter months.

Although the sea breeze was cold, the sunlight was gently warm and the clear winter air felt pleasant.

“Look, look at your feet. This is sandy ground, isn’t it?” Mr. Muramatsu said, and when I looked down, I saw a field that looked like smooth sea sand.

The Shinohara district along the Enshu Nada Sea is home to an expanse of sand that stretches from Nakatajima Sand Dunes, one of Japan’s three largest sand dunes, and is characterized by its good drainage.

In addition, the hours of sunlight here are longer than the national average, making it easier for the ground temperature to rise, which promotes the growth of high-quality onions and means that new onions can be harvested earlier than anywhere else in the country.

In addition, the use of mulch protects the onions from the cold of winter and UV rays, allowing for stable cultivation.

However, it is also true that cultivation conditions are easily affected by bad weather such as high temperatures and prolonged rain.

Although the land has good drainage, they are thorough in managing the water and soil, including watering according to the weather each day.

For the sake of productivity, Mr. Muramatsu has considered mechanizing planting and harvesting, but he smiles and says, “I think doing it by hand produces better onions and it suits me.”

I felt that what makes Premium White so delicious is not only the natural bounty of the land, but also the cultivation know-how that Muramatsu has accumulated through his many years of experience.

 

★Purchase here

Hamanako Farmers Market https://www.8075.jp/?mode=cate&cbid=2636822&csid=2

The secret to their freshness is early digging and morning harvesting

As a special treat on this day, the two tourism ambassadors also got to experience harvesting in the Premium White fields.

Premium White, ready for harvest, can already be seen in the soil.

“Got it!”

“Wow! It’s so white and beautiful!”

The two ambassadors exclaimed.

When the Premium White peeks out from the soil, you can see its freshness, just like fruit!

The Premium White grown by Muramatsu are harvested while the leaves are still green.

This method is called “early harvesting” and is characterized by harvesting when the fruit is less bitter and more moist.

Regular onions are grown in the soil until they are fully ripened and then harvested when the leaves have withered.

Allowing them to fully ripen in the soil apparently makes the flesh firmer and gives them a stronger, more pungent onion flavor.

“Premium White is harvested before it is fully ripe, which is why it has a strong juiciness and less harshness. Even if you bite into a freshly harvested fruit, it’s juicy and sweet.”

Just as Mr. Muramatsu says, when you try freshly picked Premium White onions, they have a freshness and sweetness similar to that of a pear, which completely changes your perception of onions!

What’s more, Premium White is picked that morning and shipped immediately on the same day, so it’s incredibly fresh!

Among them, the Premium White with leaves is the highest quality product and is harvested earliest.

Since only A-grade L-sized balls are selected, they are said to be popular as gifts.

Image source: Lake Hamana Farmers Market

Please try the amazing freshness that can only be experienced with products delivered directly from the source!

 

★Purchase here

Hamanako Farmers Market https://www.8075.jp/?mode=cate&cbid=2636822&csid=2

Recommended way to eat Premium White

It’s not spicy even when eaten raw! Premium White has a rich sweetness, flavor, and overflowing freshness.

First of all, we recommend eating it raw!

Image source: Lake Hamana Farmers Market

Classic sliced ​​onions.

Generally, it is soaked in water to remove the spiciness, but once you slice Premium White, do not soak it in water; we recommend eating it as is!

With its crunchy texture, freshness, and natural sweetness that fills your mouth, this is a dish that is sure to become addictive even for those who don’t like raw onions.

We also recommend a simple dish of heating a whole Premium White in the microwave and topping it with bonito flakes and soy sauce.

Image source: Lake Hamana Farmers Market

It’s so soft that it crumbles with chopsticks, and the texture and sweetness are so rich and melting that you can eat as many as you want in no time.

Of course, Premium White can also be used as the main dish.

Image source: Lake Hamana Farmers Market

Image source: Lake Hamana Farmers Market https://www.8075.jp/

Simply fry thick slices of Premium White in a frying pan with butter and season with salt and pepper to create the ultimate onion steak!

You can also add mushrooms or sautéed bacon to your liking.

By using Premium White, you can enjoy a luxurious taste that is a little different from usual even with classic menu items such as miso soup, curry, simmered dishes, and stir-fried dishes.

 

★Purchase here

Hamanako Farmers Market https://www.8075.jp/?mode=cate&cbid=2636822&csid=2

 

Premium White onions are produced using the blessed natural environment of the Shinohara region of Hamamatsu and the many years of experience and skill of producer Mr. Muramatsu, and have a truly exceptional taste that sets them apart from ordinary onions.

See More Posts

A drop of nature grown in Hamamatsu Tenryu Forest. “Kuromoji tea” made from trees

This year too, the delicious treasure grown in the forest, “Kicoro forest scented tea,” will be coming to town.

It is Kuromoji tea from Tenryu Forest, which was created with the idea of ​​being an “entrance to get people interested in the forest,” and is harvested only once a year in early spring.

I first encountered this tea four years ago. At a cafe in Tenryu Ward, a friend recommended it to me and said, “This Kuromoji tea is delicious. It’s made from wood.” When I asked her, “What is a tree? You mean the leaves on that tree?”, she answered that they were not actually leaves. When we think of tea, we think of green tea or herbal tea, which is made from soft materials such as leaves and flower petals. So when I was told that it was made from wood, I couldn’t imagine it.

What arrived on the table was a gentle pink tea with a very nice aroma that overturned the image of “wood”.

You may not be familiar with the “Kuromoji” tree, but you might know it as a sweet toothpick used to cut up Japanese sweets and bring them to your mouth.

Nowadays, many of them are made of plastic or other wood, but they were originally made from the Kuromoji tree, which has a pleasant aroma and antibacterial properties. It is well known that when Sen no Rikyu, a famous tea master, made tea for Oda Nobunaga and Toyotomi Hideyoshi, he offered them a freshly shaved fragrant toothpick from a branch of the Kuromoji tree in his garden. The scent of Kuromoji may have soothed the spirits of war-torn military commanders.

Japanese sweets and Kuromoji cutting sweets

Kuromoji is said to be an aromatic native to Japan, and its refreshing yet sweet scent is said to have antiviral and relaxing effects. It is said that it is also included in Chanel No. 5, and it is a tree that is like the savior of today’s times.

Kuromoji has been drunk for treatment and health since ancient times. A herbal medicine called Usho is made from the leaves and branches, and it is also brewed and drunk as a health tea. So, what is the difference between Tenryu no Mori’s Kuromoji tea and the health teas that have been drunk up until now?

The person who makes Tenryu Forest’s Kuromoji tea is Mr. Takeshi Maeda, who works as a “visible woodcutter” to connect the mountains and the city. Even though I don’t like the outdoors or the rain, I was selfish because I wanted to see the black moji tree. Then, on a rainy day at the start of the rainy season, Mr. Maeda showed me around Kikoro Forest in Tenryu.

Sausage making experience where you can learn about passion and commitment

In the Hamamatsu/Lake Hamana area, there are many people who share their enthusiasm through a variety of experiences. Is this a challenge that comes from a “Yaramaika spirit”?

Today, Sea Lake HAMANA Jenne and her friends came to the butcher shop “Tonkii” in Hosoe, Chuo Ward, Hamamatsu City. Just from the name, it seems like you can eat delicious meat.

This time, we started with a sausage making experience. After putting on an apron and getting ready to cook, the president first explained about Tonkii’s meat. The president enthusiastically tells us about the meat, what kind of feed is given to the pigs, and what kind of meat is produced from it. The idea behind this experience was that he wanted to share with the people who eat the food things that only those close to him knew about. Jenne and the others listened to his enthusiasm with serious eyes.

Lake Hamana’s “new souvenir” Lake Hamana seaweed pasta is now available!

What do you think of when you think of souvenirs from Lake Hamana?

Lake Hamana is a lake that straddles Hamamatsu City and Kosai City, Shizuoka Prefecture. It is a brackish lake with a mixture of seawater and freshwater, as it is connected to the Enshu Sea by a cutaway.

Because it is a brackish water lake, it is packed with nutrients and is extremely rich in fish and other creatures!

That’s why many people may have heard, “The seafood in the Lake Hamana area is delicious!”
Back to List
Visit Suruga EMot Online Tickets agoda