• GENERAL NEWS

Blowing in sea breeze, flavor is condensed

The Yomiuri Shimbun

Daikon radishes are hung up to dry in the sun and wind on the coast in Miura, Kanagawa Prefecture, a winter tradition of this region.

On the beach, daikon radishes are lined up like white curtains under the sunshine while blowing in the sea breeze.

“Drying [daikon] in the sun is a characteristic of this season,” said a worker at Yamaju farm. “I want consumers to enjoy the concentrated umami flavor and texture of sun-dried daikon.”

The radishes will be sun-dried for about a week and then pickled in barrels for 10 days or so. Then, they will be processed into “takuan” pickles and other products and shipped to the market.