Hikimi Wasabi () is a variety of wasabi cultivated in Hikimi Town (now part of Masuda City), Shimane Prefecture, Japan.
Wasabi cultivation in Hikimi began in 1818 and by the early Shōwa era (1926–1989) reached an annual production of 300 metric tons (330.7 US tons). Of the wasabi from Shimane, 90% came from the town of Hikimi『知ってる！？しまね うまいもの編』（匹見わさび） - 一般社団法人移住・交流推進事業 At the time, Shimane Prefecture was one of the top producers of wasabi in Japan. The two top areas of wasabi production were Shizuoka Prefecture in the East and Shimane Prefecture in the West. Hikimi's wasabi production declined due to numerous factors, including two large floods since the 1970s, recent generations of farming families choosing different careers, and global warming. In recent years, new residents of Hikimi have been attempting to revive the production of Hikimi wasabi.益田の匹見ワサビにペースト商品 手軽に本物の味 - 朝日新聞デジタル島根版（2014年12月20日） In 2013, Shimane Prefecture produced 74.5 metric tons of wasabi (70.2 metric tons were soil-grown wasabi, 4.3 metric tons were water-grown wasabi). That is fifth most in Japan, but far behind the top three prefectures: Shizuoka (867.6 metric tons), Nagano (604.7 metric tons), and Iwate (432.7 metric tons).平成25年特用林産基礎資料（政府統計の総合窓口）掲載の「わさび（生産量）」による。 Shimane Prefecture is known for its Hikimi wasabi. Due to this small amount, Hikimi wasabi is now considered to be fairly rare.
Climate Japan, except for the Hokkaido region, is in the subtropical high-pressure belt, a unique area in the world rich in water despite being located at a latitude which often is desert. When winter comes, rainfall often turns into snowfall, and the Japan Sea side of the main island Honshū has one of the highest amounts of snow at that latitude or lower in the world. Hikimi is located in the southwestern tip of this heavy snow fall area in Japan. Snow acts as insulation to help protect wasabi from frost during the winter. Snow also functions as a natural dam, keeping water plentiful, which is good for growing wasabi. Hikimi is also humid and, being in the mountains, has fewer daylight hours throughout the year. A species native to Japan, wasabi was originally distributed mainly around the Japan Sea side of Honshū. It grows much better in areas with high humidity and short daylight hours than in areas with strong sunlight and high temperatures. With all these favorable factors existing in Hikimi, wasabi grows naturally and has been used by the local people since before it was farmed矢富熊一郎『石見匹見町史』島根郷土史会、1965年8月15日 [Ichiro Aragami "History of Iwami Tomimi Town" Shimane Regional History Association] In terms of climate, Hikimi is the best place for wasabi cultivation, but there are concerns about the future of wasabi production in Hikimi.『中国山地』中国新聞社、1967年2月30日 It is said that the average global rise in temperature is 0.68 °C per 100 years (1.22 °F), but the temperature of Hikimi rose 1.1 °C (1.98 °F) in the past 100 years. This means that ideal conditions for wasabi cultivation rose 200 meters in that time,大山英久「地球温暖化と日本の農業」議会官庁資料調査室、2006年6月 [Hidehisa Oyama "Global Warming and Japanese Agriculture" Parliamentary Office Materials Research Office] since temperatures decrease at a rate of 0.55 °C per 100 meters. In the past, top-quality wasabi could be harvested even in the lower areas. However, the water temperature gradually has been rising since World War II, and the warmer temperatures have resulted in more damage to the crops from insects. Some farmers are trying to avoid disease and pests by farming fields at higher elevations,『新中国山地』中国新聞社、1986年8月30日 ["New China Mountain" China News Agency, August 30, 1986] but soon they will run out of land to move up to. Moreover, on the Japan Sea side, in recent years there have been torrential rainstorms at a scale never seen before. These large storms wash away wasabi plants and sometimes devastate entire farms.
Cultivation
Water-grown cultivation In Hikimi, water-grown wasabi is commonly grown on farms in the Keiryū style (, , "mountain–stream style").星谷佳功『ワサビ』農山漁村文化協会（新特産シリーズ）、1996年 The water comes from the Takatsu River system, which is one of the cleanest rivers in Japan. The Tatami-ishi style ( , "paving-stone style") is the main style used in Shizuoka, and the Heichi style ( , "flatland style") in Nagano. These use spring water as a source and are usually constructed on a large scale using heavy machinery in easily accessible locations. On the other hand, Keiryū-style fields use water mainly from mountain streams. The fields are built on a small-scale by hand along mountain streams, making full use of the natural features of the landscape. To access the Keiryu Style fields, people need to be excellent mountain hikers, because the fields are located in difficult to access places「”幻の匹見わさび”を食す」『カートピア』2014年6月号、富士重工業 カートピア編集室、2014年
Water-grown wasabi traits
Slow growth Slow growth"Wasabi of the dikes" Masuda-shi production pamphlet,『ひきみのワサビ』益田市製作パンフレット、2015/03/03閲覧 owes to Keiryū-style cultivation being exceedingly connected to the natural environment. The temperature of spring water (ground water) has little variation year-round. On the other hand, mountain stream water is always exposed to the elements, so the temperature is easily affected by the outside temperature. For that reason, the water temperature in Keiryū-style farming changes significantly according to the season. The water temperature range to grow wasabi is as narrow as 8 to 18.6 °C (the ideal temperature is 12 to 13 °C), and growth stops if it is higher or lower than that. Therefore, water-grown wasabi in Keiryū-style fields goes through periods of growth and rest similar to annual growth rings on trees.
Flavor and appearance The flavor and appearance of Hikimi wasabi are described as: Mild sweetness spreading after a sharp pungent flavor Rich in aroma and with a viscous texture Grated color is light green. (Native species are mostly yellow or white.)
Regarding this sweetness, Hoshi Norimitsu, a former executive chef of the Hotel Okura, stated: "Hikimi Wasabi is not only posses a strong pungency, but also contains sweetness in the sharpness. I think it is because Hikimi wasabi spends time in snow. Well ... people have said for years that Japanese radish (daikon) which is preserved in the snow is sweeter. Wasabi is the same."天野礼子『日本一の清流で見つけた未来の種』中央公論新社、2015年
The viscosity of wasabi is believed to help retain pungency and flavor compounds after being grated, and keeps its quality longer.横木国臣・上野良一『ワサビ』農山漁村文化協会（新特産シリーズ）、1980年金印わさび機能性研究所『 健康・美容わさびレシピ』辰巳出版 2013年1月 18頁 At the same time, wasabi goes well as a sushi topping or in a sushi rice ball. For example, watery sushi toppings such as herring roe or abalone easily slide from a sushi rice ball, but wasabi makes sushi toppings hard to slide down. Viscous Hikimi wasabi works especially well.特集「わさび 日本のフレーバー」 その1「日本一」を求めて - 朝日新聞デジタル（2016年12月29日）
Regarding the color of grated wasabi, residents of Tokyo prefer the deep green wasabi produced in Shizuoka Prefecture, whereas residents of the Keihanshin region (the Kyoto–Osaka–Kobe area) prefer the light green wasabi produced in Shimane Prefecture. The largest company of processed wasabi manufactures and sells two different colors of powdered wasabi for business use. One is the western Japan style, and the other is eastern Japan style. The western Japan style of wasabi is lighter colored than wasabi from eastern Japan.
Farm-grown cultivation Farm-grown wasabi is mainly grown on the slopes of forests where broad-leaved trees grow. The broad-leaf trees naturally adjust the sunlight suitable for growth of wasabi by blocking strong sunlight in the summer, and allowing weak sunlight through after the leaves fall in the winter. The fields are made at various altitudes from 250 meters to 1100 meters above sea level. By farming at different altitudes at the same time, farmers can harvest over a wider period of time.
Revival efforts To revive wasabi cultivation in Hikimi, the following institutions and measures are being conducted. Wasabi Bio-center This institution produces seedlings of elite breeds. It is located at the former site of the branch in Hikimi. This institution is equipped with an air-controlled laboratory, a breeder room with various equipment, and equipment to keep bacteria out. Wasabi College Hikimi This approach is planned and sponsored by the local administration with the aim of getting people interested in agriculture and rural life, finding new farmers, and promoting settlement. Some participants of the college moved to Hikimi to farm.
Gallery
Breed varieties Shimane is one of the main breed varieties and is cultivated in both water fields and soil fields. Shimane was developed by Dr. Yokogi Kuniomi of Shimane Prefecture's Agricultural Experiment Station with the cooperation of Kenjirō Tanaka, a farmer in Nichihara Town (now part of Tsuwano Town) in 1942.横木国臣先生喜寿記念刊行会『喜寿と回想』島根県農業試験場、1980年11月21日 It is the only superior variety found to be resistant to the putrefaction disease which destroys wasabi cultivation, and it saved the wasabi industry in Shimane Prefecture. For water-grown wasabi only, in addition to local species native to Hikimi, there is Daijin, which is bred from native varieties from elsewhere in Japan. Misawa, which was developed in 2002, is used for soil-grown wasabi only.
Processed products
Processed products of water-grown wasabi include additive‐free wasabi paste, Japanese yam paste mixed with wasabi, sausages containing wasabi, and other things.匹見ワサビ 『ウォーカープラス』2014年6月16日 Soil-grown wasabi is used mainly to make wasabi paste.益田市 『平成25年度 第1回 匹見地域協議会 会議報告書』2013年4月24日テレビ朝日 島根・益田市 ?単身移住でワサビ栽培? 2015年3月19日閲覧 Soil-grown wasabi's leaves, stems, and flower parts are also used as ingredients of pickled products such as shōyu-zuke (soy sauce pickles), sakekasu-zuke (pickles in sake lees), miso-zuke (miso pickles),益田市 「わさびの花芽摘み・わさび尽くし料理体験」開催します！ 2015年3月19日閲覧 and sweets such as ice cream月刊しまねIWAMIマガジン 匹見峡レストパーク 地元産のものを使ったメニュー 2015年3月19日閲覧 and pudding.島根県庁 いきいきファーマーだより わさび料理コンテスト 2015年3月19日閲覧益田市観光協会 わがまち自慢フェア匹見収穫祭 匹見特産のわさびを使ったわさびプリンが販売 2015年3月19日閲覧 Wasabi shoots (known locally as ganime) with good texture are used especially for shōyu-zuke.
Culture
Yamaoi-Tengu-Sha shrine Yamaaoi-Tengu-Sha shrine is the only shrine dedicated to wasabi in which wasabi farmers pray for a good harvest in Japan.匹見町誌編さん委員会『匹見町誌』山陰中央新報社、2007年6月 The shrine is located halfway up Mount Daijingataki, 1170 meters (3838 feet) above sea level, in the town of Hikimi, Mikazura District. This town is regarded as the birthplace of Hikimi Wasabi. The shrine's goshintai (object of worship) is a carved tengu with a round fan dedicated to the shrine.
Wasabi Kagura
Iwami Kagura is a traditional performance art of western Shimane Prefecture. In modern times, a Kagura play has been created by locals to pray for a good wasabi harvest.New Wasabi Kagura' Wasabi praying for harvesting and dedicating tomorrow" Sanin Chuo Shimpo, June 4, 1983.『新作「ワサビ神楽」ワサビの豊作祈願しあす奉納』 山陰中央新報 1983年6月4日 Nishida Tamotsu created the wooden masks. Watanabe Tomochiyo, who is a researcher of Iwami Kagura and ethnology, created the words, and the Mikazura Kagura Preservation Society, all members of which are wasabi farmers, created the choreography. The title "Yamaaoi Tengu" was named after the official name of the Wasabi Shrine. The performance was first performed at the Shrine on June 5, 1983. The Wasabi Kagura has continued to be performed since then. The story goes that a tengu, an object of worship of the shrine, slays disease and insects (in anthropomorphized forms) to save suffering wasabi farmers.
The story is performed by members of the Mikazura Kagura Preservation Society. The group has been designated as a Shimane prefectural intangible folk cultural property. The story is performed at a unique Rokuchōshi tempo.
Uzume-meshi