A Summer with the Naruhodo Expedition Team! Red Seaweed Noodles?!
That’s right, I see, the expedition By observing the genuine reactions of children Naruhodo Exploration Team: Sharing the Allure of Local Cuisine I’ll help you navigate the kids. The theme for this time is It goes down smoothly and feels refreshing in the summer. It’s cold. Something to eat as a summer snack while sitting down. A sensation similar to eating somen. My grandmother used to make tea sweets. I used to eat it every day for just 10 yen. Kochi’s tokoroten is the best. I wonder if tokoroten is delicious. The people of Kochi absolutely adore tokoroten. Looking at the supermarkets in the city, There is also a dedicated area for tokoroten. The peak season is from March to about October. So now is the time to check out the season. The town being investigated is Katsuo. These four individuals raised in Nakatosacho. I wonder if people eat tokoroten often? During school lunch. The food that Mom bought to eat that day. What ingredients is tororoten made from? Put the sōmen in the machine to get them smooth and slippery. That’s a really interesting idea! Now, let’s learn more about Tokoroten I’m looking forward to working with you today. I’m looking forward to working with you today. Thank you for your assistance. This time, the expedition team visited We have been making tokoroten in Nakatosa Town for more than 100 years. Kochiya continues To Mr. Motoi, the third generation Let’s explore different aspects of tokoroten. I’m going to give everyone a quiz here! What is tokoroten made of? I hope everyone understands. Is this fish paste made from four types of fish? It seems like it might be made from tokoroten fish. Because it seems to be made from the sea of 3 proboscis The correct answer is number 3 proboscis That’s made from agar. I wonder if everyone knows what tengusa is. This is a product made from dried tengusa. Drier than I expected. Tengusa is a variety of seaweed. A rocky area in the sea where the sun’s rays reach the sea at a relatively shallow depth It’s growing on So they are harvesting by free diving and catching everything by hand. It sometimes gets washed up on the shore. Let’s go see what we can find. Isn’t this the wrong one? That was for real. It’s also here. Isn’t this wrong? This could be the one. Isn’t it this way? I’ve collected quite a few of them, but I don’t know which one is the proboscis. This is definitely true. This is definitely true. Let’s ask Mr. Motoi I picked it up and brought it back. This is tengusa. It’s a pity, but it’s not a proboscis What is this? This is also a type of seaweed known as tengusa. What’s the difference between te’ngusa and other types of seaweed? For example, this is obviously The touch is completely different, but this is a member of the kelp family. The grass looks completely different. This is how the tengusa harvested from the Pacific coast is short. really Like stubble. They are of different types. Each person has their own distinctive way of making tokoroten. Is this also usable? Useful. There are more than 30 different types of tengusa. There are only a few types of ingredients used to make tokoroten. And now there’s an issue with tengusa. These coastal areas have become barren recently. These so-called seaweeds have begun to grow. Due to the effects of global warming, seaweed has disappeared. Compared to the past, it is becoming difficult to get proboscis We are starting to make tokoroten with that precious tengusa. First of all, the proboscis harvested from the sea is washed well with fresh water. I’m going to clear away the pebbles and trash. And after washing, dry in the sun Repeat this task about 3 to 5 times. Next, the sun-dried proboscis The process of putting ingredients into a pot and simmering them. Let’s all give it a try! Are you alright? What happened to that grass from earlier? Not at all what I expected. Crush it into small pieces and add some kind of liquid. That’s right! It doesn’t really turn much. There’s a flat surface, right? So that it hits It’s getting too mixed up. In this single batch, it yields enough Tokoroten for about 1000 to 1200 people. Mix everything thoroughly and evenly approximately every 30 minutes. As if it were melting like agar. I didn’t expect it to get this messy. Stir the tengusa until it turns into a thick gel. You simmer it for about 2 hours. How did it turn out after you stirred it? It felt heavy. It was really hot. It’s a lot of work, but this is the end of the road I will transform into this. From now on, I’m boiling it down now, and after about 2 hours of this, With this machine, it is now put in a bag and squeezed I’m straining the Amakusa that has been simmered for two hours. Not only with the machine, but also with the hand You’ll have a delicious juice packed with dietary fiber ready to enjoy! Squeeze and squeeze juice This is Tokoroten This cold is no joke. Green and brown I’m going to start pouring this into the container now. It looks like a lot of fun. I want everyone to have that experience. Hooray! Go ahead and spill it here slowly. Silky smooth It feels like I’m trying to hold it from the bottom. awesome splish splash Do you always do it by yourself? Yes, I can do a series of tasks all by myself Awesome Hard work burns If everyone enjoys it and says it’s delicious, All your troubles will be forgotten. It’s incredible that Motoi is handling all the work by himself! And finally, at the end How do you think this will be hardened after this? refrigerator? It does solidify quickly if you do it in the refrigerator. We’ll let it dry naturally by leaving it here. Why do you let it air dry? Texture of the final dish By allowing it to solidify slowly through natural drying Just the right amount of firmness. It turns into tokoroten with a delightful texture. This is the final product. The one that solidified the current one I will cut this now. It’s already a one-shot game I can’t move it anymore with the blade Everyone is using this. I hope everything goes well. I feel kind of weird. Wow beautiful Is this successful?
success success Got it right, let’s get right to it Should I give it a try myself? Speaking of Tokoroten, this tenbutt You’re really good at this! fun You’ll enjoy it with a dashi dipping sauce that’s unique to Kochi. Do you eat it with dipping sauce made from dashi? In general, there are many areas where tokoroten is eaten with vinegar and soy sauce. In fact, Kochi is the only place where you can eat soup stock I’ve heard that people in Kansai enjoy it with black syrup. Let’s try it with vinegar soy sauce and black sugar syrup before adding the broth. First of all, vinegar and soy sauce That’s pretty good! sour That’s not possible. There is a smell. It’s not sweet at all. I guess the dashi I’m used to really is the best. By the way, this soup stock Kochi Prefecture bonito and jako This is a specially crafted dashi that Mr.Motoi has blended himself. After all, it’s the best It’s delicious. The combination of ginger and bonito broth is delicious. Can I have some more? Which one tasted the best? A type of broth made from dried bonito flakes I’m a Tosa native.
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you very much. There are many things that we think we know but really don’t. Summer Tradition Tokoroten How did everyone do? I learned a lot from this. Pass
[Turn on subtitles (CC) for English!]
Ah, That’s How It Works! – The Naruhodo Expedition Team
In “Naruhodo Expedition Team,” children visit culinary masters to learn about food through hands-on exploration.
This time, the team headed to Nakatosa Town in Kochi Prefecture to explore the traditional summer delicacy tokoroten (gelled seaweed noodles).
The key ingredient in tokoroten is tengusa, a type of red seaweed. Harvested entirely by hand, the tengusa is repeatedly washed and sun-dried before being slowly simmered. The fiber-rich broth is then naturally cooled and set into a jelly-like form to create tokoroten.
At Kochiya, a family-run shop with over 100 years of history, the entire process is handled by master craftsman Mr. Motoi, who faithfully preserves traditional methods to produce tokoroten with an exquisite texture.
The children joined in every step of the process—from gathering tengusa and boiling it down, to pushing the gelled mixture through a wooden mold called a tentzuki.
In Kochi, tokoroten is typically enjoyed with a flavorful dashi-based sauce, unlike the sweet versions often found elsewhere. The kids sampled various styles, including homemade dashi, vinegar soy sauce, and Kansai-style kuromitsu (black sugar syrup). They were especially impressed by Kochiya’s unique dashi, made from a special blend of bonito and baby sardines, and gained a deeper appreciation for their local food culture.
ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー
Nature World Kochi – Miracle Gastronomy
This academic-style program explores the origins of Kochi’s cuisine, examining ingredients, their development, cooking methods, and unique ways of enjoying food through expert insights and beautiful visual storytelling.
Broadcast every Saturday in relay format on:
• RKC Kochi Broadcasting
• KUTV TV Kochi
• KSS Kochi Sun Sun TV
(This program aired from October 7, 2023 to September 28, 2024)
▼ Nature World Kochi – Miracle Gastronomy
https://www.bisyokugaku.jp/
#MiracleGastronomy
#NaruhodoExpeditionTeam
#Kochi
#Tokoroten
#TraditionalCuisine
#LocalFoodCulture
#NakatosaTown