SMOKED TAKUAN - いぶりがっこ(一本漬けMサイズ)

This is iburigakko, Akita Prefecture's distinctive smoked pickled daikon, sold here as a whole daikon log (M size) rather than pre-sliced.

The daikon is smoked over a wood fire for several days, a technique that developed in snowy Akita where sun-drying outdoors was impractical, then pickled in rice bran and salt to ferment for weeks. The result is a crisp, smoky, subtly sweet pickle traditionally sliced into rounds just before serving to preserve its texture and aroma. It is typically eaten as a side pickle with rice or as a snack with drinks.

• Origin: Japan, Akita
• Category: Smoked pickled vegetable
• Usage: Slice into rounds just before serving as a side pickle with rice or a snack with drinks
• Storage: Keep refrigerated after opening and consume within the use-by date