Nachi-Kurokomesu is rice vinegar made in the traditional way. We use the highest quality unpolished sticky rice grown in rice fields of ours or others near the Kumano River with less pesticide, and subsoil water comes from the same water source as Nachi Falls. All of our products are completely handmade, and it takes a long period (about 500 days) with special care before fermentation is complete.
Nobody in the world but Seiji Kosaka the 3rd president of Marusho Jozomoto can produce vinegar which is made from only unpolished sticky rice and water. We use very precious undiluted vinegar especially for Nachi-Kurokomesu.
We started to make Nachi-Kurokomesu because Michio Kushi, who is the world’s foremost authority on macrobiotics, had asked us to try to produce vinegar from unpolished sticky rice. It had been said that unpolished sticky rice was not good for making vinegar, but Seiji Kosaka attempted and achieved: using wooden casks made of Kumano-sugi (cedar) and taking a long time for ferment and aging in the traditional way.
After Seiji’s successful development, Nachi-Kurokomesu has become known as a premium food in Japan, and been shown on TV and magazines deal with food as “the finest black vinegar in Japan”. Then many people including celebrities from culinary, entertainment, political, and business world have come to visit our company in Nachikatsuura-cho.
As the macrobiotics spread throughout the world, we come to export Nachi-Kurokomesu to 15 countries, and it became difficult for us to keep up with the demand. Seiji Kosaka thought it was more important to have good quality of products than to make huge profits, and that is why we have limited sales.Enjoy the fine aroma and the rich and mellow taste. We are very proud of our Nachi-Kurokomesu.
Ingredients： unpolished sticky rice
Storage：Store in cool dark place, and away from direct sunlight.
Use within three years from the date of manufacture
- Loquat-Flavored Health Drink
Soak 1 cup of loquat seeds in 5 cups of Nachi-Kurokomesu for three months, and then take seeds out.
Dilute it five or six-fold in water to drink.
It is a very refreshing drink with rich aroma of loquat. - Eggshell vinegar
(Use “loquat-flavored black vinegar” noted above. Straight black vinegar is also available if you do not have loquat seeds.)
Soak egg in Nachi-Kurokomesu (1 cup of vinegar for 1 egg, not cracked and washed well), and keep it in refrigerator for 7-10 days.
The shell dissolves, and egg yolk and white enclosed by a membrane remain.
Filter the vinegar to remove impurities.
Crush egg in the vinegar and take the membrane out.
Store it in refrigerator, and dilute with water or milk to drink.
- Health Drink
Dilute Nachi-Kurokomesu five or six-fold in water, add some honey (and ice in summer) to your taste.
