「土佐の塩丸」
Tosa no Shio Maru.

　製塩場を営むソルティーブ2代目の吉田拓丸さん。1986年に完全天日塩の製塩をなりわいにしようと大阪から黒潮町佐賀に移住した両親の元で育ち、現在は自らも天日塩づくりの道を歩んでいます。
　両親から受け継いだのは塩づくりの考え方。塩は人間にとって欠かせないもの。そして、地球の全ての物は、長い年月をかけて海へ返る。その循環を感じながら塩づくりをすること。
　完全天日塩は、海水を太陽と風の力を使って結晶化させます。夏は約1カ月、冬は約2カ月かけてじっくりと結晶化させることで、塩の一粒一粒に海水中の約80種類のミネラルが込められていきます。季節、天候、湿度、塩を混ぜる撹拌の回数などで味や色は変化します。
「甘味、うま味、酸味、塩辛さが順に追い掛けてきて、最後にうま味が残る。その時間は4秒」
　青と白のパッケージのこの「土佐の塩丸」は、吉田さんのたどり着いた〝うまい塩〟。「丸」という字に、循環と調和、土佐の海を丸ごと味わうという意味を込めて。

　Takumaru Yoshida, the second-generation salt farmer Takumaru Yoshida grew up with his parents, who moved from Osaka to Saga, Kuroshio-cho, in 1986 to make a living as a full-sun salt producer.
　He inherited the concept of salt production from his parents. Salt is indispensable for human beings. Everything on earth returns to the sea over a long period of time. We must feel this cycle when we make salt.
　Perfect sun-dried salt is made by crystallizing seawater using the power of the sun and wind. The process takes about one month in summer and two months in winter, and each grain of salt contains about 80 minerals from the seawater. The taste and color change with the season, weather, humidity, and the number of times the salt is stirred.

The sweetness, umami, sourness, and saltiness follow in order, with the umami taste remaining at the end. The time it takes is four seconds.
　The blue and white package of “Tosa-no-Salt Maru” is the “good salt” that Mr. Yoshida has arrived at. The character “Maru” means “circulation and harmony” and “to taste the whole sea of Tosa.

「井上糀店」

　四万十町で200年以上も前から糀をつくる井上糀店さん。文政元（1818）年の創業から、薪やかまどを使った昔ながらの製法を守り、糀や味噌をつくり続けています。
　糀の仕込みの最盛期は「寒仕込み」となる冬場。寒い時期にはゆっくりと発酵が進むことから、発酵食品は気温の低い冬場に仕込むのがよいとされています。
　糀の仕込みは、代々受け継がれてきたかまどで一度に120キロの米を蒸し上げるところからスタートします。人の手によって手間を惜しまずつくられ、発酵の力が最大限に引き出された糀はここからできあがります。
　7代目の井上雅恵さんは「高知のものを使いたい」と、糀や味噌に使う米はすべて高知県産。「糀造りを通して地域に貢献したいという思いも強くしている」と言います。「地元を大切に、地域の人に愛される商品を届けていきたい。そして、次の世代へと伝統をつないでいけたら」。雅恵さんの気持ちが何より味わいになり、糀や味噌の味に生きています。

　Inoue Koji-ten has been producing malt for more than 200 years in Shimanto Town. Since its establishment in 1818, they have continued to produce malt and miso by following the traditional method of making malt using firewood and a kamado.
　The peak season for preparing malt is in winter, which is called “cold preparation. Fermentation progresses more slowly in the cold season, so it is said that fermented foods should be prepared in the winter when the temperature is lower.
　The malt preparation starts with steaming 120 kg of rice at a time in a kamado that has been handed down from generation to generation. This is where the malt, which is made by human hands without sparing any time or effort, and which maximizes the power of fermentation, is produced.

　Masae Inoue, the seventh generation owner, says, “I want to use products from Kochi,” and all the rice used for malt and miso is grown in Kochi Prefecture. She says, “I also have a strong desire to contribute to the local community through the production of malt. We want to take good care of our hometown and deliver products that will be loved by local people. I hope to pass on the tradition to the next generation. Masae's feelings are the most important thing in the flavor of her malt and miso.

写真＝河上展儀
Photo by Kawakami Nobuyoshi