The First Sheets of the Season — From Japan's Finest Nori Waters

Hashiri means "the first run" — the opening harvest of the nori season, when the seaweed is at its most tender, most aromatic, and most intensely flavored. In Japanese culinary culture, the first harvest of any ingredient commands a reverence reserved for few other foods.

Saga no Hashiri is Maruyama Nori's first-harvest selection from the Ariake Sea in Saga Prefecture — Japan's most prized nori growing region, where dramatic 6-meter tidal swings create conditions of exceptional mineral richness. Maruyama, Tsukiji's 170-year nori specialist and supplier to 60% of Tokyo's Michelin-starred sushi restaurants, selects only the finest sheets from these premium beds.

Why First Harvest?

Nori grows in successive harvests through the season. The first harvest — called "ichi-ban tsumi” — yields the youngest, thinnest sheets. These dissolve on the tongue almost immediately, releasing their flavor at once rather than slowly. They are sweeter, more delicate, and more aromatic than later harvests.

As the season progresses, the sheets grow thicker and the flavor deepens but loses some freshness. The first harvest is the window of peak delicacy — brief, annual, and irreplaceable.

Tasting Notes

Exceptionally thin sheets with a deep black-green luster. The aroma is immediate — clean, fresh, unmistakably oceanic. On the tongue, the nori dissolves almost at once into a wave of natural sweetness followed by rich, clean umami. The finish is light and refreshing — a quality unique to first-harvest nori. This is nori at its most approachable and most refined.

How to Enjoy

• Freshly made onigiri: Wrap a rice ball moments before eating — the thin, first-harvest sheets meld with warm rice beautifully
• With high-quality soy sauce: Tear a small piece, dip lightly, and taste — the sweetness of hashiri nori paired with umami-rich soy is a quintessential Japanese pairing
• Sushi: The thin, dissolving texture is ideal for rolls where nori should be present but not dominant
• Side-by-side comparison: Taste alongside the Kontobi to experience the range of Maruyama's nori philosophy

Product Details

• Contents: 5 full-size sheets (Approx. 21cm x 19cm, 8.3 in. × 7.5 in.)
• Grade: Gokujo — First Harvest
• Origin: Ariake Sea, Saga Prefecture, Kyushu, Japan
• Producer: Maruyama Nori (丸山海苔店), est. 1854, Tsukiji, Tokyo
• Used by: 60% of Michelin-starred sushi restaurants in Tokyo
• Ingredients: 100% Dried Seaweed (Nori)
• Best Before: Please check packaging; store in cool, dry place

✈️ Ships from Japan ·Order more, pay less per item.
First harvest · Ariake Sea terroir · Maruyama, Tsukiji est. 1854