Salts in Japan
As in most other spheres of life, the Japanese have perfected the aesthetics of salt to a high level. They have so many different kinds of salt that it will make you dizzy. One of the best known salts in Japan is the Shinkai deep sea salt made in the Noto Peninsula where the water is collected from a depth of 2,000 feet to 3,000 feet. The presence of magnesium and other minerals give it a sharpness which brings out the flavour in food eaten fresh and raw. Then there is the Agehama method of salt making that has been declared ‘a national intangible folk cultural asset’ by Japan’s Culture Agency in order to generate awareness about the traditional method as well as preservation of the cultural history associated with it. Japan's Moshio salt is an ancient one - it uses dried sea weed or its ash, simmered in seawater, and dried further.