English ver.

Vision

EARTH FOODS 25,a list of 25 ingredients/foods, andfood-related knowledge andtechnologies from Japan to improve
the future of food worldwide.

Vision
EARTH FOODS 25 is a list of 25 selected ingredients, foods, and food-related
knowledge and technology developed in Japan. Its purpose is to share Japanese
foods and convey ideas to improve the future of food worldwide.
Japanʼs food culture is the accumulation of practices to co-exist in harmony with
the Earth, food-related knowledge, and technology. As a leading maritime nation(Japan ranks 6th in countries with the longest coastline), Japan has a long
history of sea vegetable and fermentation culture and abundant knowledge andtechnology in these areas. The Japanese people also have a view of nature
related to food that connects vegetables, fermentation, and health. EARTH
FOODS 25 aims to contribute to the advancement of food culture and solutions
to environmental problems by redefining the value and essence of food in Japanand sharing this with the world.

The 10 EARTH FOODS selection criteria
Nutritious: Contains high amounts of nutrients needed for health
Environmental: Has a positive impact on the global environment
Sustainable: Can be supplied stably and make e ective use of untapped ingredientsDiverse: Anyone can eat it and it can be used in a wide range of dishes
Ethical: Is human- and animal-friendly, both mentally and physically (e.g. animal welfare, fair trade)
Economical: Is relatively easily available and inexpensive
Palatable: Tastes great and makes dishes delicious
Cultural: Rooted in Japanese history, tradition, and food culture
Versatile: Can be eaten in many ways and it is easy to use and arrange

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Emotional: Enriches the heart and mind

EARTH FOODS 25
12

Rice lour
6Mochi (Japanese ricecake)7

Soy milk
85

Koya-dofu (freezedried tofu)
9

Kanpyo (driedcalabash shavings)

WasabiMatcha12
Japanese sour citrus(yuzu, daidai, kabosu,sudachi)

Umeboshi (Japanesesour salted plums)

Shiitake and dried
shiitake mushrooms

17

18

19

16

WakameKatsuobushi (driedbonito)

Koji mold and tanekoji

f

22

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13

Nori

21

f

Sansho pepper

AgarAnko (red beanpaste)
10

Daikon radish

11f

4

3

14

Fugu (pu er ish)

Konjac15Kombu
20

Surimi ( ish paste)

23

24

25

Sake and hon-mirin

Shoyu (soy sauce)and misoPickled vegetables

The Review Committee’s rationale for selection and their thoughts on each EARTH FOODS 25 entry:

1 Rice ourRice, a staple in Japanese cuisine, is rich in carbohydrates that provide energy. Made by grinding rice into nepowder, rice our has gained attention as a gluten-free alternative to wheat our and new ways of using andeating it have emerged. Japanʼs rice-growing culture is an example of living in harmony with nature.

●agricultural product, rice,processed food2 Mochi (Japanese riceMochi was once a venerated special food said to house the spirit of a Shinto deity. Traditionally, Japanesedecorate the tokonoma (alcove) of their homes with mochi for the New Yearʼs season. Mochi can be eaten as asavory or sweet dish, and dried mochi is a popular preserved food in Japan. Mochi our has spread around theworld, rst becoming popular as an ingredient in mochi ice cream in Japan and then expanding to a wide rangeof dishes beyond sweets in other countries, especially the US.

cake)●agricultural product, rice,processed food

3 Soy milk

A plant-based milk made from soybeans, soy milk has gained the spotlight as an environmentally-friendly milkalternative. By heating it or adding bittern, soy milk can be turned into traditional foods like yuba and tofu, andtoday it is used in a wide range of cuisines and nutritional supplements. High in protein and low in calories, soy
milk is also consumed as a health drink since it helps lower cholesterol.

●agricultural product, beans,processed food4 Koya-dofu (freeze-Koya-dofu, also known as kori-dofu, is a dried, preserved food made by freezing and then aging tofu at lowtemperature. Koya-dofu is dried, so it is light and can be preserved for a long time at room temperature using a
traditional technique. Originally used in place of meat in vegetarian Buddhist cuisine, it has gained attention as ameat substitute and protein alternative. It is lling because it expands with water.

dried tofu)●agricultural product, beans,processed food

5 Anko (red bean paste)fiflfiflflfi●agricultural product, beans,processed foodflAnko is a paste made from boiled adzuki beans. Its origins can be traced back to a similar Chinese dish that ismade with meat. In Japan, beans replaced the meat and it became a new type of food. Adzuki beans are rich inpolyphenols and other nutrients that contribute to health and beauty. Japanese confectioners color and shapeanko to express Japanʼs four seasons in Japanese sweets. It has the potential to be used in Western savory andsweet dishes as well.

The Review Committee’s rationale for selection and their thoughts on each EARTH FOODS 25 entry:

6 Daikon radish

Literally “big root,” daikon radish is one of Japanʼs main vegetables. Eaten year-round, it varies greatly fromregion to region. Daikon can be eaten raw, grated, boiled, broiled or steamed. Every part of the plant is edible,including the skin, leaves, and stems. Rich in glutamic acid, it also makes a great dashi broth. Daikon can also
be preserved by drying (i.e., kiriboshi daikon) or by fermenting (i.e., takuwan)●agricultural product,vegetable

7 Wasabi

A plant unique to Japan, wasabi is cultivated in one of two ways: in water such as mountain streams, which isreferred to as mizu-wasabi, and in the soil, which is referred to as hatake-wasabi. Due to properties that mask
the odor of sh and meat and prevent bacterial growth, and also thanks to its unique avor, wasabi became apopular sushi condiment in the Edo Period (1603 - 1868). Success stories of cultivating wasabi outside of Japan
have increased, and a variety of new recipes that make e ective use of wasabi in non-Japanese cuisine haveemerged.

●agricultural product,vegetable

8 Sansho pepper

Sansho pepper comes from a plant in the citrus family. It is spicy with a distinctive aroma and creates a tingling
sensation in the mouth. The young leaves that sprout in the early spring are called kinome, the fruit that appears
in the early summer is called aosansho, and the ripe fruit is called misansho. Kosansho, or powdered sansho, isproduced in the autumn. Recently sansho pepper has grown in popularity in Europe and the US because its
aroma invokes the forests of Japan and it can be used in place of salt. Not customarily eaten outside of Japan,
sansho pepper is an untapped resource with a lot of potential.

●agricultural product,vegetable

9 Kanpyo (dried calabash

Kanpyo is long thin strips of dried calabash. Its most noteworthy nutritional component is its ber content̶it istruly a dried superfood. Kanpyo is used as an ingredient in sushi rolls, but thanks to its mild avor, it can beused in almost any type of cuisine. Many love its unique texture. It can also be used to make dashi broth or as
an ingredient in other dishes and is also easily incorporated into vegan cuisines.

shavings)●agricultural product,vegetable, processed food

10 Konjac

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●agricultural product, tubers
and roots, processed foodflMade from the plant of the same name, konjac has a distinctive rubbery, gelatin-like texture. Konjac is 97%
water, low in both calories and sugar, and high in ber, so it has potential for other uses such as improving
gastrointestinal health. Creative konjac dishes specially designed to improve beauty and health and gluten-freekonjac noodles called shirataki are in the spotlight now. In addition to conventional “wet” konjac, the market fordry konjac is also growing as it preserves well and is easier to transport.

The Review Committee’s rationale for selection and their thoughts on each EARTH FOODS 25 entry:

11 Matcha

An indispensable part of the Japanese tea ceremony, matcha is recognized globally as a superfood. It is made bygrinding young tea leaves into powder. To make a drink, the matcha powder is mixed in water, so it contains
more nutrients than standard green tea leaf infusions. Matcha is also a healthy alterative to co ee since it hasless ca eine. Today, it is used in matcha latte and matcha desserts as well as a wide variety of dishes.

●agricultural product, tea,processed food

12 Japanese sourcitrus (yuzu, daidai,

There are many varieties of sour citrus fruits in Japan, in which the fruit itself is not eaten but the juice and zest
are used to accent dishes. Yuzu has taken root worldwide due to its strong, herb-like aroma. Other popular
Japanese sour citruses include daidai, kabosu, and sudachi. For hundreds of years, they have been used toprevent food poisoning caused by animal protein that can easily spoil and to improve the preservability of foods.

kabosu, sudachi)●agricultural product, fruit

13 Umeboshi (JapaneseMade from only ume (Japanese plum), shiso, and salt, umeboshi is a preserved food that is an indispensable
part of Japanese food culture. Long used as medicine, umeboshi is said to have a variety of health bene ts suchas relieving physical fatigue and improving digestion. Outside of Japan, many have avoided it due to its famously
intense sourness, but recently it has received high praise as a vegan food.

sour salted plums)●agricultural product, fruit,processed food

14 Shiitake and dried
shiitake mushrooms

Shiitake is an edible mushroom native to China and Japan that is grown worldwide today. Used in both Japaneseand Western cuisine, shiitake has a pleasantly chewy, meaty texture and can be broiled, boiled, or eaten in avariety of other ways. When dried, it can be preserved for a long time and used to add umami, or savory taste, todishes. Dried shiitake has about twice as much ber as fresh shiitake and about 10 times the amount of vitamin
D. Dried and powdered shiitake have gained attention outside of Japan as umami boosters.

●agricultural product,mushroom

15 Kombu

fififf●marine product, seavegetableff

A miracle sea vegetable used to add umami to Japanese cuisine, it is said that only kombu stores glutamic acid.
Hokkaido produces 90% of all kombu, but Osaka has contributed to the development of the kombu industry. It is
used to make dashi broth and can be enjoyed in a wide variety of ways̶by itself, added to dishes, or as asnack. The delicate, Japanese umami taste is growing in popularity globally, and the demand for kombu isgrowing too.

The Review Committee’s rationale for selection and their thoughts on each EARTH FOODS 25 entry:

16 WakameRich in nutrients the body needs, such as ber and marine minerals, wakame is said to be Japanʼs oldest antiaging food. It can be preserved for a long time by curing it with salt and drying it. Wakame is used in a wide
range of dishes including soup and salad, as well as marinated, vinegared, simmered, and sautéed dishes.

●marine product, sea
vegetable

Transported by ships, wakame has spread around the globe and become an invasive species in some places.
However, gradually, more people are starting to eat it.

17 Nori

Nori is a sea vegetable that is dried and pressed into thin, paper-like sheets. It has among the highest protein
content of sea vegetables, which increases by about 40% when dried. In addition to using it to make onigiri andsushi, nori can also be used in Western cuisines, including soup, salad, and pasta, and the nutritional balance ofa dish is improved just by adding it as a topping. Nori has gained attention in Europe and the US, where there
are many vegetarians.

●marine product, sea
vegetable, processed food18 Agar

Made by freeze-drying tokoroten, which is made by boiling red algae, agar is a freeze-dried food that dates backhundreds of years. It has gained the spotlight for its health bene ts; it has no calories and is high in ber. Due toits solidifying properties, it is used in yokan and ice cream. Today, agar is also added to meat substitutes sincethe ber content provides a juicy, meaty texture.

●marine product, sea
vegetable, processed food

19 Fugu (pu er sh)

The process of turning the poisonous pu er sh into a great tasting dish, fugu preparation is the pinnacle ofJapanese food culture developed centuries ago. The most prized fugu is torafugu (tiger pu er), of which Osaka
consumes around 60%. Low in fat, high in protein, and easy to farm, fugu have gained attention as a possible
source of protein to address food shortage in the future. Fugu are found all over the world, but are not eaten in
most countries, so fugu food culture has the potential to become international.

●marine product, sh

20 Surimi ( sh paste)

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●marine product, sh,processed foodfi

Surimi is sh that is ground into a paste and then processed and shaped. It can be steamed to make kamaboko,
boiled to make hanpen, broiled to make chikuwa, and fried to make satsuma-age. Surimi is mainly made fromwalleye pollock, but it can also be made with lower-value or surplus stock sh. Imitation crab meat (kanikama)
is a crab substitute that even those with crab allergies can eat, which has spread across the globe as a food thatis delicious in its own right, despite the name “imitation.”

The Review Committee’s rationale for selection and their thoughts on each EARTH FOODS 25 entry:

23 Sake and・ hon-mirin●agricultural product, rice,
fermented food24 Shoyu (soy sauce) andmiso●agricultural product, beans,
fermented food

25 Pickled vegetablesfi●agricultural product,vegetables, fermented food

Sake is made from fermented rice, rice koji, and water. It is created using a sophisticated process called“multiple parallel fermentation” in which two chemical reactions occur simultaneously: sacchari cation andalcoholic fermentation. Sake is also an important form of seasoning in Japanese cuisine. Hon-mirin is a type ofseasoning made by mixing mochi rice, rice koji, and shochu to form moromi, which is then sacchari ed andaged. It can be used as a sweetener in place of sugar.

Said to have originated from jiang (a type of Chinese soybean paste used since ancient times) shoyu and miso
are fermented condiments made from soybeans developed in Japan. They contain more glutamic acid, thechemical compound responsible for the umami taste, than soybeans. Shoyu comes in many variations and miso
varies greatly from region to region. Recently shoyu and miso have become available in a greater variety offorms. Examples include powder, paper, and even mousse. They are used in wide range of cuisines. Use ofshoyu and miso has grown outside of Japan as well.
Japan is home to a huge variety of pickled foods, called tsukemono in Japanese. Pickling vegetables with salt,shoyu, miso, vinegar, koji, rice bran, sake lees, and other ingredients give vegetables a rich avor and increasepreservability. Fermentation progresses as it is stored, which increases umami and growth of high-quality lactic
acid bacteria. Pickled vegetables have been reevaluated as a symbiotic food that provides health bene ts fromconsuming lactic acid bacteria and vegetables together. Also, eating fragrant tsukemono can serve as a palettecleanser.
fi●mold, fermented foodfi

22 Koji mold and tanekojiKoji mold is a type of mold unique to Japan and only Japan uses it in the brewing fermentation process. Thissophisticated biotechnology plays a key role in a wide range of fermented foods in Japan. Koji has great
potential for the future. It is actively used by gastronomy restaurants in Europe and the US, and tane-koji̶akoji starter made of powdered koji mold spores̶could potentially be used to make koji from local ingredientsabroad.

fi●marine product, sh,fermented foodflbonito)fi

21 Katsuobushi (driedAn important ingredient used to add umami to food, katsuobushi is a preserved food made with the uniquemethod of smoking, adding mold, and aging bonito (also known as skipjack tuna). There is almost no waste in
the production process and it is packed full of nutrients. When made from other sh, it is called fushirui. Meat is
also processed in this way. For example, shikabushi is dried and fermented deer meat. Due to strict importregulations in other countries, recently some companies have built katsuobushi factories outside of Japan.

Supplement on Sea Vegetables (15-18)
Deemed to be an outstanding marine plant that absorbs CO2, sea vegetables were dubbed “bluecarbon” in the United Nations Environment Programme 2009 report. Since then they havereceived worldwide attention. In the past, they had been known as “seaweed” in English, butmore recently they have come to be referred to as “sea vegetables” and their consumption has
started to grow outside of Japan. There are 1,500 types of sea vegetables in the sea area ofJapan, and a wide range of ways to eat, cook, and use them in the country. By making use of seavegetables, Japan can play a key role in building a more sustainable future.

Earth Foods Review Committee
The Earth Foods Review Committee consists of experts that play an active role in the forefront of thefood industry. Serving as an advisory board, the committee deliberated before selecting the foods.

Takeo Koizumi Agronomist / Professor emeritus, Tokyo University of Agriculture
Yoshihiro Murata Master Chef of The Restaurant “Kikunoi”
Takeshi Kadokami Food Columnist / Editorial advisor of "Amakara Techo"
Yoshiki Tsuji President at Tsuji Culinary InstituteHitoshi Hokamura Founder of Food Tech Studio -Bites! / Former Director ofMarketing at Apple
Yuri Nomura Chef, Food Director for “eatrip”
Shin-ichi Ishikawa Professor / School of Food, Agriculture and Environmental
Sciences, Miyagi University
Yoko Ohya Principal researcher, Food and Life Lab
Kundo Koyama Thematic Project Producer / Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan,
Signature Pavilion “EARTH MART”

● Exhibit of Package Design and Bento Box Concept to Promote EARTH FOODS 25
A call will be put out to the public to design Earth Foods packages to convey the recently announced EARTH FOODS 25 list worldwide.
The chosen designs will be made into packages and be exhibited at the EARTH MART Signature Pavilion. There are also plans to create
an Earth Foods bento box with several chefs and to exhibit the concept.
For details, visit the o cial EARTH MART website: https://expo2025earthmart.jp.

● What is EARTH MART?
EARTH MART is an imaginative supermarket where you can experience the cycle of food and life and discover hints for the future. Youcan explore the pavilion as if you were shopping in a supermarket. It is meant to inspire excitement, overturn conventional ideas, andprovide the experience of new ways of eating. You will take a journey to search for clues to discover or to reacquaint yourselves withcurrent traditions, culture, social issues, and technology related to food in an objective way, to explore the joys of eating, and to envisiona sustainable future for the next generation.

● Contact Information
EARTH MART Public Relations O ce (part of ORANGE AND PARTNERS CO., LTD.)For inquiries, ll out the following contact form.

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https://expo2025earthmart.jp/contact