【2026 Semi-Grand Prix Winner】 "Dashi Tare" is Born: 25 Mini Tomatoes Concentrated to 1/3 Volume without a Drop of Water, Bursting with Umami

Atsumi Peninsula Tomato Land (Representative: Hirotaka Ogawa), a mini tomato farm in Tahara City, Aichi Prefecture, is selling a new sensation seasoning, "Edible Dashi Tare of Ripe Mini Tomatoes," which luxuriously uses ripe mini tomatoes that cannot be shipped due to cracks or deformities during harvest, on its official EC site.

This product received the Semi-Grand Prix in the Material Evolution category at the "Nippon no Takaramono Japan Grand Prix 2025-2026," held from February 28 to March 1, 2026. The "completely water-free manufacturing method," which boils down mini tomatoes to one-third their original volume, and the "overwhelming richness of ingredients" combining mini tomatoes, dried mini tomatoes, and salt from Tahara City, along with seafood ingredients like clams, were highly praised by expert judges.

## Upcycling: Giving New Life to Off-Spec Produce – Farmer Ogawa's Challenge for Agricultural Sustainability

Mini tomato harvesting scene

Even in the Atsumi Peninsula, where agriculture thrives, climate change, a shortage of successors, and rising agricultural material costs pose challenges to agricultural sustainability. Among the mini tomatoes carefully cultivated, some "off-spec" products occur that are first-class in taste but cannot be shipped due to deformities or cracks.

"I don't want to discard my carefully nurtured children." This heartfelt desire breathed new life into off-spec mini tomatoes, culminating in an "upcycled seasoning" that maximizes the value of unused resources.

## The Pinnacle of "Extraction" without Blending Dashi: The Umami Synergy and Overwhelming Richness of Tomatoes and Seafood

This product is characterized by its "richness of ingredients" and "scientific umami design," overturning the conventional concept of sauce.

### Extreme Concentration to 1/3 and the Texture of "Tahara City-produced Dried Mini Tomatoes"

Approximately 25 fresh, cracked ripe mini tomatoes are simmered alone and condensed to one-third their original volume. Furthermore, by adding homemade dried mini tomatoes (from Tahara City), it achieves a texture where the rich umami of mini tomatoes bursts with every bite.

### Directly Extracting Umami from Ingredients

Instead of easy dashi blending, clams, dried shiitake mushrooms, dried shrimp, and bonito flakes are luxuriously added and heated. Natural umami components (glutamic acid, succinic acid, etc.) are directly extracted from the ingredients themselves.

### Golden Ratio Highlighted by Tahara City's "Salt"

The contour of the taste is adjusted by local salt from Tahara City, Aichi Prefecture (Irako Shio Musubi), which uses mineral-rich Irako Onsen water. It mellowly wraps the acidity of mini tomatoes, maximizing its compatibility with rice, cold tofu, and egg over rice.

## Proving "Agriculture is Cool": Six Months of Perseverance from Planting

"Agriculture is cool. I wanted to prove that to the next generation." This bottle embodies the perseverance to make the umami of mini tomatoes, cultivated for six months from planting with dashi and hot spring water given to each plant, into the best form to pair with "white rice," the center of Japanese dining tables.

## Product Overview

Product Name: Edible Dashi Tare of Ripe Mini Tomatoes

Price: 1,100 yen (tax not included) *Shipping fee separate

Net Content: 130g

Ingredients: Mini tomatoes (Tahara City, Aichi Prefecture), rice oil, green onion, ginger, clams, salt (Tahara City, Aichi Prefecture), cane sugar, garlic, dried shiitake mushrooms, kelp powder, dried shrimp, bonito flakes, chili pepper, black pepper / phosphates, pH adjusters (contains shrimp in part)

Official Website: https://atsumichan-tomato.com/

Official Sales URL: https://atsumi-tomatoland.com/

Official Video (Judging Scene): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5y-X1ouGu4&t=7098s (*[01:58:18] - Judges' tasting scene where they are astonished by its evolution)

## Company Profile

Farm Name: Atsumi Peninsula Tomato Land

Representative: Hirotaka Ogawa

Location: 3 Terawaki, Nakayama-cho, Tahara City, Aichi Prefecture 441-3615

Inquiries: 090-8959-1749 / atsumi.tomatoland@gmail.com (Both Hirotaka Ogawa)