MORIGUCHIDZUKE

Moriguchizuke is a kind of radish pickles
that are preserved with the leves of "mirin" or very sweet sake.
Moriguchi-daikon is the longest radish in the world.
Its average length is usually 1m to 1.5m,
but sometimes it grows to 1.8m to 2m.
Approximately 2 to 3cm across
(standerdized 1.8 - 2.9cm across for pickles products)

What a long radish !

The name " Moriguchizuke " was named by Toyotomi Hideyoshi,
who is one of the most famous people in Japanese history.
Before Meiji Era, it was produced only for the purpose of presenting to the nobility.
Moriguchizuke used to be served with certain tea-ceremony dishes.
It takes 2 to 2 and a half years to make the pickles.

First, Moriguchizuke was produced in Moriguchi city.
( In fact, it was produced near Moriguchi. The real original place is
in the field in front of Temma Shrine, Temma, Osaka.)
The last days of the Tokugawa shogunate,
the lord of Owari (Nagoya area) often passed through Moriguchi.
During this time, he brought back seeds
and introduced in the northern part of Gifu city.

Due to the growth of the cities and towns,
the major source of Moriguchi-daikon has changed.
Now Fuso-cho in Aichi Pref. serves as the main place of its production.

It needs a special condition to grow, due to its length.
Along the Kiso river and the Nagara river,
we have soft, homogeneous sandy rich soil that helps it grow.

You can taste it at the shop.
However, if you do not drink alcohol, you probably won't like to eat it.