【Reading】のり

【English Name】Nori

Nori is a general term for algae used as food, including red algae, green algae, and blue-green algae (cyanobacteria). As for the etymology, the theory that it originates from the archaic word nura, meaning slimy, is regarded as plausible.

Its connection with sushi is extremely strong, and it is an indispensable wrapping material for rolled sushi and gunkanmaki (battleship rolls). The basic size of a sheet of nori is 21 cm tall by 19 cm wide, called zengata (full size), and it circulates in the market in the unit of ichijo, a bundle of 10 sheets.

Domestic cultivation began in the Edo period, but because the mechanism of its growth was unknown at first, the harvest was unstable, and it was also known by the nickname unkusa (luck grass). In 1949, the British phycologist Drew-Baker elucidated the filamentous Conchocelis phase, opening the way to artificial seeding, and cultivation technology developed rapidly.

Areas known for production include Saga Prefecture (No. 1 by prefecture), Hyogo Prefecture, Fukuoka Prefecture, and Kumamoto Prefecture, and Ariake Sea nori has grown into a brand widely prized as a gift owing to its high quality. Nutritionally, per 100 g it contains about 41 g of protein, and is also rich in vitamin B12, folic acid, dietary fiber, and iron.

In recent years, production has been on a downward trend, affected by the impoverishment of nutrients in seawater and rising water temperatures. It has come to light that the annual number of sheets produced in fiscal 2018 fell below the 7-billion-sheet level for the first time in about 40 years, and this is regarded as a serious problem among those in the industry.