Enticing cans at HOZON

Hozon, a shop in Tokyo’s Kiyosumi-Shirakawa neighborhood, specializes in preserves, offering jams and sandwiches made from fruits and vegetables harvested on the island of Sado, floating in the Japan Sea, a part of Niigata Prefecture. This unique concept appeals, both as a clever idea, but also because the products themselves, prepared in a kitchen in the back of the shop, have a tantalizing power that can only be experienced by tasting them.

Lining the shelves are over ten varieties of jam from which to choose, each of them crafted with care. The Cherry Sangria has been made from Sado cherries boiled in organic red wine, and the Ume Cinnamon from Sado plums boiled down with various spices. Sandwiches prepared from the wonderful jams and Sado-grown veggies have been created through diligently responding to hints from the customers. The Grilled Mackerel Potato Sandwich features a large slice of mackerel painted with Burdock and Yuzu Miso, served in a soft French roll of additive-free salted koji from the Sanwa Roland bakery in Hirai, Edogawa-ku. With a single bite, the teeth encounter a crispy, fragrant delight, and with the pleasant yuzu (citron) flavor spreading throughout the mouth, it can become addicting.

In addition to Sado-sourced foods, the shop also has an impressive array of prettily packaged canned foods, retort foods, spices, and other gastronomic delights from around Japan and other countries. Next time you’re in the mood to explore, what about trying the fascinating new preserves in Kiyosumi-Shirakawa?