Starting from the 22nd of July to the 4th of August, head down to Isetan Scotts, Singapore for the food fair. Experience Fukui Prefecture specialities without the hassle of travelling out of the country. You’ll be able to interact with the food and crafts up close and personal with each individual store! Fukui Prefecture (福井県, Fukui-ken) is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshū
The Food fair will be held as Isetan Scotts and the Craft fair will be at the Tokyu Hands, Orchard and Great World City outlet.
There will be 15 leading food manufacturers from Fukui Prefecture that specialise in various of Fukui’s delicacies, including Echizen crab, preserved mackerel, sake and multiple desserts to partake in the fair.
In the past, merchants from Fukui prefecture travelled to a vast number of places within Japan and occasionally even overseas, spreading Fukui’s culture and handmade products as they went. Simultaneously, they acquired knowledge about these places, including their local cultures and traditions. Upon their return to their home prefecture, they transmitted this knowledge to their fellow countrymen, facilitating cross-cultural exchanges between Fukui prefecture and the rest of the world.
This act of venturing outwards from one’s home locale to do business and engaging in cross-cultural exchanges is encapsulated in the Japanese word 「GYOSHO (「行商」 in English) 」.
What is Gyosho?
Want to get your hands on exclusive merchandise from Fukui?
Head down to Tokyu Hands Singapore, Orchard, Suntec City and Great World City outlets. 10 prominent crafts manufacturers from Fukui Prefecture that specialise in a variety of Fukui’s local traditional craft products like spectacles, chopsticks and a variety of textile products will also be attending the event. Some manufacturers will be present in person to display their products at Tokyu Hands Orchard outlet: 30th July (Saturday) & 31st July (Sunday) – Eishin Industry, Inui Lens, Matsukawa Rapyarn, Tange Glasses
Fukui Prefecture is known to be the happiest prefecture in Japan! It is a place with an abundance of natural beauty. Due to its close proximity to the sea and mountains, we are blessed with lots of fresh sea bounty and seasonal vegetables. Fukui is also home to many small and medium sized enterprises that boast top market shares in Japan. Some even possess one-of-a-kind technologies, such as unique eyeglass frames, which account for more than 90% of Japan’s domestic production. We are proud to be presenting the specialty foods and crafts from Fukui and we hope to share them with Singaporeans.
Noboru Tatsukawa, Director General, Content Business Bureau, Fukui Television
Food Vendors
■ Eco Farm Mikata Co., Ltd
Wakasa plum wine, Benichu 20° fine sugar, Benichu 38° unsweetened, lemongrass plum wine. Made from a rare variety of plum called Benisashi Ume, this Wakasa Umeshu is made using traditional techniques, creating a fragrant and delicious plum liquer.
■Munetika Co., Ltd
With over 75 years of soba making history, MUNETIKA soba is made using Fukui-grown buckwheat flour, groundwater and noodle-making techniques that have been perfected and passed down since ancient times.
■Star Foods Co., Ltd.
The birthplace of grilled mackerel sushi! Carefully-selected slices of thick mackerel are slowly grilled over charcoal. The rice used is Fukui-grown Koshihikari, specially cultivated for mackerel sushi. The vinegar that goes with the rice is a special original blend.
■Taniguchiya Co., Ltd.
Taniguchiya’s deep fried tofu is made using techniques handed down for generations. The soybeans used are Japanese grown and carefully selected. Hokkaido-cultivated rapeseed oil is used for frying. The crunchiness of the tofu is highly addictive.
■Santan Honten Co., Ltd
Luxury canned Echizen seiko crab, Echizen seiko crab shells, sweet shrimp from Mikuni fishing port. Limited to a fishing season lasting only 2 months, female crabs are boiled in salt and the crab meat is carefully removed by hand. No colouring or preservatives are added in the canned product, resulting in a purely authentic taste of crab.
■Okawa Bread Co., Ltd
The most distinctive feature of Round Bread is its texture. Clean, soft water from the Kuzuryu River is used, making the dough soft and fluffy. The secret of its popularity is its subtle and balanced sweetness.
■Takeuchi Confectionery Co., Ltd
A Japanese traditional sweets shop that was founded 148 years ago. The castella cakes are made using Fukui’s finest rice, resulting in a firm but fluffy texture that is well-loved by many.
■ Okui Kaiseido Co.
Established in 1871, Okui Kaiseido specializes in a wide range of Kombu-related products, from soup stock to processed Kombu. Oboro Kombu can be wrapped around rice or added to noodles and soups.
■COZY COFFEE
Coffee that carries the spirit of “Zen”. Home-roasted coffee that is presented in drip bags, making it extremely easy to have good coffee anytime and anywhere. COZY COFFEE aims to produce beverages that can soothe the mind and body.
■ Tanabe Sake Brewery Ltd.
Echizen Misaki Junmai Daiginjo “Sakahomare”, a sake made from a new sake rice developed in Fukui. This sake won the gold medal at the KuraMaster 2021 sake contest held in France. Sake bags are filled with mash, then stacked on top of one another by hand. This traditional method of pressing produces a softer sake with less tanginess.
■ Yoshida Sake Brewery Ltd.
Eiheiji Town is blessed with an abundance of history and nature. The land and climate are ideal for sake brewing. Yosida Sake Brewery produces Hakuryu Special Junmai, Hakuryu Junmai Daiginjo, Hakuryu Junmai Ginjo, Hakuryu Junmai Ginjo Summer Sarara, Hakuryu DRAGONWATER Beniei (plum wine).
■ Black Dragon Brewery Co.
Kokuryu has been producing sake in Eiheiji Town for 218 years. The water used is a major factor in the taste and aroma, with only groundwater gathered from this specific location for sake brewing. These sake go extremely well with Fukui’s delicious seafoods. Look out for their Black Dragon Daiginjo Ryu, Black Dragon Daiginjo Crystal Dragon, Black Dragon Jungin and Kutouryu Junmai.
■Inoue Co., Ltd
Dinosaur Excavation Pudding
dessert was created to promote Fukui, the “dinosaur kingdom”, with the aim of allowing consumers to enjoy “excavating dinosaurs” at home. The pudding itself is smooth and silky, and has since become a crowd favourite for its fun method of consumption.
■ Chidorien Co., Ltd
Established 180 years ago, Chidori-en specializes in heshiko (fermented mackerel) that has been marinated in a secret sauce. It is characterized by a mellow saltiness and umami. It is the perfect side dish for drinks and rice, and is recommended to be grilled lightly before consumption.
■ Echizen Kaisen Club
Since its inception, sales for these popular fried crackers have exceeded 1.3 billion! The crackers are pressed on a steel hot plate and are made with over 70% seafood and blessings from the Sea of Japan. Best enjoyed at home with your loved ones.
Craft Vendors
■ Nishimura Precision Co., Ltd
Paper Glass product is one of a kind! It is extremely thin (2mm), portable and comfortable to wear. The Paper Glass has even won the Domestic and International Design Awards. The glasses are developed to be folded thin enough to fit in a purse without compromising on comfort, making them ideal for those who are always on the move.
■Optic Prima Co., Ltd
Hitotoki Comb is made using cellulose acetate, the same material used in manufacturing eyeglasses. It is gentle on the hair and its special “glossiness” is a result of being made by hand. Optic Prima hopes that by using such a premium comb, meaning and luxury will be imparted into the act of combing one’s hair.
■Tange Megane
Glasses that are hand-made and of top-notch quality. Only 350 sets are made per year due to the arduous design, molding and production process. The quality and design are second-to-none.
■Inui Lens Co., Ltd
This fashionable loupe was created for those who wish to maintain a sense of fashion despite their visual needs. The simple drop-like motif design can be paired with various fashion styles without clashing, enabling it to fit into almost any style imaginable. The combination of the loupe’s fashion and functionality makes it an ideal gift for one’s loved ones.
■Eishin Industry Co., Ltd
“SHOJIN” brand original knit samue is easy to wear and handle. Furthermore, it is breathable and dries quickly after being washed. Samue is a type of clothing originating from working clothes worn by monks or Zen Buddhist priests performing their daily tasks.
■Kusaki-Dyeing Studio Fuuga
Kusaki-zome dyeing uses only natural vegetable dyes derived from native Japanese plants such as cherry blossom, indigo and chestnuts. One can truly feel connected to nature through this dyeing technique and “feel the colors of nature” on your skin.
■Hyozaemon
Hyozaemon’s crafted Wakasa-nuri chopsticks are made using traditional Wakasa-nuri lacquering techniques. Due to its high quality and artisanal nature, it was selected to be presented to the leaders of each country at the Lake Toya Summit and Ise-Shima Summits held in Japan as a token of hospitality.
■ Matsukawa Rapyarn
Textile manufacturer Matsukawa Rapyarn specializes in producing finely-woven Echizen Ori products. Fukusa wrapping clothes have long been used for ceremonial occasions in Japan. Use the cute and colorful designs as a mask holder, eyeglasses case and many other ways.
■Koyanagi Tansu
The coasters feature designs based off Wa-gara, a set of ancient Japanese patterns with each pattern having its own individual auspicious meanings. These auspicious Engi-gara Coasters are designed to symbolize and convey various wishes, such as those for a peaceful family life, family peace, longevity, the healthy growth of children and business prosperity. Ideal for use in everyday life and even as gifts.
■ Kuna Plus
Kuna Plus’ Eco-bags are made using PLECO, a plastic material derived from natural plant-derived polylactic acid fibers. Additionally, no toxic gases are emitted when incinerated and its remains after disposal are biodegradable. This makes both its production and disposal environmentally-friendly. With its elegant traditional Japanese color variations, Kuna Plus’ eco-bags are sure to inject a sense of fashion into your life without compromising the planet.