Nichimo’s Nutritious Dried Wood Ear Mushrooms - ニチモフーズ株式会社

Nichimo Foods Inc.

Did you know 80% of Japanese people lack vitamin D? Stay healthy with delicious Nichimo Foods' dried Kikuzo!

80% of Japanese people are vitamin D deficient.

What is Vitamin D?

Produced in the body when exposed to sunlight.

In Japan, low vitamin D levels are likely due to excessive sun protection, like umbrellas and sunscreen, driven by concerns about spots and wrinkles.

Vitamin D deficiency is common in winter, especially among women.

In 2007, Dr. Michael Holick reported that vitamin D deficiency is common in modern populations, yet its importance and prevalence remain underrecognized in Japan.

The chart shows vitamin D levels of 1,700 Mitsuo Clinic outpatients. Nearly 80% had insufficient levels (less than 30 ng/ml), 40% were deficient (less than 20 ng/ml), and only 5% had optimal levels (more than 47 ng/ml).

(Figure) Blood vitamin D levels in our hospital's outpatients

Source: Masaru Mitsuo,
The Best Nutrition Taught by Doctors

A large portion of the population consumes less than the recommended intake.

※Source: Kinoko-ya Newsletter; Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Dietary Reference Intakes for Japanese (2020),
　eJIM, Integrative Medicine Promotion Project.

Boost Vitamin D with Super Wood Ear Mushrooms!

With more time
at home and less sun,
Why not recharge your vitamin D with
“Super Kikurage”?

Nichimo Foods’ Dried Kikuzo

Nichimo Foods’ Dried Kikuzo・Dietary fiber・Iron・Plant-based collagen, domestic mushroom bed-grown, 1000μg Vitamin D.※1 ※1 100g dried Kikurage = 1000μg Vitamin D (Japan Food Analysis Center)

Product Name Nichimo Foods’ Dried Kikuzo
Net Weight 14g
Selling Price (Including Tax) Open Price
Ingredients Organic Wood Ear Mushroom (Mushroom Bed) (Miyagi Prefecture)
Nutritional Information per 100g Energy 183kcal / Protein 11.8g / Fat 1.2g / Carbohydrates 77.0g (Sugar 1.2g, Dietary Fiber 75.8g) / Salt equivalent 0.592g / Iron 1.77mg / Zinc 1.21mg / Vitamin D 1000μg / β-glucan 27.2g
  • ●As the product expands up to 10x its size, soak in mildly warm or room-temperature water for about 6 hours before use.
  • ●Always rehydrate before cooking.
  • ●Consume soon after opening.
  • ●Follow the recommended adult intake (※see below).
  • ●Avoid excess if consumed by minors.
  • ●White spores on wood ear mushrooms are harmless and do not affect taste or quality.

※Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare “Dietary Reference Intakes for Japanese (2020 Edition)”

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How much vitamin D do you need daily?

Recommended daily vitamin D intake: 15 μg※

※Source: Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Japan’s 2020 Dietary Reference Intakes. Value based on（10μg）recommended daily intake, plus（5μg） from sunlight.

Sunlight's UV rays help your skin produce vitamin D but can also harm your skin. You can also get vitamin D from food.

Seafood and mushrooms are rich in vitamin D, with wood ear mushrooms containing the highest levels. A small daily serving meets your needs.

Sun exposure time (UV): varies by latitude, season, activity, skin type, and sunscreen—about 30 min in summer, 1 hour in winter. Dried wood ear mushrooms: ~6g (other brands), ~1.5g (Nichimo Foods Super).

※Source: National Institute for Environmental Studies’ “Recommendation of Sunlight Exposure to Supplement Vitamin D Deficiency,” Ministry of Health Labour and Welfare eJIM’s “Integrative Medicine Information Project,” and Kindai University Medical Support Center’s “Protect Your Body from Ultraviolet Rays.”

Super wood ear mushrooms are a true superfood!

Rich in rare nutrients with a crunchy texture,
wood ear mushrooms are a versatile superfood!

Stay healthy daily with vitamin D, fiber, iron, and plant collagen.

Recommended for: people who spend a lot of time at home, those concerned about gut health, and individuals managing carbohydrates and blood sugar levels.

Wood ear mushrooms are a hot topic in the media, featured on TV programs like Clinic Where You Can Find Your Own Doctor (TV Tokyo, Oct 1 & Mar 12, 2020), Asaichi (NHK, Jun 11, 2019), The! Iron Chef! DASH!! (NTV, Oct 25, 2020), Manten☆Aozora Restaurant (NTV, Apr 11, 2020), Umezawa Tomio's Zubatto Kimimasu! (Fuji TV, Mar 20, 2019), Sakagami & Sashihara's Unsinkable Store (TBS, Jun 23, 2019), Yo-i Don! (Kansai TV, Oct 7, 2019), OH! Bandes (Miyagi TV, Oct 20, 2020), Piyo Tamago Wide (Yamagata Broadcasting, Oct 20, 2020), Spice!! (Nihonkai Television, Jun 29, 2019), and in magazines like Natural Life (Feb 2021) and CLASSY (Oct 2020).

Nichimo Foods' dried Kikuzo has a different vitamin D content!

What is the difference between Super Kikurage and Regular Dried Kikurage?

Nichimo Foods' Super Wood Ear Mushrooms have 7 times the vitamin D of Regular Dried Ones.

They’re grown in open-air fields, using sunlight, natural wind, and a unique method.

Plus, the dried wood ear mushrooms are organic!

The production process adheres to Organic JAS standards and is inspected by a registered certification body. Only certified businesses can display the Organic JAS mark, ensuring the product's authenticity and organic quality.

Organic domestically grown wood ear mushrooms are rare, with less than 10% of domestic production being certified organic. While more than 80% of dried wood ear mushrooms on the market are imported from China, our domestically grown, fully organic process—from production to packaging—ensures quality and peace of mind.

Wood ear mushroom rehydration comparison.

They expand greatly when rehydrated!

Dried Kikuzo from Nichimo Foods expands about 10x its size when rehydrated, unlike regular dried kikurage. Always rehydrate before eating.

Happy Cooking Expert Ko-chan's wood ear mushroom recipe.

Green onion and salt kikurage rice bowl

Recipe Steps

①Preparation
Slice kikurage into strips, pork belly into 1 cm pieces, green onion into chunks, and ginger into matchsticks.
②Cooking
Heat a dry frying pan and stir-fry the pork and ginger until the pork is fully cooked. Add the kikurage and stir-fry until heated through. Pour in the seasonings and bring to a gentle boil. Stir in the chopped green onion, then remove from heat. Serve over rice and top with toasted sesame seeds and a generous amount of black pepper.

Ingredients for 2 servings

  • ・Rice (per 2 servings)
  • ・100g Sliced ​​Pork Belly
  • ・200g Wood Ear Mushroom
  • ・1 Piece of Ginger
  • ・1/2 Green Onion
  • ・A Little Toasted Sesame Seeds
  • ・Lots of Black Pepper
  • ・Condiments:
    100cc Water
    1 Tablespoon Sake
    A Little Lemon Juice
    1 Tablespoon Clear Stock Powder
    1/2 Tablespoon Potato Starch

Oyster Sauce Simmered Wood Ear Mushrooms and Deep-Fried Tofu.

Recipe Steps

①Preparation
Cut wood ear mushrooms into bite-sized pieces, tofu into 1 cm slices, bell pepper into thick strips, and carrot thinly. Finely chop the ginger.
②Cooking
Heat sesame oil and sauté ginger until fragrant. Add mushrooms and carrot, stir-fry until soft. Add tofu and seasoning, simmer 2–3 minutes. Add bell pepper, cook through, then thicken with cornstarch slurry.

Ingredients for 3 servings

  • ・200g wood ear mushrooms
  • ・1 slice of deep-fried tofu
  • ・1/4 carrot
  • ・1 bell pepper
  • ・1 piece of ginger
  • ・Potato starch dissolved in water, as needed
  • ・2 teaspoons sesame oil
  • ・Combined seasonings:
    2 teaspoons clear soup base
    2 teaspoons each of oyster sauce and sake
    1 teaspoon sugar
    2 cups water

Stir-fried chicken and wood ear mushrooms in sesame ponzu sauce.

Recipe Steps

①Preparation
Cut mushrooms into bite-sized pieces. Thinly slice and season chicken. Slice carrot and chop ginger.
②Cooking
Heat sesame oil and sauté ginger until fragrant. Cook chicken until lightly browned, then add mushrooms and carrot. Stir-fry until carrot softens, season with sesame ponzu, and serve.

Ingredients for 2 servings

  • ・100g fresh wood ear mushroom
  • ・100g chicken breast
  • ・A few carrots
  • ・1 piece of ginger
  • ・3 tablespoons ponzu sauce
  • ・2 teaspoons light sesame oil
Koji Aida
Nickname: Kou-chan
Occupation: Happiness Cooking Expert
Koji Aida, a cooking expert from Sendai, is widely active in TV, radio, magazines, events, and food collaborations as a “Happiness Cooking Expert.” Initially, his Kou-chan’s Easy Recipes series, published by Takarajima-sha, sold 1.5 million copies and has since exceeded 2.3 million. In addition, he has published 27 books overall. Despite his busy career, he also manages raising three daughters.
Nichimo Foods' Dried Kikuzo

Nichimo Foods' Dried Kikuzo・Dietary Fiber・Iron・Plant-Based Collagen Domestically cultivated on mushroom beds Vitamin D 1000 μg※1 ※1 1000 μg vitamin D per 100g dried wood ear mushrooms (Japan Food Research Labs).

Product Name Nichimo Foods’ Dried Kikuzo
Contents 14g
Sales Price (tax included) Open Price
Ingredients Organic Wood Ear Mushroom (Cultivated Substrate) (Miyagi Prefecture)
Nutritional Information per 100g Energy 183kcal / Protein 11.8g / Fat 1.2g / Carbohydrates 77.0g (Sugars 1.2g, Dietary Fiber 75.8g) / Sodium Equivalent 0.592g / Iron 1.77mg / Zinc 1.21mg / Vitamin D 1000μg / β-glucan 27.2g
  • ●Soak in lukewarm water for about 6 hours before use, as it expands 10 times.
  • ●Always rehydrate before cooking.
  • ●Use promptly after opening.
  • ●Intake recommendations are based on adult guidelines(※).
    Minors should avoid excessive consumption.
  • ●Follow the recommended intake.
  • ●White spores may appear but don’t affect quality or taste.

※Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Dietary Reference Intakes for Japan (2020)

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