🍱 Tokoroten
The Izu Peninsula is Japan's largest producer of red algae, the raw material for tokoroten. Red algae has been harvested for about 1,600 years, and it was used as raw material for Tokoroten as well as fertilizer. Red algae from the Gelidiales order and Gelidiaceae family, known as makusa and oobusa, are commonly used to make tokoroten. Makusa is mainly harvested in West Izu and produces soft and sticky tokoroten, while oobusa is mostly harvested in East Izu and is said to produce thick, hard, and firm tokoroten. In Izu, long, thin pieces of home-made tokoroten made from red algae is placed inside containers and pushed out before being eaten. Tokoroten is also sold at candy stores, making it an indispensable snack and soul food for children. On the Yagisawa coast of Toi Town in west Izu, the harvesting and sun-drying of the red algae is carried out from spring to early summer, carpeting the beach in red. Source: Izu Tokoroten Club