Aimono Kuro Tororo Kombu (四十物昆布 黒とろろ)

The story behind it

Toyama is said to consume more kombu than any other prefecture. The reason is the kitamaebune trade ships. Boats carrying Hokkaido kombu called at Toyama, and kombu took root there as an everyday ingredient. Onigiri here get wrapped in tororo kombu rather than nori.

Aimono Kombu in Kurobe is a specialist handling around 150 varieties of kombu, and it has done nothing but kombu since it was founded in 1949. This Kuro Tororo is made from domestic kombu with no additives, and it has a gentle tartness and deep savor.

Put some in a bowl, pour hot water, add a drop of shoyu (soy sauce). That is all it takes for the sea flavor those trade ships carried to rise out of the cup.