Kikkoman Menmi (キッコーマン めんみ)

The story behind it

Most kitchens in Hokkaido have a bottle of this. It is made by a national company, yet sold only in Hokkaido.

It launched in 1964. Counting from its predecessor, Manmi, it has been in use here for more than 60 years. It has an unusual history: popularity within Hokkaido is what kept it a region-only product.

The defining feature is a dashi combining five sources: bonito, niboshi sardine, kombu, mackerel, and scallop. The scallop is where the local character shows. At 5x concentration it works as a noodle dipping broth, of course, but also in simmered dishes, in hot pots, and even as a dash over rice with a raw egg. That is why people in Hokkaido say the flavor comes together in anything.