Clearspring Nori [1] sea vegetable is farmed and produced using traditional methods in Japan.

While some varieties of sea vegetables such as hijiki [2], arame [3] and dulse [4] are harvested from the wild using sustainable practices, others such as nori are extensively cultivated in Japan and other East Asian countries.

Off the northeast coast of Japan, in the Sendai region, are the idyllic pine-covered islands of Matsushima. This unspoilt, cold-water coastline is home to a seemingly endless stretch of quiet coves and sheltered shallows, which is the perfect environment for growing nori sea vegetable.

Although originally gathered wild, nori has been cultivated in Japan for over 300 years. Nets made of woven rope impregnated with nori spores are suspended each year between long bamboo poles set deep into the calm, shallow bays. The height of each net is carefully set so that it remains above the water level during low tide, giving the growing nori maximum sunlight, but below the water level, so the plants receive a regular washing, at high tide.

During the colder months, the delicate nori plants will grow until they cover the entire net. In late winter they are harvested and brought ashore, where they are washed, cut and placed in bamboo frames to slowly dry into thin sheets of Clearspring nori. The process is similar to that used for handmade paper.