Kojima, Kurashiki City, once flourished as one of Japan’s leading salt-producing regions. Nozaki Buzaemon, known in the Edo period as the “Salt Field King of Japan,” built vast salt fields in a single lifetime.
However, from the 1960s onward, advances in salt-making technology and an increase in imported salt led to the rapid decline of salt fields across Japan. Kojima’s salt fields were no exception, and salt-making, with its long history, disappeared.
The Kurashiki Kojima Salt Connection Project is an initiative to make Kojima’s salt culture a source of local pride once again and pass it on to the future in a new form. Its aim is not only to revive Kojima’s salt, but also to reassess the region’s history and culture and make use of them as new tourism resources.
We spoke with representatives of the Kojima Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Shimotsui Dentetsu Co., Ltd. about the project’s goals and future prospects.
The information presented was current when this article was published in April 2025. Please note that it may differ from current information.
What is the Kurashiki Kojima Salt Connection Project?
The name “Salt Connection” expresses the desire to “weave together the people and history of the region through salt.” The aim is not simply to bring salt-making back, but to connect the region’s culture and people’s feelings.
The project promotes product development using salt, as well as collaboration with tourism. It is an effort to create new attractions for the region by making use of Kojima’s rich history and natural resources.
Revitalizing the region around “Salt Field King: Nozaki Family Salt”
At the heart of the project is salt-making using seawater from Okayama. Now that the old salt fields have disappeared, efforts are underway to produce salt using new methods and make it a local specialty.
As part of this effort, Naikai Salt Industries Co., Ltd. and Shimotsui Dentetsu jointly developed a new brand, “Salt Field King: Nozaki Family Salt.” Made with seawater from Okayama, this salt is rich in minerals and has a mellow flavor.
Products made with Nozaki Family Salt
Nozaki Family Salt is used in a variety of products, making the most of its mellow flavor.
Souvenirs
In collaboration with Japanese and Western confectionery shops, products such as salt yokan have been developed and are popular with tourists. They also help showcase Kojima’s appeal as local specialties unique to the region.
Salt yokan, made by the long-established Japanese confectionery shop “Imawamukashi Kinseido,” is a specialty of a shop committed to using ingredients from Okayama Prefecture. Nozaki Family Salt gives it an elegant flavor.
Many other products are also made with Nozaki Family Salt. Development of new souvenirs using the salt is ongoing, and further expansion is anticipated.
Food
It is also used in dishes at local restaurants and is being featured in local cuisine.
The “octopus grilled with salt” served at “Sushi Kappo Matsumoto” in Shimotsui is also made with Nozaki Family Salt, letting you savor the bounty of Shimotsui’s sea.
At “Yakitori Torifuku Main Branch,” near Kojima Station, some of the chicken dishes on the menu are made with Nozaki Family Salt. Its umami brings out the flavor of the ingredients, making this a dish that lets you enjoy the taste of Kojima even more.
It is also used at many other restaurants and is becoming an essential seasoning in dishes that represent Kojima’s food culture.
Tourist attractions where you can experience Kojima’s salt
Through salt, the project also promotes tourism in Kojima.
Shimotsui Dentetsu’s “Jeans Bus” is a convenient way to discover Kojima’s attractions, taking visitors to tourist facilities and jeans shops around the area.
The Nozaki's Historical Residence, where Salt Field King Nozaki Buzaemon made his home, is also an essential destination for learning about Kojima.
We spoke with Hayata Tomoyuki of Shimotsui Dentetsu and Komatsubara Tatsuya of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, who are promoting the Kurashiki Kojima Salt Connection Project to share Kojima’s appeal through salt.
Kojima Salt Connection Project details
| Name | Kojima Salt Connection Project |
|---|---|
| Address | Kurashiki Kojima Salt Connection Project Executive Committee, inside the Kojima Chamber of Commerce and Industry |
| Contact | 086-472-4450 |
| Website | Kurashiki Kojima Salt Connection Project |
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