02_ Tango Silk Salt Co., Ltd. (Kyotango City)
- Apr 9
- 3 min read
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Introducing producers from Tango
Kyotango City
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02_ Tango Silk Salt Co., Ltd.
Take your time, don't rush.
Listen to the 'voice' of the salt born from the sea of Tango.
From the pure seawater of Tango, it is carefully processed over a full day and night.
While preserving tradition, we aim to "make it even more delicious and more surprising."
We visited the workshop of Tango Silk Salt Co., Ltd., a company that continues to take on new challenges.
"Tango Silk Salt," rich in minerals and with a silky smooth texture,
For nearly 30 years, they have been making salt in Amino, Kyotango.
It all started with salt made by a single salt maker.
We want to preserve and further develop that homemade taste that has earned us such a reputation for being delicious.
Driven by such strong feelings, Hiroyuki Kobayashi and Hiroya Shami, who currently serve as directors, took over the business.
We started anew in 2023.
The firewood used as fuel comes from waste materials generated from demolishing vacant houses.
After carefully removing impurities from the fuel,
Seawater drawn from the Tango Sea is slowly boiled down in a flat titanium pot to crystallize it.
Salt production using the traditional method of boiling salt in a flat pan,
Apparently, there are only a few left in Japan.
I was overwhelmed by the rising steam and the intensity of the raging fire.
Over the course of a week, approximately 3,000 liters of seawater are continuously stirred in a flat-bottomed pan to increase the salinity.
The calcium sulfate (gypsum) that floats to the surface of the boiled salt
The impurities are meticulously removed by hand over two full days to increase purity.
By simmering it slowly over low heat, the silken salt is finally completed.
Apparently, 3,000 liters of water yields only about 70 kg of salt.
Even though it may seem simple when written down, each step involves
Understanding Tango's harsh climate and constantly managing the heat of the cauldron is essential.
When we went to interview them
Salt was being made in a workshop that had been carefully used for 30 years,
This spring, Tango Kinushio will take a big step forward by establishing a new workshop for production .
While maintaining the time-honored traditional manufacturing methods, we aim for even greater heights in a new location.
This is the "challenge for the future" that Mr. Kobayashi and Mr. Shami, who inherited the business, have chosen.
We will cherish what we receive from the sea, circulate it, and pass it on to the next generation.
I feel as if even that earnest feeling is dissolved into each grain of this "Tango Silk Salt."
Editor's Note: The day my concept of salt changed
My preconceived notion that "coarsely ground salt is better" was completely overturned when I encountered this Tango Silk Salt.
What surprised me most was the "umami" it added when sprinkled on vegetables, and its smooth, mellow flavor that enhanced the sweetness of rice balls.
It doesn't have an intense spiciness; it blends in smoothly and then disappears.
Experience the delicate, melt-in-your-mouth texture that is truly like silk itself!
Interview date: February 11, 2026
Interviewee: Tango Silk Salt Co., Ltd.
Information:
Tango Silk Salt Co., Ltd.
1582-1 Shimazu, Amino-cho, Kyotango City, Kyoto Prefecture
