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What Is the Difference Between Nama Wasabi and Hon Wasabi?
['News On Japan']
News On Japan
Many people in Japan appear to acquire a taste for wasabi only after reaching adulthood.
Tube-shaped wasabi products sold at supermarkets are often labeled either "nama wasabi," meaning fresh wasabi, or "hon wasabi," meaning real Japanese wasabi, but the terms do not necessarily mean the same thing.
Under standards used by food manufacturer S&B Foods, a tube labeled hon wasabi is made entirely from Japanese wasabi and carries a suggested retail price of 237 yen.
Its nama wasabi product contains at least 50% Japanese wasabi, with ingredients such as horseradish making up the remainder, and has a suggested retail price of 151 yen.
According to the Japan Processed Wasabi Association, products labeled as using hon wasabi must contain at least 50% Japanese wasabi, while those labeled as containing hon wasabi may have less than 50%.