Isetan the Japan Store KL Turns Two: Japan Local Speciality Fair (26 Oct - 4 Nov)

This October, Isetan the Japan Store KL @ Lot 10 turns two  and to celebrate their 2nd anniversary, there will be a host of limited edition collaborations, super deals and awesome events, including the specially curated Japan Local Speciality Fair.

Happening from October 26 until November 4, 2018 at The Market at the Lower Ground Floor, there will be a fantastic array of Japanese products from 20 brands as well as 7 sake brewers from a total of 16 prefectures and 1 city.

Some of the products showcased at this specialty fair are grilled oyster, boiled octopus, crabstick, miso paste, instant noodles, black garlic, mirin, ume plum, shichimi togarashi and much more. There are free tastings, so you can try the products before you purchase. Japanese staff as well as the producers will also be there to explain about the different products to you. More details can be found here.

Harvest Japan (Aomori Prefecture): Two varieties of fresh apples are available, the "Hirosaki Fuji" and "Toki" (RM17 each, RM33.40 for two). They are cultivated from the Iwakisan area in Hirosaki, Aomori where there is a large temperature difference between summer and winter, and day and night. This is the ideal condition to produce these delicious, juicy and crunchy apples. Other products available also are the luscious apple soup (apple puree plus cream cheese - RM25.40) and apple jelly (RM11.20).

KS Seika, Ltd (Aomori Prefecture): Black garlic has many health benefits as it is rich in antioxidants and reduce bad cholesterol and help with digestion. The Joppari black garlic here is produced using only white garlic from Aomori prefecture. Aged for about a month, you should consume about one clove a day to improve your health. (RM35 per 75g pack)

Wataguchi Farm (Wakayama Prefecture): Umeboshi (pickled plums) are a traditional Japanese food, also well known for its health benefits. It is often eaten in the hot summer months. The ume with honey is a combination of sweet, sour and salty flavours. You can also purchase Ume syrup, dried sweet ume, dried ume and Grandma's handmade ume.

All types of Yuzu products from Wakayama Prefecture, such as drinks and jelly

Also from Wakayama Prefecture, Jabara candies and drink. Jabara is good for hay fever, atopic disease and allergies.

Different types of vinegar from Tosazu, highly sought after by Michelin-starred restaurants in Europe.

Shokuiku Net Co, Ltd (Chiba Prefecture): You will find high-quality Chiba produced Beni Haruka sweet potatoes, which are 1.4 times sweeter than other sweet potatoes. The prices are usually based on weight, but at this Specialty Fair, you can get them at RM10 each.

Sanshu Mikawa (Aichii Prefecture): Founded in 1910, the company produces drinkable mirin (700ml for RM110) using traditional methods with only three ingredients - glutinous rice from designated areas, koji and rice shochu, fermented over one year. Perfect for making chicken teriyaki!

Maruya Hatcho Miso (Aichii Prefecture): The haccho-miso, or soybean paste is made using traditional methods, from only soybeans and salt and is naturally fermented for more than 2 years. They also offer a Hatcho Miso Sauce which you can use in many types of dishes, including toast, vegetable dip, hamburger, steak, gratin, miso katsu.

Marumo Aoki Miso (Nagano Prefecture): The Nippon Kokusan Miso paste (RM35) is fermented for one year, does not contain any artificial additives and is not heat treated, so this fresh miso still contains many enzymes and yeast. There are also an organic 3-month and 6-month red miso on offer, to suit different palates. Great with grilled chicken as well as in miso soup and as a vegetable dip.

Ringo Otome (Nagano Prefecture): The crisp apple cracker is made by baking raw apple slices over dough. It is the only Japanese sweet to have received three stars in the iTQi Superior Taste Award for 10 consecutive years. Only eight companies in the world have achieved this.

Kyotukemonokawakyu Kitaoshoten (Kyoto Prefecture): Harihari zuke is a famous product found in pickle shops in Kyoto which is made from dried takuan (salted radish), sweetened and flavoured with powdered green tea from Uji.

Kongen Yawataya Isogoro (Nagano Prefecture): Founded in 1736, this is one of the best shichimi producer in Japan. The signature shichimi is made using 7 ingredients for a balance of spicy and savory flavours. Great with udon, soba as well as pasta.

Gokou Foods Co Ltd (Miyagi Prefecture): Great as a snack with sake, these grilled oysters (RM20) contain no coloring, preservatives or other ingredients, hence you can enjoy the fragrant, natural flavours. Available in smoked variant too. There is also boiled beef tongue snack (RM20).

Akashi (Hyogo Prefecture): The sea bream (tai) and octopus are grown in the Akashi strait, where the strong tides and abundance of feed produce seafood that are full of flavour. The boiled octopus is tender and ready to eat, once defrosted (1/4 cut RM59.70).

Sugiyo (Ishikawa Prefecture): Kaoribako is their premium quality crab flavored surimi, made to taste as good as real snow crab meat. Awarded the Emperor's Cup, this is made using finely minced cod as well as natural tomato and paprika coloring.

Tamaruya Honten (Shizuoka Prefecture): Camembert Wasabi, a fusion between Japanese wasabi and French camembert has previously won the 2016 Japanese Pickle Grand Prix. Delicious paired with wine. Tamaruya also offers wasabi dressing, sweet and spicy wasabi and wasabi furikake.

You can get several types of instant noodles at the fair: Kitakata Ramen, Tokyo Ramen or Kishimen. The Hakata ramen is rather interesting; they have tonkotsu flavoured ramen but I was told it is made with NO animal products and is suitable for vegetarians.

There will be 7 brewers here at the Japan Local Specialty Fair to promote their range of sake and shochu, namely Ginrei Gassan, Shibata Brewery, Ninki-Ichi, Ozeki , Chigonoiwa, Umetsu and Matsunami Shuzo.

Umetsu Shuzo (Tottori Prefecture): Specialising in refined sake, shochu and umeshu made using traditional methods. The sake's flavour deepens when served warm. The shochu are produced from Japanese yam.

Matsunami Shuzo (Ishikawa Prefecture): Known for their products which pair "Oeyama" brand sake with fruits. Their plum wine (umeshu) is made by steeping Kaga White and Nanko Plums (from their family orchard) for two years. It is also the only brewery in Japan to produce Burdock Sake, using rare Sawano burdock to bring out a unique ginseng-like taste.

Shibata Brewery (Aichii Prefecture): sake with a traditional taste.

Ozeki (Hyogo Prefecture): One of the best known sake manufacturers in Japan. The signature Amazake is clear and sweet,with a hint of orange and strawberry.

Gassan Sake (Yamagata Prefecture): award-winning sake (top prize at the International Wine Challenge, Gold Award at the Japanese Sake awards).

Fancy a trip to Japan? With a minimum purchase of RM100 from the Japan Local Specialty Fair, customers are eligible for the Lucky Draw to win over 1000 fabulous prizes, including the grand prize of air ticket to Japan.

There will also be a special limited time menu at LGF, whereby you can sample dishes from certain prefectures, such as the Royal Caribbean with Crabmeat aburi sushi (RM3 each), Kishimen noodle from Aichii with chicken or seafood (RM25 per bowl) and various Matcha-based drinks (RM14 each). These dishes are available until 4 November.

Getting my Matcha Latte, made with Kyo Mukashi green tea

Additionally, head up to The Table on Level 4 there are great food deals to be had to celebrate Isetan the Japan Store turning two. The restaurants have specially created dishes using the air-flown ingredients from the Japan Local Specialty Fair. These dishes are available until 31 October only.

Tonkatsu Anzu - pork fillet with honey plum (RM12) - so juicy and the sweetness of the honey plum pairs well with the pork.

Yakiniku Toraji - enjoy the Wasabi Camembert cheese with sliced avocado (RM12) and black pepper salt. Loved this combination - creamy with hints of spiciness from the wasabi.

Mizutaki Toriden - sweet potato fries (RM8), first steamed for 30 mins and then deep fried. Non-oily and tastes pretty healthy, plus the sweet potato is sweet and fluffy.

The Tokyo Restaurant - Akashi Octopus with tomato. A generous portion, the octopus was tender and delicious. A steal at RM15.  There is also a madai (sea bream) with chazuke (RM20).

Yakitori Touan - Yuzu cocktail (RM10) or mocktail (RM8) using the Yuzu neat from Matsubayashi plantation.

Sushi Azabu - Tako Sakura ni (RM30) or Tai no shioyaki (RM58), Akashi red snapper sprinkled with salt and grilled. We could really taste the natural sweetness of the fish.

Visit Isetan the Japan Store KL @ Lot 10 today for a taste of Japan in Kuala Lumpur :)

For more details, please visit Isetan the Japan Store's Facebook page.


Store Opening Times: 11am - 10pm. 4F Opening Times: 11am - 11pm.

Location: Isetan the Japan Store, Lot 10 Shopping Centre, 50 Jalan Sultan Ismail, 50250 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. (Parking RM5 for first 3 hours)

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