Exquisite products are commonly found in the rural areas of Japan. Tea gardens and sake brews that last for generations are some fine examples. However, these producers face the problems of aging and a lack of successors. The wisdom of older generations who have stood strong is at risk of being lost with the changes time brings about.

To prevent this loss, the project "Undiscovered Gems of Japan” was started in 2009. The aim was to support businesses in rural areas in the form of open innovation. Farmers and designers, hotels and fishermen etc. come together in unprecedented partnerships to produce interesting and innovative products and recipes. We presented these items at the competition, awarded prizes, and eventually the crown "Undiscovered Gems of Japan Grand Prix". We followed up with sales support thereafter. As a result, some businesses have even increased sales by 100 times through this project. Starting in 2016 with Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore, a world championship (collaborating with chefs from Asian countries) has been ongoing yearly. This project has been critically acclaimed by renowned chefs worldwide who have also joined our efforts to reinvent their own recipes.

This time, these products and their producers who have won the Grand Prix will first arrive in the USA, visiting 6 cities from January to March 2019. In addition, famous chefs such as Chikara Yamada, who practiced at the restaurant, El Bulli, Spain (which was the best in the world) and Shota Nakajima, who also appeared in Iron Chef, US, also participated in the event. You can try samples from their "Special Menus" that will undoubtedly remain in the minds of all participants.

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