
How uniqueness
Henko oil which is first squeezed oil and smooth, you can even drink it. The first squeezed oil made by Yamada Kyoto Corporation’s special method tastes extremely rich.
In general, sesame oil is made by extracting oils out of sesame that requires to use chemical solvent. We Yamada Kyoto Corporation makes sesame oil old way, that is, to press sesame to have sesame oil come out of it. With that, sesame oil is 100% natural and keeps taste of raw sesame in the oil. Also, we sell only the first squeezed oil. Our priority is to offer healthy and flavorful sesame oil to our customers.

Cultivate from mushroom beds
We cultivate our mushrooms using a substrate made from sawdust and other organic materials. Inside the Kikurage House at Kasugai Farm, we can accommodate up to 6,000 substrate blocks at a time. The mushrooms are grown solely with sawdust from domestically sourced hardwood, nutrients primarily from grains, water, and kikurage mushroom spores—nothing else. No harmful chemicals are used at any stage of the process. Mushrooms are highly sensitive to changes in temperature and humidity. At Kasugai Farm, we grow them inside a vinyl greenhouse where both temperature and humidity are controlled 24 hours a day. Cultivation methods vary by farm, but at Kasugai Farm, our kikurage mushrooms are grown without any exposure to sunlight. Inside the greenhouse, the temperature is maintained between 25°C and 30°C, and humidity is kept remarkably high—between 70% and 90%. We regularly fill the air with mist using sprayers to maintain this high-humidity environment. We also take pride in cultivating our mushrooms without the use of any pesticides, so you can enjoy them with peace of mind. Once a cut is made in the substrate block, kikurage mushrooms begin to grow from that opening. They can reach harvest size in as little as two weeks and grow quickly enough that you can see noticeable changes from day to day. Because of this rapid growth, we carefully select and harvest mushrooms daily, ensuring they are picked at just the right size—before they become too large. After harvesting, any sawdust or debris attached to the kikurage from the substrate is carefully removed, and the tougher stem bases are trimmed one by one with care. Because washing mushrooms with water can reduce their freshness, we intentionally do not wash the fresh kikurage. Instead, we ship them in their most natural and freshest state. The white powder sometimes seen on the kikurage is actually their spores—a sign of freshness! For kikurage that will be dried, we first wash them with water and then sun-dry them naturally. Exposure to sunlight increases their vitamin D content, making them even more nutritious. After sun-drying, they are thoroughly dried again using a specialized drying machine. Dried kikurage has a long shelf life, making it a popular choice for home use. Fresh kikurage is known for its soft and springy texture, while dried kikurage offers a firm, crunchy bite.

Nutrition facts of kikurage and its benefits
The most notable nutrients in kikurage are vitamin D and dietary fiber! First, vitamin D is essential for bone health, as it helps the body absorb calcium efficiently. Although our bodies can produce vitamin D when exposed to sunlight, it’s becoming harder to get enough sun due to concerns about UV rays and the effects of climate change. In fact, if you wear sunscreen, your body can’t produce vitamin D even when you’re in the sun. On top of that, there are very few foods that naturally contain high amounts of vitamin D, and it's said that about 90% of the Japanese population is deficient in this important nutrient. Vitamin D is vital—not only for growing children but also for adults who want to stay healthy as they age. The recommended daily intake for adult women is about 18 grams of vitamin D-rich food, and just 6 grams of dried kikurage can help meet that target. Among all mushrooms, kikurage ranks at the top in vitamin D content! Kikurage is especially rich in insoluble dietary fiber. Insoluble fiber absorbs water and expands in the digestive tract, stimulating the intestines and helping to relieve constipation. When you chew it thoroughly, it provides a strong sense of fullness, which can help prevent overeating—making it an effective food for weight management as well! Kikurage contains a variety of minerals, including calcium, iron, potassium, magnesium, and zinc. Among these, the most well-known—calcium—is present in an amount equivalent to about one-third of a cup of milk, while the iron content is roughly the same as one-fifth of a serving of liver. Minerals are essential nutrients that help regulate bodily functions and support various reactions within organs and tissues. Since the human body cannot produce minerals on its own, they must be obtained through the diet.

Nutrition facts of sesame and its benefits
About half of sesame is fat, mainly linoleic acid and oleic acid that are both unsaturated fatty acid. Unsaturated fatty acid boosts immune system and reduces cholesterol level. Linoleic acid produces cell membrane. As it's one of the essential fatty acids that our human body cannot produces, we need to obtain it from our diet. Linoleic acid dissolves LDL cholesterol also known as bad cholesterol and displaces it. Oleic acid reduces LDL cholesterol also knows as bad cholesterol without reducing HDL cholesterol also known as good cholesterol. It prevents constipation from occurring as it improves slipperiness of stools in the large intestine.
Rich in Protein: Sesames contain about 20g, which is about 0.7oz, of protein in 100g, which is about 3.5oz, of sesames. It's as high as beef and fish. Protein that build our human body consists of about 20 kinds of amino acids, but we need to obtain essential amino acids from our diet because our body cannot produce them. Sesame is well-balanced nutritious food that contains those essential amino acids. Rich in dietary fiber: About 10% of the sesame is dietary fiber. It's very effective on preventing constipation as well as displacing cholesterol. Large amount of its fiber is insoluble. It absolves water, gets larger, and adds bulk to the stool in the large intestine. The bulk stool stimulates bowl movement.
Rich in minerals such as calcium and iron: Calcium builds and maintains strong bones. Lack of calcium leads to physical and mental issues such as muscle spasms, hypertension, and mood disorder. Sesame contains calcium 11 times as much as milk. With that much calcium it can also prevent osteoporosis from occurring. Sesame is also rich in iron. Iron improves blood circulation as well as anemia. Rich in unique nutrition, sesame lignans: Sesame lignans are known to promote your health. It consists of antioxidants such as sesamin and sesamolin. As sesame lignans destroy active oxygen, it contributes to anti-aging. Studies show that sesame lignans have a lot of benefits on your health such as improving liver function, reducing cholesterol level, and accelerating lipid metabolism.

How to make authentic sesame oil
What we keep making is "Sesame oil that satisfies your craving." Producing sesame oil that has absolutely no additives requires us to be careful and attentive during the entire process. Take a look.
Day 1 - Part 1: Roasting sesames in the kettle.
The first step is to roast raw sesames in the iron kettle that's surrounded by bricks. This is the most important step that affects quality of the sesame oil that will be produced. We depend on our sesame roasting professionals' intuition on determining the best timing to complete the roasting. They decide when to complete the roasting depending on the temperature of that day so that they don't stop too early nor too late. They roast raw sesames little by little slowly. While they roast they say, "Wow, this smells excellent!"
Day 1 - Part 2: Squeezing the roasted sesames.
After the sesames are roasted, they're pressed to be squeezed. With the very first squeeze, only one third of the sesame is squeezed out as oil. We use only this first squeezed oil as our products for the best quality. We pour this first squeezed oil into the steel drum and let it cool down at room temperature. At the end of the entire process of making sesame oil, out of the raw sesames that were roasted, only 27% of them make it to our products.
Day 2: Washing the first squeezed sesame oil in hot water and letting it precipitate naturally.
The first squeezed sesame oil needs to be washed in hot water in order to remove impure substances from it. We put hot water in the steel drum where the first squeezed sesame oil was poured into. We mix the first squeezed sesame oil and hot water, and leave it for about 3 weeks. During those 3 weeks, water and impure substances that are heavier than the first squeezed sesame oil precipitate, and only the very pure flavor of sesame stays in the first squeezed sesame oil.
After 3 weeks to a month: Refining the first squeezed sesame oil.
After being precipitated for 3 weeks, moisture in the first squeezed sesame oil needs to be removed. First, we carefully take out only the precipitated sesame oil from the steel drum and pour it into the iron pot. To refine the precipitated sesame oil, we heat up the iron pot using firewood so that even a small amount of moisture that is in the precipitated sesame oil can be dried out. Adjusting temperature appropriately is extremely important during this step. The temperature that gets rid of moisture and the temperature that destroys sesamol, that is antioxidant of the sesame, are very close, and we don't want to destroy sesamol. So we pay extra attention during adjusting the temperature.
The last step: Filtering the first squeezed sesame oil using filter paper.
Lastly, we put filter paper in the filter machine and pour the first squeezed sesame oil into it. We turn the faucet of the filtered machine on, and filtered sesame oil starts to drop into the bucket underneath. This is our happiest moment when see the very first drop of the shiny and clear golden sesame oil coming out from it. Once it fills the bucket, we move the filtered sesame oil to another steel drum.
Spending about a month for the entire process, the raw sesames become golden sesame oil.

How to make authentic wood ear mushroom
Our mushroom cultivation beds are made from a natural mixture of sawdust and nutrient-rich rice bran. After use, the spent substrate is provided to local farmers as fertilizer, ensuring zero waste. Cultivation takes place in specialized, hygienic greenhouses equipped to maintain optimal temperature and humidity for wood ear mushrooms year-round. This not only allows us to grow fresh, crisp mushrooms throughout the year, but also supports a comfortable working environment for our staff.
We operate as a workplace that supports people with disabilities, placing great importance on understanding each individual’s personality and respecting their goals and pace. Following the principles of normalization, we foster a workplace where all staff—regardless of ability—can thrive and contribute meaningfully.
In addition, we are certified under ASIAGAP and JGAP standards. These certifications recognize our commitment to sustainable agricultural practices, including food safety, environmental protection, and worker health and safety through proper production process management.

Collaboration curry
A no-nonsense sesame curry created together with Japanese cooking YouTuber Takeshi Takeshima — discover the story behind its creation.

NHK world
Versatile Oil: Smoothing the Way in Everyday Life - Core Kyoto

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🍽️ Ruben, a true kitchen rocker, is taking on a new culinary challenge today – a crunchy savoy cabbage salad elevated with a nutty sesame kick! But here's the twist: he has ZERO experience with these sesame products. 😲🌱
Ready for a dose of inspiration mixed with a pinch of "I'll just give it a try"? Then grab your apron and join Ruben on his journey, from his initial skeptical glance to that last satisfying bite. 🥄
Start your own flavor experiment and see if you're more of a "Sesame Street" beginner or an "Open Sesame" pro! The best part? You can try it out at home and add your own variations for a personal touch. ✨

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Ruben takes you on a culinary journey! Discover how the magic of high-quality ingredients bubbles up in our kitchen. In this episode, our talented kitchen wizard Ruben creates an exquisite appetizer, where the finest salmon combines with Mr. Yamada’s carefully selected sesame products in a flavorful union.
➡️ Exclusively for our foodies: Mr. Yamada, the magician of sesame refinement, has entrusted us with his secrets, and Ruben shows you how to bring this knowledge to life in an appetizer that will make your taste buds sing! 🎶
🍣 Delicate slices of salmon meet the crunch of roasted sesame, creating a mouthwatering dish that weaves exclusivity with simplicity. Whether for your next dinner party or a solo indulgence, this creation will make gourmet hearts soar.
👨🍳 Don’t miss Ruben’s tips and tricks on how to find the perfect balance between the oily richness of the salmon and the nutty notes of the sesame. Plus, learn about the art of preparation and presentation that can turn even a simple plate into a stage!

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Mr. Yamada, who has come from Japan, demonstrates the traditional method of grinding sesame seeds. To do this, he specially crafted a custom suitcase to bring a large, traditional Japanese mortar to Germany. This mortar features specially arranged grooves that crush the sesame seeds just right, adding an authentic flavor to the dish.
With decades of experience and deep knowledge of Japanese cuisine, Mr. Yamada shows us the proper way to grind sesame seeds. Be sure to check it out!

@BOS FOOD Düsseldorf-2
Mr. Yamada, who has come from Japan, demonstrates the traditional method of grinding sesame seeds. To do this, he specially crafted a custom suitcase to bring a large, traditional Japanese mortar to Germany. This mortar features specially arranged grooves that crush the sesame seeds just right, adding an authentic flavor to the dish.
With decades of experience and deep knowledge of Japanese cuisine, Mr. Yamada shows us the proper way to grind sesame seeds. Be sure to check it out!