Kombu, a type of seaweed, can be said to be the primary source of flavor in Japanese food. The sensitivity, beauty, and sophisticated taste of Japanese food would not be the same without kombu. Kombu has a long history, not only as a valuable food, but also has been used as money and as an article of tribute for more than a thousand years.
Today, kombu may be used as a New Year's ornament or a gift of congratulations, but it is most widely used as a healthy food ingredient, the quintessential ingredient in Japanese cuisine.

Visit Kombu Seaweed Encyclopedia website at:
http://www.kurakonusa.com/kombu/encyclopedia/