Grand Prize Winner Announced for the 1st (FY2025) Wakayama Ichibanboshi Award

Wakayama Prefecture held an event on February 20, 2026, to promote the first group of certified products of the Wakayama Ichibanboshi Award. At the event, exhibition booths for 20 certified products were presented, and the Grand Prize and Runner-up Prize were selected from among five products that had received the Special Jury Award.

Based on votes from event attendees and members of the Wakayama Prefecture Recommended Local Products Review Committee, the Grand Prize and Runner-up Prize winners were determined as follows.

Grand Prize

Iwatani Co., Ltd. — “Kishu Ume Madai Ume”

“Kishu Ume Madai Ume” features flaked Kishu-grown sea bream seasoned with sweet vinegar miso, wrapped inside a Kishu Nanko Plum. The balanced acidity of the plum and the refined flavor of the sea bream create a rich and harmonious taste that pairs perfectly with rice, ochazuke (rice with tea broth), or as an accompaniment to sake.

This delicacy brings together the flavors of Wakayama’s sea and mountains in a single bite, making it a highly regarded product that is also popular as a gift item.

〇 Comment from the Jury Chair

The judges appreciated the element of surprise and playfulness in finding sea bream inside a Wakayama specialty plum. The product luxuriously combines the bounty of both the sea and the mountains of Wakayama. Additionally, the clever wordplay of the name—“Umedetai” (a pun combining “ume” plum and “medetai,” meaning auspicious)—makes it an excellent gift item.

〇 Comment from the Award Winner

We are deeply honored to receive such a prestigious award. We developed this product with the hope that more people would discover the appeal of Kishu Ume Madai. We are delighted to share this joy with the local community members who contributed to its production. Encouraged by this recognition, we will continue to promote the wonderful ingredients of Wakayama’s sea and mountains, as well as the charm of the region, from Kushimoto Town, the southernmost town of Japan’s main island.

Runner-up Prize

Suzuya Co., Ltd. — “Deluxe Cake”

“Deluxe Cake” produced by Suzuya in Tanabe, Wakayama, has been loved for nearly 100 years. The confection consists of a moist, dense castella sponge cake layered with homemade white bean jam and coated in white chocolate.

This long-standing sweet quietly carries the history of the region and the memories of its people. Unwrapping the silver foil reveals a moment of understated yet refined indulgence.

〇 Comment from the Jury Chair

The concept of Japanese-Western fusion remains fresh even across generations. The charming package design, unchanged since the company’s founding and reminiscent of the Showa era, also has strong appeal for sharing on social media. Although the product is extremely well-known within the prefecture, it is still relatively unknown outside Wakayama, giving it great potential for growth.

Special Jury Awards

• Armareen Kindai Co., Ltd. — Kindai Caviar
  
• Uetomo Farm Co., Ltd. — Premium Taste Uetomo
  
• Hamadaya Co., Ltd. — Sesame Tofu

Event Overview and Grand Prize Selection

• Date: February 20, 2026
• Venue: Togo Memorial Hall, Shibuya, Tokyo
• Attendees: Approximately 90 people (including media representatives and members of the distribution industry)

During the event, businesses that received the Special Jury Award delivered presentations, and attendees were able to sample the products. After the tasting and presentations, the Grand Prize and Runner-up Prize were determined by voting from attendees and members of the review committee.