Hiroshima's "Waru Nori Snack"

Sea Bream Sashimi with Pine Bark

Silver Week in Takamatsu City, Kagawa Prefecture. Wake up, slurp down some udon, stroll along the beach. A bit of work on the computer, followed by a light game of tennis. Evenings spent feeling great with local sake and white fish from the Seto Inland Sea – a luxurious daily routine rarely experienced in Tokyo. Having my registered domicile in Shimbashi, Minato Ward, meant I never had a true hometown. Honestly, I used to think, "I couldn't live anywhere but Tokyo." Discovering this town became a major turning point for me. It allowed me to imagine, even if just a little, what local life could be like.

Evening in Seto

Now then. As I mentioned last time, the question I posed on the final exam for the Meiji Gakuin University Business Administration Special Lecture was about a Hiroshima seaweed shop, blessed with the bounty of the Seto Inland Sea just like Kagawa.

Marutoku Nori, a company in Hiroshima that processes and sells roasted nori and flavored nori. Recently, with nori sales struggling, they decided to develop a new product under the vision of "wanting more people to enjoy tasting nori."
So, what should they do?

The challenge I presented to the students was precisely the same theme I had been tackling and wrestling with. Regarding this question with no single "correct answer," here's the "solution" I created with my colleagues...

Marutoku Nori's flagship product, "Hiroshima Oyster Flavored Nori," boasts superior quality compared to competitors thanks to carefully selected ingredients. Its location in Hiroshima, a major tourist destination, presents a significant opportunity. However, its sole distinguishing feature as a souvenir is the use of "oysters," preventing it from securing a unique position against similar products.

Therefore, to realize the vision of "enjoying nori in a fun way" for tourists seeking unique souvenirs as the main target, we identified "low interest in the flavored nori category" as the challenge. To solve this, we established the concept (idea) of "Kowamote Snack," meaning "a Hiroshima nori snack that looks scary at first glance but is actually gentle."

Two major factors shaped this background.
First, an interview with the long-time managing director who supports the business. She mentioned, "You know, the major snack company selling potato chips originated in Hiroshima, and the previous president was my childhood friend. He said, 'Kids can't stop eating flavored nori, right? That's a real threat!'" This led us to consider the "healthy snack" direction.

The other stems from my personal experience: "Hiroshima dialect is scary!?". Perhaps influenced by old movies, even the softest person's words feel forceful just by the ending "○○××じゃけぇ." In fact, when we conducted interviews, it seemed quite common for people who had visited Hiroshima to have fond memories of that dialect. That's where we saw potential in the approach: "Make the dialect a souvenir." We then decided to develop concrete strategies based on the concept of "Intimidating Snacks," derived from these two ideas.

Okonomiyaki Flavor

Setouchi Lemon Flavor

The product name is "Waru Nori Snack." The concept incorporates a slightly mischievous nuance.

The packaging features six versions of striking Hiroshima dialect phrases, including a scary face made from actual nori snacks alongside lines like "Hey, you gonna buy this for me?" (Standard Japanese: "Hey, I'd be happy if you bought this for me." printed on the back) and "What's up?" (Standard Japanese: "How do you do?"). Peeling off the white paper reveals a gentle smile with the phrase "The True Gentle Taste of Hiroshima."

The contents are low-calorie seaweed snacks, flavored with Hiroshima's famous "okonomiyaki flavor" and the recently popular "Setouchi lemon flavor."

The goal is for it to establish itself in the market as a new Hiroshima souvenir or as a healthy snack that Hiroshima locals who love their hometown can confidently give to children.

Art Director Kuroiwa (right), Takahashi (center), and Copywriter Fukuoka (left) who created the packaging

Mr. Yasuda (left) of Marutoku Nori, who created the contents, and producer Mr. Watanabe (right)

Writing it like an exam answer made the text a bit hard to read, but with these feelings in mind, "Waru Nori Snack" goes on sale today. We're waiting for customer reactions with more nervous excitement than students submitting exams. If you ever visit Hiroshima, please give it a try! ( Online sales here )

Next time, we'll introduce calligrapher Kotaro Hachinohe, who works on the global stage and also contributed to the packaging for "Waru Nori Snack."

Enjoy!