Kombu is indispensable for traditional foods of Osaka

"Kombu" is an edible seaweed.

In Osaka, kombu is used for many traditional foods.
Mostly we use it to make stock.
It is used for udon noodles, nimono (stewed foods), soups or other various traditional foods.
Furthermore, We eat kombu as a ingredient.
Also "troro kombu (or oboro kombu)", tangle flakes made of kombu, is used for rice balls or udon.
Even there is a candy made of kombu.

In Osaka, Japanese people have started daily using of kombu since the Edo period.
"Kitamaebune", the ship on "Nishimawari kouro (the shipping route between Osaka and Hokkaido)" brought kombu to people in Osaka.
Kitamaebune came and went on the route through the Seto inland sea and Kammon straits.
Before the route developed by merchant Kawamura Zuiken in Edo period, people in Osaka hardly got kombu, so kombu was precious.

Since kitamaebune stared to come, kombu have rooted deeply into Osaka's food tradition.
Thanks to Kawamura Zuiken, we can enjoy the nice traditional foods nowadays.
I would appreciate him.