Konbu kelp is an essential ingredient in Osaka cuisine, and the venerable Konbu Doi is the city’s premier purveyor of this umami-packed sea vegetable. In business since 1903, the shop functions as an all-round source of konbu expertise, often welcoming top chefs from abroad seeking to heighten their knowledge of Japanese food culture and organising lectures and seminars overseas to spread the word about its product.
In addition to a wide range of natural and cultivated kelp, the shop stocks various kinds of ready-made dashi broth, konbu tsukudani preserves, dashi-flavoured snacks and much more. Konbu Doi also runs a museum dedicated to konbu in the building next door.