First Ever Best 'Salad Vegetable' Decided! 'Choju no Minamoto / Hanai Tomato Farm' from Kisosaki-cho, Mie Prefecture Wins Highest Gold Award

The General Incorporated Association Japan Vegetable Sommelier Association (Shibuya, Tokyo; Representative Director: Eiji Fukui, hereafter 'the Association') held the first 'National Salad Vegetable Championship' (hereafter 'the Championship') on Wednesday, May 20, 2026, as an agricultural product evaluation event aimed at further enhancing the value of fresh produce.

In this Championship, from among '19 items' of vegetables delicious for salads delivered from producing regions all over the country, vegetable sommeliers acting as evaluators conducted tastings with all information regarding production area, variety, and producer completely concealed. They evaluated the taste to determine the most delicious 'salad vegetable'. As a result of the screening, the Highest Gold Award of the 'National Salad Vegetable Championship' was awarded to 'Choju no Minamoto' submitted by Hanai Tomato Farm in Kisosaki-cho, Mie Prefecture.

List of Results (Award / Product Name at Sale / Submitting Farmer or Organization / Production Area) - Highest Gold Award: Choju no Minamoto (Hanai Tomato Farm / Kisosaki-cho, Mie) - Gold Award: Fruit Paprika (Red) (Miyajima Farm / Yatsushiro, Kumamoto) - Silver Award: Senshu Mizunasu (Kitano Farm / Kaizuka, Osaka) - Silver Award: Narahara Saien Red Beets (Narahara Saien Co., Ltd. / Kurume, Fukuoka) - Bronze Award: Gold Rich (Miyajima Farm / Yatsushiro, Kumamoto) - Honorable Mention: Tomaken's Fruit Tomato (Tomaken Farm / Kadogawa, Miyazaki) - Honorable Mention: Osaka Senshu Specialty Mizunasu (Yamatoya Farm / Izumisano, Osaka) - Honorable Mention: Narahara Saien Carino Kale (Narahara Saien Co., Ltd. / Kurume, Fukuoka)

<<Highest Gold Award>> Choju no Minamoto / Hanai Tomato Farm (Kisosaki-cho, Mie Prefecture) <Evaluators' Comments> - When you put it in your mouth, it is robust and rich, and I really loved the sweetness. The cut surface is very fresh, and it looks highly appetizing. - Strong sweetness followed by a perfect hint of acidity. The skin, flesh, and jelly parts unify and harmonize beautifully. - The sweetness of the tomato spreads throughout the mouth. Tomato lovers will not be able to resist. The aroma and richness of the tomato are strong, and the umami lingers in the mouth. I want to eat it in a salad where the tomato is the star! <Producer's Focus Points> We start by bringing a proprietary blend of compost into the greenhouse to build the soil. We change the harvest color of the tomatoes according to the climate. Because we don't want seeds to be a nuisance, we do not use bees for pollination. The sweetness of this tomato stands out, so instead of using it as a garnish, we want you to cut it into bite-sized pieces and eat it with other vegetables. <Contact> https://www.hanai-tomato.jp/?mode=pc

<<Gold Award>> Fruit Paprika (Red) / Miyajima Farm (Yatsushiro, Kumamoto Prefecture) <Evaluators' Comments> - Thick-fleshed and fresh. A fruit-like sweetness fills the mouth. High water content makes it very satisfying. A paprika that can be the main event. - I can imagine the deep red color popping when used as a topping. It's thick and fresh; starting with sweetness upon entering the mouth and ending with a slight astringency. <Producer's Focus Points> It is a fruit paprika perfect for salads, named Gabriel because you can take a big bite out of it raw. We sell it with a POP sign asking customers not to cook it.

<<Silver Award>> Senshu Mizunasu / Kitano Farm (Kaizuka, Osaka Prefecture) <Evaluators' Comments> - Both the flesh and the skin are soft, with absolutely no harshness. A subtle sweetness makes it perfect for salads. It was a surprising taste. - Soft, with a moist texture in the flesh and a nice, tight texture near the skin. It sparks imagination that not only raw, but marinating it might enhance its qualities even more. <Producer's Focus Points> Because Senshu Mizunasu is a native variety, we carefully raise each plant starting from seed extraction the previous year, sowing, and growing the seedlings. Water management is extremely difficult, and we are thoroughly dedicated to production management to maximize the freshness that characterizes Mizunasu. <Contact> https://www.kitanofarm.com/

<<Silver Award>> Narahara Saien Red Beets / Narahara Saien Co., Ltd. (Kurume, Fukuoka Prefecture) <Evaluators' Comments> - The color is well-developed and beautiful. The sweetness is strong, and there is little earthiness, making it easy to eat. It has a great crunchy, crisp texture, making it a perfect salad vegetable for adding color. - I liked how the texture changed from crunchy to crisp. It also had an elegant sweetness and beautiful color.