Product Overview
About Kokuto and Murakami Shoten
Okinawan Black Sugar, or Kokuto, offers a unique, robust flavour profile with smoky, malt-like qualities that surpass conventional brown sugar. Originating from Hateruma Island, renowned for its exceptional sugarcane due to the region's coral-rich soil, Kokuto is crafted by boiling sugarcane juice into a syrup, which is then hardened into blocks and crushed into sugar. Produced by the esteemed Murakami Shoten, a family business with over 64 years of history, this black sugar embodies the finest regional traditions.
Beyond its culinary uses in desserts, beverages, and savoury dishes, Kokuto is valued for its health benefits. Rich in minerals like potassium, calcium, and iron, it has been used in remedies for nausea, fatigue, colds, and menstrual cramps, often paired with ginger tea. Although sometimes labeled as "dark brown sugar" in English, Kokuto stands apart as a distinctly prized Japanese sugar with deep cultural and nutritional significance.
