KUNISAKI OLIVE / Kunisaki City

Olive cultivation has been on the rise in the Kunisaki Peninsula lately. The mild climate of the Seto Inland Sea, along with strong sunshine and mineral–rich sea breezes, create ideal conditions for olive cultivation. Unlike those grown on the Mediterranean coast, these olives have a delicate, refined taste and have been recognised for their high quality. Producers in Kunisaki City have won the Gold Prize at the OLIVE JAPAN® International Extra Virgin Olive Oil Competition for four consecutive years since 2021. Second only to Shodoshima, the Kunisaki Peninsula has become one of the leading olive–growing regions in Japan, escalating the agricultural potential as a new speciality suited to the local climate and soil.

A wide variety of processed products, such as salted olives and pastes are being made from these high–quality Kunisaki olives. They can be bought at farm shops and stalls at roadside stations (rest areas), and can also be sampled at local restaurants, where they are widely used as an ingredient. It may appear to be just an ordinary olive, but it embodies the essence of Kunisaki and the region’s challenges.