05ABOUT US

OUR STORY

The history of Hadate Suisan can be traced back to a fishing company established by the Iwai family in northern Japan, in what is now Aomori Prefecture, in the early 1600s. The family relocated to Hakodate, Hokkaido during the Kan’ei era (1624–1643), in the early years of the Japanese colonization of the island.

Operator of the first large-net fishing fleet in the village of Sunahara, the Iwai company played a leading role in the local economy, and its members became patrons of the arts and culture. They funded the construction of a Shinto shrine, and at one time hosted the famous itinerant Buddhist priest Enku, who traveled throughout the country carving wooden Buddha statues. During the Meiji era (1868–1912), Ishitaro Iwai, the head of the family at the time, organized sumo bouts and made a name for himself as an art collector.

In the 1950s, Michinori Hadate, who ran a transportation business, became convinced of the commercial potential of uni in the course of his work with fisheries cooperatives. In 1963, after marrying Teruko Iwai, he established Hadate Suisan, a seafood processing company specialized in Kita Murasaki uni, in the Kayabe district of Hokkaido.

Founded on the ancient East Asian principle of enduring any hardship in the interest of a greater goal (gashin shotan), Hadate Suisan is dedicated to the relentless pursuit of quality. Our unparalleled ability to select the best product, along with our proprietary techniques—passed down only to a single member of the family in each generation—set us apart from the competition.

Hadate Suisan pioneered the transport of Hokkaido uni to Tokyo by air and was the first fisheries company to use temperature-controlled vehicles for transport within Hokkaido. We safeguard the quality of our product by being present at every stage of the delivery process, and strive for ceaseless improvement.

Hadate Suisan is currently run by third-generation owners Yoko and Sakiko Hadate.