Seaweed NORI has become an important part of Japanese cuisine since early times.
Old document shows that seaweed NORI was used as a payment of taxes to the Emperor in Japan.

Japanese started to eat seaweed NORI in 1700-1800.
Seaweed NORI was harvested naturally at first, then it began to be farmed during Edo period.
“Ita” or sheet seaweed NORI processing was derived from the technology which makes “washi” or Japanese paper.

Seaweed NORI appeared in Ukiyoe or Japanese woodblock prints.