Shio Tomato (潮トマト)

Adding seawater to tomato soil sounds as if it should make the fruit salty. Yet in Hiji, a small town on Beppu Bay in Oita Prefecture, growers use carefully controlled seawater cultivation for a different reason. It limits how much water the plants take in, and the result is a smaller, firmer tomato with far more concentrated flavor. Locals call it Shio Tomato (潮トマト). Hiji Town describes it as a seawater-cultivated tomato with a Brix reading of 8 or higher. Below, this guide explains what the name means, how the method works, and what producers and tasters say it tastes like. It also covers the season, how to eat and store it, and where to buy it in Hiji. Quick Facts: Shio TomatoJapanese name潮トマト (shio tomato)What it isA high-Brix tomato grown with carefully controlled seawater in the soilWhere it comes fromMainly the Manai district of Hiji Town, Oita Prefecture, KyushuSweetnessHiji Town describes it as Brix 8 or higher. A 2024 local report saw grades of 8 to under 10 and 10 or higher at the farm shopLocal brandTomaou (トマ王), sold by the Manai Tomato Farm Producers’ CooperativeOfficial shipping seasonAbout January to April (Hiji Town); some growers sell into early summerBest way to ...