Thirteen members of the Tachibana Student Public Relations Staff were responsible for the commercialization of the product, from harvesting the fruit on campus to tasting the ponzu and creating the label. They wondered if the product would be used at nabe parties, or if it would become an all-purpose seasoning for students living alone... They had visions of what the finished product would be like, but they had zero experience in commercializing such a product. Then, as a cooperative supporter, a company that operates restaurants where vegetables play a leading role appeared on the scene.Gojyu Family GroupShinya Gojukiki, the representative of the company, and a magazine "Gourmet", which provides information on gourmet food in Kyoto and Shiga, are the first two people to be invited to the event.LeafThe people in the "The People of the World".

We enjoyed jointly developing the product while receiving fruitful opinions about ponzu and recipes. We decided to name our completely original product "Sudachi Ponzu. Please try this ponzu vinegar born in Kyoto Tachibana University, which has a fresh aroma and a crisp sour taste.

Meet the 13 members of the Tachibana Student Public Relations Staff.

STEP.1 / Meeting
On a hot August day in 2023, the kick-off meeting for the first project of the Tachibana Farm Project was held. ［The kick-off meeting for the first phase of the Tachibana Farm Project, the production of ponzu vinegar, was held.

Thirteen curious student PR staff members from various grades and departments met together. They were challenged to create a ponzu vinegar that would live up to its title as an original product of Kyoto Tachibana University.

STEP.2/Harvesting
Although sudachi is famous for being produced in Tokushima Prefecture, surprisingly few people may know that it grows in a corner of the campus.

In early September, we took turns getting on the stepladder and carefully harvested them so as not to damage the surface.

STEP.3 / Tasting
In October, when the weather was still hot, we tasted ponzu, which Mr. Gojukiki had blended originally and brought with him.

When I sipped it as it was, it was lighter than the commercial products I usually eat, but the refreshment was clear.

We searched for the ideal balance of soy sauce, sudachi, and additional ingredients while pairing it with tofu, noodles, salads, fried foods, and more.

STEP.4 / Label and naming decisions
Taste is the most important aspect of product development, but visuals are also important. We exchanged opinions while looking at various patterns, such as green for the image of sudachi, purple for the university's theme color, and a simple white background.

Do you prefer Kanji? Do you prefer hiragana? How many letters should it have? We all discussed naming ideas together. In the end, we decided on the name "sudachi ponzu. Everyone was very satisfied with the elegant color of the product, which was eye-catching and did not stand out at the dinner table.

STEP.5 / Factory
After the tasting, everyone said, "Let's go with this! The taste is a type that contains a higher percentage of soy sauce than ordinary ponzu. Based on Mr. Gojukiki's special recipe, processing began at the factory to which we outsourced the work.

The campus-born sudachi and other sudachi are carefully pressed one by one and finally transformed into ponzu (Japanese citrus fruit vinegar).

STEP.6 / Completed!
The resulting "sudachi-ponzu" is limited to 50 bottles.

The tickets are now on sale at the counter on the first floor of Seifukan [Tachibana Link] (075-574-1315). The project is still going on, with the hope that the juniors will take over again next year...

1. addictive onions
Place shredded onions on a heatproof dish, wrap with plastic wrap and microwave (500w) for 4 minutes. Place in a bowl, pour sudachi-ponzu over the grated ginger and dried bonito flakes, and stir vigorously to make a splendid side dish!
by Sakira Fujii

2. Refreshing ponzu (Japanese sauce made from ponzu citrus juice)! Macaroni Salad
Put boiled macaroni, shredded and salt-rubbed cucumber, corn, and tuna in a bowl, add mayonnaise and sudachi-ponzu, and mix together. Add mayonnaise and sudachi-ponzu to the mixture. You can also add ham or other ingredients to taste! By Nono Katsuta

3. Japanese pasta with ponzu sauce and tuna
In olive oil with garlic aroma transferred over low heat, add onion and tuna and saute, then add pasta cooking water and sudachi ponzu. The cooked pasta is mixed with the sauce and accented with shiso leaves.
by Nao Mukai

Pork Shabu Udon Noodle
Sprinkle sake over thinly sliced pork, wrap in a heatproof dish and microwave (600w) for 1 minute 30 seconds. Turn on udon noodles, pork, and grated daikon in a bowl. The seasoning of men-tsuyu, sudachi-ponzu, and water is exquisite.
by Mihui Shirahase

5. The best boiled egg that cannot be made with this ponzu sauce.
Onions are coarsely chopped, grated garlic, ginger, sesame oil, and a dash of seasoning are added to sudaponzu, and boiled eggs are soaked overnight in the mixture. Serve over rice.
by Musashi Hirosato

6. simmered Chinese cabbage and pork belly
Alternate layers of Chinese cabbage and pork belly, cut into 5 cm wide pieces and lay them down from the edge of the pot. Add water and heat. When cooked, top with green onions and ginger, and serve with sudachi ponzu for endless flavor!
by Sota Miyamoto

7. Grilled rice ball with ponzu sauce
Our Sudachi Ponzu, whose sourness stimulates the appetite, is used in place of soy sauce. Grill the onigiri in the same way as you make yaki onigiri, dipping the onigiri in the sudachi-ponzu so that it does not burn.
by Kota Fukami.

In fact, the Gojyu Group uses the same ponzu vinegar with a high percentage of soy sauce as "sudachi ponzu".
Try it in various dishes such as stir-fried or simmered dishes, with a sense of sour soy sauce rather than ponzu (Japanese citrus juice).

sauteed eggplant and enoki mushrooms with garlic and ponzu sauce

Materials
Thin slice of pork shoulder 200g
2 eggplants
Mushrooms. 100g
A pinch of salt
Potato starch ... some quantity
3 cm garlic tube
1 tablespoon of sudachi ponzu

Procedure
1. Cut eggplant into wedges, cut shaft of enoki mushrooms, and roll up eggplant and enoki with pork.
2. Sprinkle salt on the meat roll and coat with potato starch. Preparation is now ready.
3. Heat a frying pan with salad oil and arrange the meat rolls.
4. When browned, add garlic tube and sudachi ponzu and reduce gently.
5. Taste and if it seems too thick, add a little water and steam to finish.