The medium-intensity extra virgin olive oil from Hiroshima’s Seto Inland Sea coast earned the Japanese producer’s second Gold at the World Competition.
Olive Oil Times |
Hiroshima, Japan — Yamamoto Club has been awarded a Gold at the 2026 NYIOOC World Olive Oil Competition for the Aki No Shima No Mi Etajima Shibori brand.
Aki No Shima No Mi Etajima Shibori is an extra virgin olive oil of medium intensity. Crafted from olives grown in Hiroshima’s coastal and insular areas of Setouchi, the oil is distinguished by fresh green fruitiness, notes of grass and green banana, hints of almond and green almond, and a rounded fruit character that recalls golden apple.
Yamamoto Club has grown a variety of olives in Hiroshima since 2010, working mainly across the coastal and island landscapes of Setouchi. The project has been shaped by a community-led effort to keep farmland in use and support local agriculture, with olives cultivated by growers committed to contributing to the surrounding towns through their orchards.
The roots of the initiative reach back further. In 2008, Yamamoto Club was established to bring abandoned farmland back into production around Kure and Etajima, an area known for a climate that closely resembles the Mediterranean. Working alongside local government, the Aki no Shima no Mi project developed as a collaboration among citizens, businesses and institutions: farmers grow the olives, while Yamamoto Club purchases the harvested fruit and manages processing and distribution.
As participation expanded, Yamamoto Club increased the number of small-scale growers supplying fruit. In the last season cited by the producer, Yamamoto Club purchased olives from 87 local farmers, up from 63 the year before. Yamamoto Club produced its first olive oil in 2014, and has attributed improving volumes to the growing involvement of local farmers and maturing trees.
From the grove onward, Yamamoto Club has emphasized careful handling of fruit. The harvest is carried out by hand, and the producer has highlighted meticulous selection, removing defective fruit as well as stems, leaves and branches manually before milling. Yamamoto Club has also pointed to early harvesting as an important factor in quality, with the harvest typically concluding before the end of October.
At the Etajima Olive Factory, Yamamoto Club installed an Italian state-of-the-art extraction system in 2015. The separate-type line uses individual machines for each stage of production—washing, crushing, malaxation, decanting and separation—followed by filtration through ten filter sheets. Yamamoto Club has also underscored the importance of intensive cleaning, disassembling and washing equipment on the same day as pressing to prevent off-flavors.
In the grove, Yamamoto Club has used unique soil-improvement methods tied to local resources, including oyster shells, a Hiroshima specialty. By incorporating crushed shells into the soil, the producer has sought to improve drainage and soil quality over the long term. Yamamoto Club has also focused on organic, chemical-free practices and minimal chemical fertilization, using inputs such as oyster shells and cow manure.
The 2026 Gold marks Yamamoto Club’s second Gold at the NYIOOC, following a Gold in 2025. In the Olive Oil Times World Ranking, Yamamoto Club stands at #5 in Japan, #95 in the Northern Hemisphere and #97 Worldwide.
The NYIOOC World Olive Oil Competition, widely regarded as the world's leading olive oil quality contest, is a trusted reference for consumers and industry professionals.