Shokunin, Japanese Nori, A+ Grade, 8 Sheets
The top grade of nori, for when the seaweed is on show.
A+ is the highest grade in the Japanese nori system: fine, even sheets with a deep jet-black sheen, a clean ocean aroma and a delicate crispness. This is the nori to reach for when the sheet itself is part of the plate, hand-rolls, nigiri wraps and omakase presentation. Eight full sheets.
More from our Japanese nori range: A grade, 50 sheets, B grade, 50 sheets, Kōmi B grade, 8 sheets, snack nori and nori powder. Keep it crisp in our nori storage tin.
Why Chefs Choose This
- Top grade: A+, the finest sheets, glossy, even and aromatic.
- Presentation: the nori to use where the sheet is seen, nigiri and hand-rolls.
- Japanese-grown: cultivated and made in Japan, not a Korean or Chinese import.
- Crisp and clean: a sharp snap and a pure, briny aroma.
How to Use
- Nigiri: a thin band around nigiri where the nori is in full view.
- Hand-rolls: temaki, where the crisp sheet is the texture of the dish.
- Omakase: any plate where the nori itself is meant to impress.
- Garnish: cut into fine strips to finish where appearance counts.
Nori (海苔) is laver, a seaweed grown on nets in shallow coastal water, then washed, pressed into sheets and dried much like paper. Japan grades it from A+ down, on colour, sheen, aroma and thickness; A+ is the most delicate and refined. Every nori we sell is grown and made in Japan, which is rarer than it sounds, as most nori on UK shelves is grown in Korea or China. Ours is cultivated in the south of Japan and finished by Yamagataya, a Shizuoka nori house, then graded to the Japanese standard. We only sell Japanese nori.
Learn more: How to Make Sushi Rolls by Hand
What is A+ grade nori?
A+ is the highest tier of the Japanese nori grading system. The sheets are the finest and most even, with a deep, glossy black colour, a clean briny aroma and a delicate, brittle crispness. It is graded for refinement rather than for strength, so it suits work where the nori is presented and tasted on its own, a band of nori on nigiri, a temaki, a finishing strip. For rolling and wrapping at volume, a sturdier B grade is the practical choice; A+ is for the plate where the sheet is the point.
| Type | Yaki-nori 海苔 (roasted laver) |
| Brand | Shokunin (made by Yamagataya, Shizuoka) |
| Grade | A+ (top grade) |
| Origin | Japan (grown in southern Japan) |
| Pack | 8 full sheets |
| Best Used As | Presentation nori for nigiri and hand-rolls |
What is the difference between A+ and B grade nori?
A+ is the finest, most delicate grade, thinner and more translucent with a higher sheen, used where the nori is presented on its own. B grade is thicker and stronger, built to hold seams under rolling and to cut cleanly. The grading is about delicacy and appearance, not freshness or origin, all our grades are grown and made in Japan to the same standards. Use A+ for nigiri and hand-rolls, B grade for rolling and volume.
Where is your nori from?
All of it is Japanese. The nori is grown in the south of Japan and finished by Yamagataya, a Shizuoka nori house, then graded to the Japanese system. That matters because most nori sold in the UK is actually grown in Korea or China; true Japanese nori is uncommon here. We only sell Japanese nori, across every grade in the range.
How do I keep nori crisp?
Nori draws in moisture from the air and softens quickly, so keep it sealed with its desiccant sachet in a dry cupboard, or in an airtight tin, and reseal after each use. If a sheet softens, a few seconds over a low flame or in a dry pan crisps it straight back up. With a delicate A+ sheet especially, handle gently and use it soon after opening for the best snap.
SKU : SH004