55

Percentage decline over the last decade in the amount of wasabi produced in Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan’s “wasabi capital.” Wasabi—a delicate, bright green, horseradish-like, mountain plant—is a hallmark of Japanese cuisine. According to the New York Times, the steep decline is attributed to climate warming, unpredictable flooding, competition from cedar forests, and a diminishing supply of growers. Some Japanese chefs believe that wasabi could eventually disappear within our lifetimes.