Caster Yuka Nishigaki said, “First the saltiness hits strongly, and then the banana’s sweetness pulls it all together at the end,” and “It’s a salty-sweet taste that wasn’t in my own flavor repertoire.”

he person who came up with this salt banana is Rikka Fukuda, a doctor and the director of the special nursing home for the elderly “Hamanasu” in Fujikawaguchiko Town.

He also serves as chairman of the Japan Trail Running Association, and the idea began around 2010, when he prepared bananas and salt for trail runners as nutritional support and a heatstroke countermeasure during races on harsh mountain paths.

Dr. Fukuda said, “I wanted people to take both salt and bananas, and at one point I started serving bananas sprinkled with salt. After the event, runners told me, ‘Thanks to eating salt bananas, my legs didn’t cramp.’”