This is the 3832nd most frequent Japanese word.
わかめ
Seaweed (specifically, edible kelp).
In this sentence, 'わかめ' refers to the food item, which is edible seaweed, used in a specific context of the dish presented.
私はわかめの味噌汁が好きです。
I like miso soup with wakame seaweed.
Here, 'わかめ' is referred to as a general classification of seaweed, focusing on its biological categorization rather than a specific culinary use.
わかめは海藻の一種です。
Wakame is a type of seaweed.
In this case, 'わかめ' is presented as dried seaweed, emphasizing the preparation method and its transport or gift purposes.