What are Gunma’s heirloom vegetables? Features, season, and ways to eat the 22 items explained

Gunma Prefecture's heirloom vegetables are native varieties preserved amid northern Kanto's volcanic-ash soil, the cool climate of its mountainous areas, and complex terrain such as Mount Haruna, Mount Akagi, and Mount Myogi.The Japan Traditional Vegetable Promotion AssociationIn the certification, there are 22 items, ranging from nationally known cultivars such as Shimonita negi, Kokufu hakusai, and kakina, to rare varieties limited to mountain hamlets like the Iriyama district's Takayama cucumber and Kyozuka kabu—a diverse lineup.

This article organizes the 22 items in a list and explains 7 representative items in detail. We introduce the world of native varieties tied to the negi, hakusai, and konjac culture typical of "sukiyaki kingdom" Gunma.

The definition of "heirloom vegetable" and the scope of this article

There is no nationwide unified definition of “heirloom vegetables,” and criteria differ by certifying body. To help you accurately understand this article's content, we first lay out the criteria of the main certifying bodies.

Certifying body	Main criteria
Kyoto Prefecture "Kyoto Heirloom Vegetables"	Cultivated in Kyoto from before the Meiji era and unique to Kyoto
Osaka Prefecture "Naniwa Heirloom Vegetables"	Cultivated within Osaka Prefecture from roughly 100 or more years ago
Nara Prefecture "Yamato Heirloom Vegetables"	Items whose production in this prefecture is confirmed from before the war
Akita Prefecture "Akita Heirloom Vegetables"	Cultivated within the prefecture from before the Showa 30s
Yamagata Prefecture "Yamagata Heirloom Vegetables"	Cultivated within the prefecture from before Showa 20
The Japan Traditional Vegetable Promotion Association	Independent certification criteria (broader)

In this article, we introduce the 22 items with the certification of the Japan Heirloom Vegetable Promotion Association as the main source. Gunma Prefecture has no official certification system of its own, but preservation activities for each item are progressing as regional brands. Of the 22 items, Numasu negi is currently sold only as seedlings and its actual distribution is limited, so the main text centers on 21 items, and Numasu negi is detailed in the "Other regional specialty varieties" section at the end.

What are Gunma's heirloom vegetables? Native varieties nurtured by the Jomo Three Mountains and the Kanto Plain

Gunma Prefecture, centered on the "Jomo Three Mountains" of Mount Akagi, Mount Haruna, and Mount Myogi, is a prefecture with a large elevation difference from the northern mountainous zone to the southern Kanto Plain. Volcanic-ash soil, abundant groundwater, and a cool mountain climate have nurtured diverse native varieties—negi, hakusai, cucumber, kabu, and more.

Central Gunma, western Gunma, Agatsuma-Tone, eastern Gunma—the four areas and item distribution

Area	Representative items	Regional characteristics
Central Gunma (Maebashi, Takasaki, Isesaki)	Ishikura fukabuka negi, Kokufu hakusai, Kamiizumi Riso daikon, Taguchi-na, Miyauchi-na, Shimoueki negi	Volcanic-ash soil at the foot of Mount Akagi. Suburban agriculture coexists with native varieties from the Edo period
Western Gunma (Kanra, Tomioka, Tano)	Shimonita negi, Miyazaki-na, aka-imo	The mountainous area of the Mount Myogi range. A cool climate and a negi culture strong in cooked dishes
Agatsuma-Tone (Nakanojo, Numata, Takayama)	Takayama cucumber, Iriyama cucumber, Kyozuka kabu, habahiro-ingen, Numasu negi	Unique varieties remain at the mountain-hamlet level. Many rare cucumber and kabu varieties
Eastern Gunma (Tatebayashi, Kiryu, Midori)	Kakina, neko-no-me ingen	The food-culture zone of the Ryomo region (the border with Tochigi). Centered on kakina and legumes

The Agatsuma-Tone region in particular has a concentration of different native varieties by mountain hamlet, and a characteristic of Gunma is that unique varieties are preserved within narrow geographic ranges—Iriyama cucumber, Kyozuka kabu, and habahiro-ingen of the Iriyama district (Nakanojo), and Takayama cucumber of Takayama village.

Sukiyaki kingdom Gunma and native vegetables

• Shimonita negi — nationwide fame as a sukiyaki ingredient. A creamy texture when heated
• Kokufu hakusai — a thick hakusai originating in Takasaki. A staple of sukiyaki and hot pot
• Konjac — Gunma holds a share of over 90% of national production (*not included in this article's 22 items, but culturally important)
• Ishikura fukabuka negi — a native fukabuka negi of Maebashi. Suited to hot-pot dishes

Gunma is a prefecture that touts a "100% sukiyaki self-sufficiency rate," and native vegetables such as Shimonita negi and Kokufu hakusai are rolled out nationwide as sukiyaki ingredients. Whereas other prefectures' heirloom vegetables tie to pickles and preserved foods, Gunma's distinctive feature is its tie to "hot-pot and sukiyaki culture."

A list of all 22 Gunma heirloom vegetables and a seasonal calendar

We organized in a list the 22 Gunma Prefecture heirloom vegetables certified by the Japan Heirloom Vegetable Promotion Association. The diversity of item genres stands out—4 negi items (Ishikura fukabuka negi, Shimoueki negi, Shimonita negi, Numasu negi), 3 kidney-bean items, and 3 daikon items.

22-item quick-reference table

#	Item	Category	Main growing region	Season
1	Shimonita negi	Negi	Shimonita, Kanra District / Tomioka	November to January
2	Ishikura fukabuka negi	Negi	Ishikura, Maebashi	October to March
3	Shimoueki negi	Negi	Shimoueki district, Isesaki	December to January
4	Numasu negi	Negi	Numata	Sold only as seedlings (*detailed under specialty varieties at the end)
5	Kokufu hakusai	Hakusai	Takasaki	November–March
6	Kamiizumi Riso daikon	Daikon	Kamiizumi, Maebashi	November–December
7	Jumonji daikon	Daikon	Jumonji, Takasaki	Mid-November to late December
8	Tokizawa daikon	Daikon	Tokizawa, Maebashi	Autumn to winter
9	Kokubu carrot	Carrot	Kokufu region, Takasaki	November–March
10	Kakina	Leafy vegetable (Brassicaceae)	Tatebayashi	December–April
11	Taguchi-na	Leafy green	Taguchi, Maebashi	Late February to mid-April
12	Miyauchi-na	Leafy green	Takasaki, Maebashi	February to March
13	Miyazaki-na	Pickling greens	Miyazaki, Tomioka	December to early March
14	Iriyama cucumber	Cucumber	Iriyama district, Nakanojo, Agatsuma District	July–September
15	Takayama cucumber	Cucumber	Takayama village, Agatsuma District	Mid-July to October
16	Kyozuka kabu	Turnip	Iriyama district, Nakanojo, Agatsuma District	October
17	Jinta myoga	Myoga	Kurabuchi, Takasaki	July–September
18	Aka-imo	Potato	Kanna, Tano District	Year-round
19	Habahiro-ingen	Kidney bean	Iriyama district, Nakanojo, Agatsuma District	July–early September
20	Neko-no-me ingen	Kidney bean	Kiryu, Azuma-cho, Midori	Summer–autumn
21	Benibana-ingen	Kidney bean	Mountainous parts of the prefecture	Late October to mid-November
22	Miyosawa azuki	Azuki bean	Miyagi district, Maebashi	August to early September

The item composition is diverse—4 negi items (Shimonita, Ishikura, Shimoueki, Numasu), 4 legume items (3 kidney beans + azuki), and 5 leafy-vegetable items (kakina, Taguchi-na, Miyauchi-na, Miyazaki-na, and leaf types other than Tokizawa daikon). The abundance of negi reflects Gunma's sukiyaki culture, and the abundance of legumes reflects the mountainous areas' culture of self-consumption.

Seasonal calendar (by month)

Month	Items coming into season
February to April	Taguchi-na, Miyauchi-na, kakina (final stretch)
July–September	Jinta myoga, Iriyama cucumber, Takayama cucumber, habahiro-ingen, neko-no-me ingen, Miyosawa azuki
October	Kyozuka kabu, benibana-ingen (start)
November–December	Shimonita negi, Kokufu hakusai, Kamiizumi Riso daikon, Jumonji daikon, Tokizawa daikon, Kokubu carrot, Shimoueki negi
The following January to March	Shimonita negi (through January), Ishikura fukabuka negi, Kokufu hakusai, Kokubu carrot, kakina, Miyazaki-na
Year-round	Aka-imo

November to January is the peak concentration of the season, with sukiyaki vegetables centered on Shimonita negi and Kokufu hakusai. Summer centers on the mountainous areas' cucumbers and kidney beans, and the in-season item composition is clearly divided by region.

Features and ways to eat representative Gunma heirloom vegetables

From among the 22 items, we selected representative items by the criteria of fame, distribution volume, and influence on food culture. Because Iriyama cucumber and Kyozuka kabu are preserved together in the same mountain hamlet of the Iriyama district, Agatsuma District, we introduce them together in one section.

Shimonita negi — a thick negi with a sweetness that turns creamy when heated

Season	November to the following January
Growing region	Shimonita, Kanra District / Tomioka
Well-suited dishes	Sukiyaki, hot pot, kakiage, grilled negi

Shimonita negiis a native negi characterized by a distinctive appearance—a thick, short white part. About 4–5cm in diameter and around 20cm long, it has the property of being very pungent when eaten raw yet turning into a melting, creamy sweetness when heated.

In the Edo period it was treated as a tribute to the lord, and it also has the alias "tono-sama negi" (lord's negi). Strong across cooked dishes—sukiyaki, hot pot, kakiage—it is a leading example of "cooked-type negi," alongsideSendai magari-negi of Miyagi・Fukushima's Akutsu magari negi.

Kokufu hakusai — the fine supporting player of sukiyaki, Takasaki's thick hakusai

Season	November to the following March
Growing region	Kokufu region, Takasaki
Well-suited dishes	Sukiyaki, hot pot, cream stew, hakusai pickles

Kokufu hakusai is a native hakusai grown in the Kokufu region of Takasaki. It is characterized by being heavy and dense, thick and strongly sweet, holding its shape well even when simmered and soaking up dashi well.

Unlike the light, many-leaved modern hakusai of F1 cultivars, it is a heavyweight of 3–5kg per head. Put in sukiyaki or hot pot, heat passes slowly through to the core, drawing out hakusai's inherent sweetness and richness.

Kokubu carrot — a long-root carrot 1m long

Season	November to the following March
Growing region	Kokufu region, Takasaki
Well-suited dishes	Simmered dishes, New Year namasu, osechi, kinpira

Kokubu carrot is a native long-root carrot reaching nearly 1m in length from leaf tip to root tip. The edible portion alone is around 60cm, an appearance completely different from ordinary carrots (15–20cm).

Because the flesh is soft and strongly sweet, it suits simmered dishes and New Year namasu. The "osechi red-and-white namasu" that makes use of its length is a staple of Takasaki's New Year cuisine, and using Kokubu carrot adds to the visual splendor. Harvest requires digging a dedicated deep trench, and the number of growing farms is on a declining trend.

Kakina — a winter stem vegetable of the Ryomo region

Season	December to the following April
Growing region	The Ryomo region, including Tatebayashi
Well-suited dishes	Ohitashi, mustard dressing, stir-fries, mustard pickles

Kakina is a native variety whose bud-bearing stems are "picked off" (kaki-toru) and eaten. It is commonly grown across the Ryomo region straddling Tatebayashi, Gunma, and Sano, Tochigi, and is the same line as Tochigi'sSano sodachi-na.

It can be harvested about three times from one plant, and its appeal is soft stems with a faint sweetness. Because sweetness increases when hit by winter frost, January to February is an especially delicious time. Ohitashi and mustard dressing are staples, and you can enjoy the harmony of faint bitterness and sweetness, like rapeseed flower.

Takayama cucumber — an extra-large cucumber 3–4 times ordinary size

Season	Mid-July to October
Growing region	Takayama village, Agatsuma District
Well-suited dishes	Pickles, hiyajiru, salad, stir-fries

Takayama cucumber is an extra-large variety that grows to 3–4 times the size of an ordinary cucumber. At 300–500g in weight and 25–30cm long, it is characterized by thick skin and firm flesh. It was once carefully preserved in Takayama village as a "summer preserved food."

Because it has high moisture content, thin-slicing and salt-massaging it makes a splendid salad. Being thick-fleshed, it keeps a firm bite even when pickled, suiting nuka-zuke and miso-zuke.

Iriyama cucumber and Kyozuka kabu — mountain native varieties of the Iriyama district, Agatsuma District

Season	Iriyama cucumber: July–September / Kyozuka kabu: October
Growing region	Iriyama district, Nakanojo, Agatsuma District
Well-suited dishes	Iriyama cucumber: pickles, eaten whole / Kyozuka kabu: pickles, simmered dishes

Iriyama cucumber is a short, thick Siberian native cucumber around 20cm long. Kyozuka kabu is a distinctive kabu that grows long and large, 10cm in diameter underground and 40cm above ground. Both have been preserved by several dozen farms in the narrow mountain hamlet of the Iriyama district in Nakanojo.

Both are hardly grown outside the hamlet and are drawing attention as "varieties that grow only in that land." Salt-pickled or nuka-zuke, Kyozuka kabu offers a distinctive crunchy texture.

Jinta myoga — high-quality myoga of Kurabuchi, Takasaki

Season	July to September
Growing region	Kurabuchi, Takasaki
Well-suited dishes	Condiment, sweet-vinegar pickles, tempura, topping for chilled tofu

Jinta myoga is a high-quality myoga grown in Kurabuchi, Takasaki. Its flower buds appear early, the plant grows tall, and it is characterized by a beautiful vivid-crimson color and a strong aroma.

With a stronger aroma than ordinary myoga, it packs a punch as a condiment for somen and chilled tofu. Made into sweet-vinegar pickles it keeps well and is prized as a summer standby dish.

Regional character—central Gunma, western Gunma, Agatsuma-Tone, eastern Gunma

Gunma's 22 items are distributed across four areas: central Gunma, western Gunma, Agatsuma-Tone, and eastern Gunma. Because Numasu negi is covered in the specialty-varieties section at the end, we introduce 21 items here.

Central Gunma area (Maebashi, Takasaki, Isesaki)

• Ishikura fukabuka negi(Ishikura, Maebashi) — a long-white-shank fukabuka-type negi. Suited to hot-pot dishes
• Shimoueki negi(Shimoueki district, Isesaki) — a thick, sweet winter negi
• Kokufu hakusai(Kokufu region, Takasaki) — the fine supporting player of sukiyaki
• Kokubu carrot(Kokufu region, Takasaki) — a long-root type nearly 1m long
• Kamiizumi Riso daikon(Kamiizumi, Maebashi) — a white, strongly sweet daikon
• Jumonji daikon(Jumonji, Takasaki) — for takuan pickling
• Tokizawa daikon(Tokizawa, Maebashi) — a pickling daikon from the Edo period
• Taguchi-na(Taguchi, Maebashi) — a cold-hardy leafy vegetable
• Miyauchi-na(Takasaki, Maebashi) — a leafy vegetable with vigorous regrowth
• Jinta myoga(Kurabuchi, Takasaki) — vivid-crimson high-quality myoga
• Miyosawa azuki(Miyagi district, Maebashi) — a native azuki for sekihan and wagashi

Western Gunma area (Shimonita, Tomioka, Tano)

• Shimonita negi(Shimonita, Tomioka) — a nationally known native negi also called tono-sama negi
• Miyazaki-na(Miyazaki, Tomioka) — a pickling greens with deeply indented leaves
• Aka-imo(Kanna, Tano District) — a small potato with reddish skin

Agatsuma-Tone area (Nakanojo, Takayama, Numata)

• Takayama cucumber(Takayama village, Agatsuma District) — an extra-large cucumber 3–4 times ordinary size
• Iriyama cucumber(Iriyama district, Nakanojo) — a short, thick Siberian type
• Kyozuka kabu(Iriyama district, Nakanojo) — a kabu large both above and below ground
• Habahiro-ingen(Iriyama district, Nakanojo) — a string-free, broad flat-pod kidney bean
• Benibana-ingen(mountainous area) — for cooked beans, large and good-looking

The Agatsuma-Tone area is a distinctive region with a concentration of native varieties in mountain hamlets. In particular, the three items of the Iriyama district in Nakanojo (Iriyama cucumber, Kyozuka kabu, habahiro-ingen) are a rare group of varieties preserved at a scale of several dozen farms.

Eastern Gunma area (Tatebayashi, Kiryu, Midori)

• Kakina(Tatebayashi) — a winter stem vegetable of the Ryomo region. A shared food-culture zone with Sano, Tochigi
• Neko-no-me ingen(Kiryu, Azuma-cho, Midori) — a glossy, beautiful bean

The eastern Gunma area is the Ryomo region adjacent to Sano, Tochigi, and kakina is closely related toTochigi's Sano sodachi-na. It forms a food-culture zone crossing the prefectural border.

How to buy Gunma heirloom vegetables and tips for storage

While Shimonita negi, Kokufu hakusai, and kakina also appear in metropolitan supermarkets, the mountain-hamlet varieties of Agatsuma-Tone are rare items available only at growing-region farm stands. Visit the growing region in season, or make use of hometown tax and mail order.

In-prefecture direct-sales outlets / roadside stations

Item	Main sources	Timing
Shimonita negi	Farm stands within Shimonita, Michi-no-Eki Shimonita	November to January
Kokufu hakusai	Farm stands within Takasaki, JA Takasaki farm stand	November–March
Kokubu carrot	Farm stands in the Kokufu region of Takasaki	November–March
Kakina	Farm stands in the Ryomo region of Tatebayashi and Sano	December–April
Takayama cucumber	Farm stands within Takayama village, Agatsuma District	July–October
Iriyama cucumber, Kyozuka kabu	Farm stands in the Iriyama district of Nakanojo (limited quantity)	July–October
Jinta myoga	Farm stands in Kurabuchi, Takasaki	July–September

Mail order / hometown tax to outside the prefecture

• Shimonita negi — shipped nationwide as a hometown-tax return gift of Shimonita. Limited to November–January
• Kokufu hakusai, Kokubu carrot — available via Takasaki's hometown tax and JA direct sales
• Kakina — sold seasonally in winter via Tatebayashi's hometown tax and farm-direct EC
• Benibana-ingen — available year-round as dried beans. Distributed as a premium item for cooked beans
• Processed products — processed products such as soy-sauce-pickled Shimonita negi and Kokufu hakusai pickles are available year-round

Storage methods by item

Item	Short-term storage	Long-term storage
Shimonita negi	Wrapped in newspaper, one week in the vegetable compartment	Chop and freeze (1 month)
Kokufu hakusai	Store whole, standing upright in newspaper, in a cool, dark place for 2 weeks	Salt pickles / hakusai pickles (1–2 months)
Kokubu carrot	In newspaper in the vegetable compartment for 2 weeks	Shaved and frozen (1 month)
Kakina	In moist newspaper in the vegetable compartment for 3 days	Boil quickly and freeze (2 weeks)
Takayama cucumber	In plastic wrap in the vegetable compartment for 5–7 days	Nuka-zuke / miso-zuke (1 month)
Jinta myoga	In plastic wrap in the vegetable compartment for 1 week	Sweet-vinegar pickles (2–3 months)
Benibana-ingen	Store dried beans sealed at room temperature	As dried beans, over 1 year

Gunma's native vegetables show their power most in "cooked dishes" and "pickle processing." Taking the trouble to heat or pickle them, rather than eating them raw, makes the difference from ordinary cultivars stand out.

Efforts to preserve Gunma's heirloom vegetables

To maintain the 22 native varieties, activities in which municipalities, JA, and local organizations coordinate continue.

Branding of Shimonita negi

Timing	Event
Edo period	Grown as a tribute to the lord. Also called "tono-sama negi"
Postwar	The shift to general distribution progresses, but cultivation difficulty is high and production volume is limited
Heisei era onward	Shimonita promotes branding. Nationally recognized as a sukiyaki ingredient
Present	Producer associations of Shimonita and Tomioka manage seeds and protect the brand

Shimonita negi is positioned such that "products grown in Shimonita, Tomioka, Kanra, Shinto, and elsewhere that meet the 7 conditions of the town-certified 'Shimonita Negi Association' are the genuine article," and the producer associations carry out strict quality management and variety protection. The "protection of the name" by a local organization is a good example of preserving a native variety.

Preserving rare varieties in mountain hamlets

• Iriyama district, Nakanojo — preserving the three varieties of Iriyama cucumber, Kyozuka kabu, and habahiro-ingen at the hamlet level
• Takayama village — passing down Takayama cucumber seeds through self-seed-saving
• Kanna, Tano District — centered on farms that continue the traditional cultivation of aka-imo
• JA Group Gunma — supporting the expansion of sales channels and the development of processed products for native varieties

The survival of mountain hamlets' native varieties is becoming difficult due to the aging of farmers. The combination of local organizations, municipalities, and consumer demand makes passing them on to the next generation possible.

FAQ

Other regional specialty varieties

Here we separately introduce, as "regional specialty varieties," items that are included in the Japan Heirloom Vegetable Promotion Association's list but are currently sold only as seedlings and whose actual distribution is limited.

Item	Category	Growing region	Characteristics and standing
Numasu negi	Negi	Numata	A cold-hardy native negi with long, pointed leaves and a long white part. Because the number of growing farms has now declined and it is sold only as seedlings, it is hard to obtain on the general distribution market. A rare variety whose revival and succession are a challenge

Summary

Gunma's 22 heirloom vegetables are a group of native varieties with a wide range of character, from leading sukiyaki ingredients such as Shimonita negi, Kokufu hakusai, and Kokubu carrot, to the mountain-hamlet varieties of the Iriyama district in Nakanojo. The climatic diversity created by the Jomo Three Mountains and the Kanto Plain supports this rich item composition.

In the November–January sukiyaki season, Shimonita negi and Kokufu hakusai; from July to October, the mountainous areas' Takayama cucumber and Iriyama cucumber; from winter to spring, the leafy kakina, Taguchi-na, and Miyauchi-na—being able to enjoy different items by season is Gunma's appeal. While making use of hometown tax and farm-direct EC, a trip to visit the growing region in season is also recommended.

References / information sources

• Japan Heirloom Vegetable Promotion Association, "Heirloom Vegetables of Gunma Prefecture" — the list of 22 certified items and their features
• Maebashi City, "Heirloom Vegetables of Maebashi" — details of central Gunma native varieties
• Gunma Prefecture, "On Vegetable Production" — the overall picture of the prefecture's agricultural products

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