What are the Hida-Mino heirloom vegetables? Features, season, and ways to eat the 32 items explained

Hida-Mino heirloom vegetables are a group of native varieties handed down within the terrain diversity linking Gifu Prefecture's mountainous areas and the Mino Plain — the Hida Mountains, the Hakusan range, the Kiso River system, and more. Gifu Prefecture began its own “Hida-Mino Heirloom Vegetables” certification system in 2001, and according to theGifu Prefecture official page, 32 varieties (27 vegetables, 5 fruit trees) were certified as of September 2023.

This article organizes the 27 vegetables and 5 fruit trees (Kogen sansho is classified as a fruit tree) and explains 7 representative ones in detail. We introduce native varieties handed down in Hida and Mino — Hida beni-kabu, Moriguchi daikon, Akishima sasage, Juroku sasage, Tokuda negi, makuwa uri, Kokufu nasu, and more.

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

There is no nationwide unified definition for "heirloom vegetable," and the criteria differ by certifying body. To help you understand this article's content accurately, we organize the criteria of major 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
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
Nagano Prefecture "Shinshu Heirloom Vegetable Certification System"	Clear origin and provenance / roughly 50 or more years of production and use
Gifu Prefecture, “Hida-Mino Heirloom Vegetables”	Mainly cultivated within the prefecture / characteristics owing to the prefecture's climate / cultivated since before 1945

In this article, we use Gifu Prefecture's “Hida-Mino Heirloom Vegetables” certification system (32 varieties as of September 2023) as the primary source. Of the 32 varieties, the main text focuses on the 27 vegetables, and the 5 fruit trees (3 persimmon types, ginkgo, and sansho) are introduced in the “Other Local Specialty Varieties (Fruit Trees)” section at the end of the article. Note that Gifu Prefecture officially classifies Kogen sansho as a fruit tree.

What Are Hida-Mino Heirloom Vegetables? The Food Culture of the Hida Highlands and the Mino Plain

Gifu Prefecture divides into the “Hida region,” surrounded by the Hida Mountains, Mount Norikura, Hakusan, and Mount Ontake, and the “Mino region” of the Kiso Three Rivers basin — the Kiso, Nagara, and Ibi rivers. Hida is a cold highland and heavy-snow area, while Mino mixes a warm plain and mountainous areas, and the climatic difference means different varieties are grown in each.

The Two Areas and the Distribution of Varieties

Area	Representative items	Regional characteristics
Hida (Takayama, Hida, Gero, Shirakawa)	Hida beni-kabu, Tanekura beni-kabu, Kunogawa kabura, Hida ippon futo negi, Kokufu nasu, Akishima sasage, Minami Hida Fuji-gaki, Kogen sansho (fruit tree)	The cold highlands and heavy-snow areas of the Hida Mountains and the Hakusan range
Mino (Gifu City, Kakamigahara, Nakatsugawa, Ena, Ibi, Motosu, Yamagata, Mizuho, Hashima, Ginan Town, Mizunami, Minokamo, Gujo)	Moriguchi daikon, Ajime kosho, Kuwanoki mame, Juroku sasage, Sengoku mame, Kasuga mame, kiku-imo, kiku-gobo, Nishikata imo, Kobo imo, konburi, sawa azami, Tokuda negi, beni udo, Kasuga haruna, makuwa uri, Kasuga kyuri, Hanbara kabocha, Seto no takenoko, Dojo hachiya-gaki, Ijira omi-gaki, Tokuro ginnan	The Kiso Three Rivers basin and the mountainous areas of Mino

Hida centers on the kabu family and cold-region vegetables, while Mino has a varied mix of beans, root vegetables, and fruit trees — the climatic difference between the two regions becomes the difference in variety mix as is.

Hida-Mino Heirloom Vegetables: A List of the 27 Vegetables and Seasonal Calendar

Quick Reference Table of the 27 Vegetables + Reference (Kogen sansho)

#	Item	Category	Main growing region
1	Akishima sasage	Bean (striped)	Takayama City, Hida City
2	Ajime kosho	Chili pepper	Nakatsugawa City
3	Kuwanoki mame	Bean	Yamagata City
4	Jurokusasage	Bean (long pod)	Hashima City, Motosu City
5	Sengoku mame	Bean	Gifu City
6	Kasuga mame	Bean	Ibigawa Town
7	Kiku-imo	Root vegetable (Jerusalem artichoke)	Ena City
8	Kiku-gobo	Burdock	Nakatsugawa City
9	Nishikata imo	Taro	Nakatsugawa City
10	Moriguchi daikon	Daikon (super-long-rooted)	Gifu City
11	Sumi kabura	Kabu (purple-white)	Gujo City
12	Hida beni-kabu	Kabu (crimson)	Takayama City, Hida City
13	Tanekura beni-kabu	Kabu (conical, red-purple)	Hida City
14	Kunogawa kabura	Kabu (all red)	Gero City
15	Kobo imo	Potato (small)	Motosu City
16	Konburi	Asatsuki bulb	Ibigawa Town
17	Sawa azami	Mountain vegetable (thistle)	Ibigawa Town
18	Tokuda negi	Negi	Ginan Town
19	Hida ippon futo negi	Negi (thick)	Takayama City, Hida City
20	Beni udo	Udo (red stalk)	Ena City
21	Kasuga haruna	Leafy vegetable (nabana type)	Ibigawa Town
22	Makuwa uri	Makuwa melon	Motosu City
23	Kasuga kyuri	Cucumber (stubby)	Ibigawa Town
24	Hanbara kabocha	Kabocha (small, white skin)	Mizunami City
25	Kokufu nasu	Eggplant (large)	Takayama City
26	Seto no takenoko	Bamboo shoots	Nakatsugawa City
—	Kogen sansho	Sansho (classified among the 5 fruit trees)	Takayama City

Seasonal calendar of main items

Month	Main items coming into season
March to April	Kasuga haruna, beni udo (April–early May)
Mid-January–late February	Sawa azami (late April–early July), Seto no takenoko, Sengoku mame (late April–), konburi (May–June)
June–July	Juroku sasage (late June–late September), Kobo imo (July)
July–August	Akishima sasage (late July–October), makuwa uri (late July–early August), Kokufu nasu (July–October), Kasuga kyuri, Hanbara kabocha, Kogen sansho
October–November	Kiku-imo, kiku-gobo, Kuwanoki mame, Hida beni-kabu (–early December), Sumi kabura, Tanekura beni-kabu, Kunogawa kabura, Kasuga mame, Ajime kosho (–November)
November–March	Tokuda negi (late November–the following March), Hida ippon futo negi, Nishikata imo (October–December), Moriguchi daikon (December–January)

The Characteristics and Ways to Eat 7 Representative Hida-Mino Heirloom Vegetables

Hida Beni-Kabu — Takayama's Vermilion Red Kabu

Season	October–early December
Growing region	Takayama City, Hida City
Well-suited dishes	Pickles (aka-kabu pickles), vinegar pickles, simmered dishes

Hida beni-kabu is a flat-round kabu 12–14 cm across, whose skin turns a deep crimson close to vermilion. The Hida region's cool climate and day–night temperature swings produce this vivid coloring. In Takayama City and Hida City it is a representative autumn–winter ingredient, and “Hida aka-kabu pickles,” salt- or vinegar-pickled, is a nationally distributed souvenir.

The pickling liquid develops a vivid pink, making it a pickle that stands out on the table by color as well. Sold at Michi-no-Eki and the morning market in front of Takayama Jinya in October–December, the processed products circulate year-round.

Moriguchi Daikon — The Super-Long-Rooted Daikon 1.2–1.3 m Long

Season	December to January
Growing region	Gifu City (one of the two major production areas, alongside Fuso Town, Aichi Prefecture)
Well-suited dishes	Moriguchi-zuke (sake-lees pickle), lees pickle

Moriguchi daikon is a super-long-rooted, super-slender daikon averaging 1.2–1.3 m long and 2–3 cm in diameter, with the long ones exceeding 1.8 m. The deep, soft sandy loam of the Kiso River basin has made this extreme length possible. Its main production areas are the two regions of Gifu City, Gifu Prefecture, and Fuso Town, Niwa District, Aichi Prefecture; not suited to raw eating, the sake-lees-pickled “moriguchi-zuke” is known nationwide as a Nagoya specialty.

Because it is a labor-intensive pickle taking over a year from cultivation through harvest and steeping, the price is on the higher side, but it is established as a gift item. Chances to see the fresh daikon during the December–January harvest are limited, and it is generally distributed year-round as a processed product (moriguchi-zuke).

Akishima Sasage — The Bean with Beautiful Purple Stripes

Season	Late July–October
Growing region	Takayama City, Hida City
Well-suited dishes	Simmered dishes, salad, dressed dishes, tempura

Akishima sasage is a beautiful native bean with purple stripes on a green pod. Grown in the Hida region, it turns a vivid solid green when boiled in hot water, but its distinctive look and the bean's sweetness are its strong points. In salad the color stands out, and its flavor comes alive in simmered and dressed dishes too.

Sold at Hida farm stands in summer–autumn, it circulates as a local summer vegetable. Its unusual look also makes it a choice for gifts.

Juroku Sasage — The Long-Podded Bean 30–40 cm Long

Season	Late June–late September
Growing region	Hashima City, Motosu City
Well-suited dishes	Simmered dishes, stir-fries, dressed with miso, pickles

Juroku sasage is a long-podded native bean whose pods stretch to about 30–40 cm, its name deriving from the roughly 16 beans per pod. The warm climate of the Mino Plain and the fertile soil of the Kiso Three Rivers basin have nurtured this length and rich bean count.

Its flavor comes out in simmered dishes and dressed-with-miso preparations, and cooking the long pods whole gives it visual impact too. Available in summer only at farm stands in Hashima and Motosu, it is a variety used in the region's local cuisine.

Tokuda Negi — Ginan Town's Sweet Leaf-Negi-Type Negi

Season	Late November–the following March
Growing region	Ginan Town, Hashima District
Well-suited dishes	Hot pot, sukiyaki, grilled negi, soups

Tokuda negi is a leaf-negi-type negi grown in the Tokuda district of Ginan Town, its strong points the tenderness and sweetness of both the leaf and the blanched part. The sandy loam and warm climate of the Mino Plain draw out this sweetness. As a winter hot-pot and sukiyaki ingredient, it is a highly popular variety within Gifu Prefecture.

Heated, the white part becomes so tender it seems to melt, spreading a distinctive sweetness. It is sold seasonally in winter at farm stands in Ginan Town and JA farm stands in Gifu City.

Makuwa Uri — Motosu City's Yellow Uri, Continuing Since Nobunaga's Time

Season	Late July–early August
Growing region	Shinsei-cho, Motosu City
Well-suited dishes	Raw eating, fruit salad, dessert

Motosu City's makuwa uri is a native makuwa uri distinguished by yellow skin and a cylindrical shape. It is said to have been cultivated since the Warring States period, with a legend remaining that Oda Nobunaga presented it to the imperial court. Combining a melon-like sweetness with the refreshing aftertaste of makuwa uri, it is beloved in the region as a summer gift.

The season is short, about two weeks from late July to early August, and missing it means waiting until the next year — a rare variety. Obtaining it centers on farm stands in Motosu City and direct-from-farm EC.

Kokufu Nasu — Takayama City's Large Eggplant 30 cm Long

Season	July–October
Growing region	Kokufu district, Takayama City
Well-suited dishes	Dengaku, grilled eggplant, simmered dishes, agebitashi

Kokufu nasu is a large eggplant about 30 cm long grown in the Kokufu district of Takayama City. Thin-skinned with tender flesh, it takes on a melting texture when heated. The Hida region's temperature swings achieve both thin skin and tender flesh.

Tasting the ingredient as-is in dengaku, grilled eggplant, and deep-fried and marinated dishes is the classic. It ships in July–October at Takayama City's morning market and Michi-no-Eki.

How to Buy Hida-Mino Heirloom Vegetables and Tips for Storing Them

For Hida-Mino heirloom vegetables, the main routes to obtaining them are growing-region farm stands, Michi-no-Eki, hometown-tax, and processed-product mail order. Hida beni-kabu pickles and moriguchi-zuke are nationally distributed products, available even at metropolitan department stores and regional-product fairs.

In-prefecture direct-sales outlets / roadside stations

Item	Main sources	Timing
Hida beni-kabu	Morning market in front of Takayama Jinya, Miyagawa morning market, Michi-no-Eki	October–December (pickles year-round)
Moriguchi daikon	JA farm stands in Gifu City (processed products year-round)	December to January
Akishima sasage	Farm stands in Takayama City and Hida City	Late July–October
Jurokusasage	Farm stands in Hashima and Motosu	Late June–late September
Tokuda negi	Farm stands in Ginan Town, JA Gifu City	Late November–the following March
Makuwa uri	Farm stands in Motosu City, Michi-no-Eki Oribe	Late July–early August
Kokufu nasu	Morning market in front of Takayama Jinya, Kokufu-district farm stand	July–October

Mail order / hometown tax to outside the prefecture

• Hida beni-kabu pickles — Shipped year-round as a Takayama City / Hida City hometown-tax return gift
• Moriguchi-zuke — Distributed year-round from long-established pickle shops in Aichi and Gifu. Famous as a gift item
• Makuwa uri — Shipped in July–August only as a Motosu City hometown-tax return gift
• Processed products — Kogen sansho powder, sawa azami pickles, and more, distributed year-round

Storage methods by item

Item	Short-term storage	Long-term storage
Hida beni-kabu	Wrap in newspaper and keep 1 week in the vegetable compartment	1 month or more as aka-kabu pickles
Moriguchi daikon	In newspaper, 1 week in a cool, dark place	Long-term storage as moriguchi-zuke (sake-lees pickle)
Akishima sasage	In a plastic bag in the vegetable drawer for 3–5 days	Boil and freeze (1 month)
Jurokusasage	In a plastic bag in the vegetable drawer for 3–5 days	Boil and freeze (1 month)
Tokuda negi	Wrap in newspaper and keep 1 week in the vegetable compartment	Chop and freeze (1 month)
Makuwa uri	Refrigerated for 3–5 days	Not freezable (flavor deteriorates)
Kokufu nasu	Wrap in newspaper and keep 3–5 days in the vegetable compartment	As agebitashi, 3 days chilled, 1 month frozen

Efforts to Protect Hida-Mino Heirloom Vegetables

To maintain the 32 native varieties, activities coordinated among Gifu Prefecture, the municipalities, JA Gifu, and the Hida-Mino Specialty Masters are advancing.

The Hida-Mino Heirloom Vegetables Certification System

Efforts	Details
Start of the certification system	A certification system by the Gifu Prefecture governor began in 2001. 4 varieties were added in March 2022 and 1 in September 2023
Certification requirements	Three requirements: mainly cultivated within the prefecture / characteristics owing to the prefecture's climate / cultivated since before 1945
Hida-Mino Specialty Masters	An initiative in which skilled producers cultivate and carry on the certified varieties
Branding support	JA and municipalities actively promote Hida beni-kabu, Moriguchi daikon, Juroku sasage, and others

A certification system with a long track record since 2001 and the succession support of skilled producers through the Hida-Mino Specialty Masters underpin the maintenance of the 32 varieties. New varieties have been added since 2022, and further certifications may follow.

FAQ

Other Local Specialty Varieties (Fruit Trees)

Gifu Prefecture's “Hida-Mino Heirloom Vegetables” certification system includes, besides the 27 vegetables, 5 fruit-tree varieties. Because this article centers on vegetables, we introduce the 5 fruit trees separately.

Item	Category	Growing region	Features
Dojo hachiya-gaki	Dried persimmon (astringent persimmon)	Minokamo City	A dried persimmon of around 65 degrees sugar content. A high-end gift item
Ijira omi-gaki	Dried persimmon (astringent persimmon)	Yamagata City	A small-fruited native astringent persimmon suited to drying
Minami Hida Fuji-gaki	Sweet persimmon	Gero City	A large sweet persimmon with a distinctive square shape
Tokuro ginnan	Ginkgo (treated as a fruit tree)	Hashima City, Mizuho City	Large-grained, about twice the size of ordinary ginkgo
Kogen sansho	Sansho	Takayama City	A small-grained, highly fragrant sansho of the Hida highlands

Summary

The 32 Hida-Mino heirloom vegetables (27 vegetables, 5 fruit trees; Kogen sansho treated as a fruit tree) are a group of native varieties handed down in the varied climates of the Hida Mountains, the Hakusan range, and the Kiso Three Rivers basin. Representative varieties of Hida and Mino food culture gather here — Hida beni-kabu, Moriguchi daikon, Akishima sasage, Juroku sasage, Tokuda negi, makuwa uri, Kokufu nasu, and more.

Summer brings Juroku sasage, makuwa uri, and Kokufu nasu; autumn brings Hida beni-kabu and kiku-gobo; winter–spring brings Tokuda negi, Moriguchi daikon, and Kasuga haruna — native varieties unique to Gifu line up through the four seasons. Through hometown-tax and Michi-no-Eki, you can bring the native varieties of Hida and Mino to your home table.

References / information sources

• Gifu Prefecture, “Hida-Mino Heirloom Vegetables” — The prefecture's official certification-system page
• Japan Traditional Vegetables Promotion Association, “Gifu Prefecture” — Certification information for the 32 varieties
• Gifu Prefecture, “Hida-Mino Specialty Masters” — The succession-support system for skilled producers
• National Agriculture and Food Research Organization Genebank "Native Variety Database" — information on native varieties nationwide

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