What are Aichi’s heirloom vegetables? Features, season, and ways to eat the 37 items explained

Aichi's heirloom vegetables are a group of native varieties handed down amid the terrain diversity of the Nobi Plain, the Chita Peninsula, the Atsumi Peninsula, and the Mikawa mountain area, within the warm climate of Owari and Mikawa.Under the “Aichi Heirloom Vegetables” system that Aichi Prefecture independently designates(four conditions: cultivated since around 1955 / originating in Aichi Prefecture / seeds or seedlings still exist / seeds or produce are obtainable), 37 varieties were certified as of March 2023, including Miyashige daikon, Horyo daikon, Moriguchi daikon, Hekinan gosun carrot, Koshizu negi, and Yanamaru satoimo — native varieties that are the roots of today's mainstream varieties.

This article organizes 36 of the 37 varieties (the vegetables) by category and explains 7 representative ones in detail. We cover native varieties handed down in Aichi — “Miyashige daikon,” the root of the aokubi daikon; “Moriguchi daikon,” the raw material for moriguchi-zuke; “Hekinan gosun carrot,” red to the core; and “Aichi wase fuki,” a representative of Japan-native butterbur.

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. We lay out the criteria of the main certifying bodies.

Certifying body	Main criteria
Kyoto Prefecture "Kyoto Heirloom Vegetables"	Cultivated in Kyoto since before the Meiji era; 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
Aichi Prefecture, “Aichi Heirloom Vegetables”	Cultivated since around 1955 / originating in Aichi Prefecture / seeds or seedlings still exist / seeds or produce are obtainable (four conditions)

Aichi Prefecture independently designates varieties as “Aichi Heirloom Vegetables,” with 37 certified as of March 2023. In this article, the main text covers 36 of the 37 certified varieties (the vegetables), while “Atsumi Earl's melon,” which is strongly positioned as a fruit, and “mana,” treated independently by Nagakute City outside the prefectural certification, are introduced separately in the “Other Local Specialty Varieties” section at the end of the article.

What Are Aichi's Heirloom Vegetables? The Food Culture of Owari, Chita, and Mikawa

Area	Representative items	Regional characteristics
Owari (Nagoya, Kiyosu, Ama, Ichinomiya, Inazawa, Konan, Tsushima, Fuso, Oguchi, Nagakute)	Miyashige daikon, Horyo daikon, Moriguchi daikon, Tokushige daikon, Yagoto gosun carrot, Aichi honnaga nasu, aodai kyuri, Aichi chirimen kabocha, Ochiuri makuwa uri, Kindawara makuwa uri, karimori, wase karimori, Nozaki No. 2 hakusai, Nozaki nakate cabbage, Aichi taibansei cabbage, mochina/shogatsuna, Odaka na, matsuna, Jiromaru spinach, Koshizu negi, jurokusasage, hime sasage, shirobana sengoku fujimame, Tsuchida kabocha	The fertile alluvial land of the Nobi Plain. The most varieties
Chita (Tokai, Obu, Minamichita, Chita)	Kinoyama gosun carrot, Aichi shirowase onion, Chita No. 3 onion, Yabu wase onion, Aichi wase fuki	The warm climate and sandy soil of the Chita Peninsula
Mikawa (Okazaki, Toyohashi, Tahara, Atsumi, Hekinan, Kariya, Shinshiro, Shitara, Toei, Toyone, Anjo)	Hekinan gosun carrot, tengu nasu, Yanamaru satoimo, First tomato, wase togan, Hosshoji negi, Atsumi shirobana kinusaya endo	The Mikawa Bay coast and the mountainous area of Oku-Mikawa

The Owari region stands out by number of varieties, with native varieties of daikon, carrot, and the uri family especially concentrated. Chita leans toward onions and wase fuki, and Mikawa toward the eggplant and satoimo of the Mikawa mountain area and the horticultural vegetables of the Atsumi Peninsula — the mix of varieties splits by geography.

Historical Background — Aichi, Home to Many Roots of Today's Mainstream Varieties

• Miyashige daikon — Originating in the Miyashige district of Kiyosu City. The root of today's mainstream “aokubi daikon,” from which both spring and winter daikon derive
• Horyo daikon — Originating in the Horyo district of Ama City. A representative shirokubi-daikon lineage said to be the root of Nerima daikon and others
• Moriguchi daikon — A super-long-rooted daikon from Fuso Town (120–130 cm long, up to over 180 cm), the raw material for “moriguchi-zuke,” a pickle representing Aichi and Gifu
• Hekinan gosun carrot — A fixed-line gosun carrot bred in Hekinan City before the war. Red to the core and highly fragrant
• Aichi wase fuki — A Japan-native fuki (butterbur). A winter–spring specialty of Chita and Owari

Aichi's Heirloom Vegetables: A List of the Main 36 Varieties and Seasonal Calendar

Daikon, Carrot, Eggplant, Uri, Kabocha

Item	Category	Growing region	Season
Miyashige daikon	Daikon (aokubi)	Kiyosu City	November–December
Horyo daikon	Daikon (shirokubi)	Ama City	Garden pea
Moriguchi daikon	Daikon (super-long-rooted)	Fuso Town	December to January
Tokushige daikon	Daikon (thick-short)	Midori Ward, Nagoya City	December to January
Yagoto gosun carrot	Carrot (gosun)	Yagoto, Nagoya City	December to March
Hekinan gosun carrot	Carrot (gosun, red)	Hekinan City	December to February
Kinoyama gosun carrot	Carrot (gosun)	Obu City	Garden pea
Aichi honnaga nasu	Eggplant (long type)	Ama City	July–August (prefecture official)
Tengu nasu	Eggplant (large, 400–700 g)	Shitara Town, Toei Town, Toyone Village	July–October
Aodai cucumber	Cucumber (thick)	Owari region	June–July
First tomato	Tomato	Toyohashi, Atsumi	January to March
Aichi chirimen kabocha	Kabocha (crinkled skin)	Oharu Town, Obu City	June–July
Tsuchida kabocha	Kabocha (large)	Tsuchida, Kiyosu City	July–October
Ochiuri makuwa uri	Makuwa melon	Konan City	July–August
Kindawara makuwa uri	Makuwa uri (golden)	Konan City, Anjo City	July–August
Karimori	Uri (for pickling)	Kiyosu City, Oguchi Town	July–August
Wase karimori	Uri (pale green)	Owari, Kariya, Hekinan	July–August
Wase togan	Togan (small)	Anjo City	July–August

Hakusai, Cabbage, Leafy Vegetables

Item	Category	Growing region	Season
Nozaki No. 2 hakusai	Hakusai (cylindrical)	Nagoya City, Owari	November–December
Nozaki nakate cabbage	Cabbage (pale green)	Owari, Mikawa	November–December, June–July
Aichi taibansei cabbage	Cabbage (large-head, storage)	Nagoya City	April (prefecture official)
Mochina / Shogatsuna	Leafy vegetable (komatsuna type)	Owari region	December to January
Odaka na	Leafy vegetable (90 cm tall)	Odaka, Midori Ward, Nagoya City	December to January
Matsuna	Leafy vegetable (pine-needle shape)	Jimokuji, Ama City	December to January
Jiromaru spinach	Spinach (Oriental type)	Inazawa City	November to February

Negi, Onion, Beans, and Others

Item	Category	Growing region	Season
Koshizu negi	Negi (both leaf and blanched)	Tsushima, Konan, Ichinomiya	October to March
Hosshoji negi	Negi	Hosshoji-cho, Okazaki City	November–March
Aichi shirowase onion	Onion (flat type)	Tokai City	February to April
Chita No. 3 onion	Onion (extra-large)	Obu, Minamichita	June–July
Yabu wase onion	Onion (flat type)	Tokai, Chita	February–March (prefecture official)
Yanamaru satoimo	Satoimo (round, chewy)	Shinshiro City	September–March
Aichi wase fuki	Fuki (Japan-native)	Chita, Inazawa	October–May
Atsumi shirobana kinusaya endo	Snow pea	Atsumi	April to June
Jurokusasage	Cowpea (long pod)	Aisai City, Inazawa City	July–August
Hime sasage	Cowpea (red-purple tip)	Owari region	July–August
Shirobana sengoku fujimame	Hyacinth bean	Jimokuji, Ama City	July–August

The Characteristics and Ways to Eat 7 Representative Aichi Heirloom Vegetables

Miyashige Daikon — The Root of Today's Aokubi Daikon

Season	November–December
Growing region	Miyashige district, Kiyosu City
Well-suited dishes	Simmered dishes, pickles, grated, salad

Miyashige daikon is an aokubi-type daikon grown in the Miyashige district of Kiyosu City since the Edo period, and is a native variety said to be the root of today's mainstream “aokubi daikon.” Its strong points are a length of 40–45 cm, a shape with a green neck and a white tip, and a strong sweetness. It is a variety long handed down within Owari's food culture.

Simmered, its sweetness stands out; grated or in salad, it has a mild, low-pungency flavor that is easy to eat even raw. It ships from farm stands in Kiyosu City in November–December.

Moriguchi Daikon — The Super-Long-Rooted Pickling-Only Daikon

Season	December to January
Growing region	Fuso Town, Niwa District
Well-suited dishes	Moriguchi-zuke (sake-lees pickle), lees pickle

Moriguchi daikon is a super-long-rooted daikon about 120–130 cm long and 2–3 cm in diameter grown in Fuso Town (the long ones reach over 180 cm). Grown in the sandy loam of the Kiso River basin, it supports the pickle culture of Aichi and Gifu as the raw material for the sake-lees pickle “moriguchi-zuke.” It circulates nationwide as a Nagoya specialty.

Not suited to raw eating, the classic is a sake-lees pickle taking over a year to steep. It is generally distributed year-round as a processed product (moriguchi-zuke).

Hekinan Gosun Carrot — The Fixed-Line Gosun Carrot Red to the Core

Season	December to February
Growing region	Hekinan City
Well-suited dishes	Simmered dishes, kinpira, juice, salad

Hekinan gosun carrot (prefecture official name: Hekinan senko gosun carrot) is a fixed-line gosun carrot bred in Hekinan City before the war. It is distinguished by a vivid red color to the core, and a strength of fragrance and sweetness not found in ordinary orange carrots. The sandy loam along Kinuura Bay produces this coloring and texture.

In simmered dishes the red cut face shows beautifully, and in kinpira, juice, and salad its high fragrance comes alive. In season December–February, it circulates at farm stands in Hekinan City and supermarkets in Aichi and Gifu.

Koshizu Negi — The Aichi Native Negi Using Both Leaf and Blanched Parts

Season	October to March
Growing region	Tsushima City, Konan City, Ichinomiya City
Well-suited dishes	Hot pot, sukiyaki, soups, condiment

Koshizu negi is a native negi grown in Tsushima City, Konan City, and Ichinomiya City, with a character intermediate between the deep-rooted negi of Kanto and the leaf negi of Kansai. Both the green leaf part and the blanched part are tender and both can be eaten — that's its distinguishing feature. Heating brings out a strong sweetness.

In hot pot and sukiyaki its sweetness stands out, and it's an all-purpose negi that also works as a condiment. In season October–March, it circulates at JA farm stands in the Owari region.

Yanamaru Satoimo — Shinshiro City's Chewy Small Taro

Season	September–March
Growing region	Shinshiro City
Well-suited dishes	Simmered dishes, imoni, dengaku, koromokatsugi

Yanamaru satoimo is a small, round taro grown in the Yana district of Shinshiro City, distinguished above all by a chewy stickiness and tenderness. The clay soil of the Mikawa mountain area and the climate of its paddy-field zone have nurtured this texture.

Simmered, it holds its shape well, and in dengaku or kinukatsugi its texture stands out. Shipped over a long period from September through the following March, it is a variety used on Aichi's autumn–winter table.

First Tomato — The Thin-Skinned, Firm-Fleshed Tomato of the Atsumi Peninsula

Season	January to March
Growing region	Toyohashi City, Atsumi region
Well-suited dishes	Salad, caprese, sandwiches

First tomato is a traditional tomato variety grown in winter and spring on the Atsumi Peninsula. Thin-skinned with firm flesh, it has a well-balanced sweetness and acidity. The Atsumi Peninsula's warm climate and sandy soil support this flavor, giving it a texture different from today's mainstream Momotaro-type tomatoes.

In thin-sliced salads and caprese the flesh's texture comes alive, and used as a sandwich filling it releases little moisture, making it easy to handle. In season January–March, it can be spotted at farm stands in Toyohashi and Tahara and at some Tokyo supermarkets.

Aichi Wase Fuki — The Japan-Native Winter–Spring Fuki

Season	October–the following May
Growing region	Chita region, Inazawa City
Well-suited dishes	Simmered dishes, tsukudani, kyarabuki, fuki miso

Aichi wase fuki is a lineage of Japan-native fuki that can be shipped early. Grown in the Chita region and Inazawa City, its strong points are a vivid green color, strong fragrance, and tender stalks. Shipping over a long period from October through the following May is also one of Aichi's strengths.

With wide uses — simmered dishes, tsukudani, kyarabuki, fuki miso — it is indispensable to Aichi's spring table. Available at JA farm stands in Chita and Inazawa, it is also popular as a hometown-tax return gift.

How to Buy Aichi Heirloom Vegetables and Tips for Storing Them

Item	Main sources	Timing
Miyashige daikon	JA farm stand in Kiyosu City	November–December
Moriguchi daikon	JA farm stand in Fuso Town (moriguchi-zuke year-round)	December to January
Hekinan gosun carrot	JA farm stand in Hekinan City	December to February
Koshizu negi	JA farm stands in Tsushima, Konan, Ichinomiya	October to March
Yanamaru satoimo	JA farm stand in Shinshiro City	September–March
First tomato	Farm stands in Toyohashi and Tahara	January to March
Aichi wase fuki	JA farm stands in Chita and Inazawa	October–May

Mail order / hometown tax to outside the prefecture

• Moriguchi-zuke — Distributed year-round from long-established pickle shops in Aichi. Available nationwide as a Nagoya souvenir
• Yanamaru satoimo — Shipped in autumn–winter as a Shinshiro City hometown-tax return gift
• First tomato — Shipped in winter–spring as a Toyohashi/Tahara hometown-tax return gift
• Processed products — Karimori pickles, frozen Jiromaru spinach, tsukudani of Aichi wase fuki, and more, distributed year-round

Efforts to Protect Aichi Heirloom Vegetables

Efforts	Details
The “Aichi Heirloom Vegetables” Prefectural Certification System	Operated independently by Aichi Prefecture. 37 varieties certified as of March 2023
The Aichi Heirloom Vegetables Promotion Council	A collaborative body of the prefecture, JA, producer groups, restaurants, and processors
Revival Projects	Re-establishing production of varieties on the verge of disappearing, such as Miyashige daikon, Horyo daikon, and Yanamaru satoimo
Regional branding	JA actively promotes moriguchi-zuke, Hekinan gosun carrot, Koshizu negi, and others

FAQ

Other regional specialty varieties

Among the “Aichi Heirloom Vegetables” certified items, Atsumi Earl's melon, strongly positioned as a fruit, and mana, which Nagakute City has independently positioned as a heirloom vegetable despite being outside the prefectural certification, are introduced here as local specialty varieties.

Item	Category	Growing region	Features
Mana	Leafy vegetable (cut-leaf)	Nagakute City	Not certified under Aichi Prefecture's “Aichi Heirloom Vegetables.” A leafy vegetable that Nagakute City independently positions as a heirloom vegetable
Atsumi Earl's melon	Muskmelon (fruit)	Atsumi, Tahara City	A muskmelon with green skin and a fine net pattern. A gift-use melon grown in the warm climate of the Atsumi Peninsula

Summary

The 37 Aichi heirloom vegetables are a group of native varieties handed down across the three regions of Owari, Chita, and Mikawa. Miyashige daikon (root of the aokubi daikon), Horyo daikon (root of the shirokubi daikon), Hekinan senko gosun carrot (a representative of the senko/deep-red line), and others — lineages that are the roots of today's mainstream varieties are all here.

Winter brings Miyashige daikon, Moriguchi daikon, Hekinan gosun carrot, and Koshizu negi; spring brings First tomato; summer brings Aichi honnaga nasu, aodai kyuri, and karimori; autumn brings Aichi wase fuki and Yanamaru satoimo — Aichi's native varieties can be enjoyed through the four seasons. Through hometown-tax and farm stands, you can bring the food culture of Owari and Mikawa to your home table.

References / information sources

• Japan Traditional Vegetables Promotion Association, “Aichi Prefecture” — Information on the 37 certified varieties
• Aichi Prefecture, “Aichi Heirloom Vegetables” — The prefecture's official certification-system page
• National Agriculture and Food Research Organization Genebank "Native Variety Database"

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