What are Hyogo’s heirloom vegetables? Features, season, and ways to eat the 24 items listed by the association explained

Hyogo Prefecture's heirloom vegetables are varieties that have been handed down amid a diversity of terrain spreading from the mountainous areas of Tajima to the Harima Plain, the Tamba Basin, the Hanshin area, and Awaji Island. Hyogo Prefecture has no heirloom-vegetable certification system of its own, and the prefecture is advancing regional branding as "Hyogo vegetables." Meanwhile,The Japan Traditional Vegetable Promotion Associationlists 24 native varieties of Hyogo Prefecture (19 vegetables, 4 melons, 1 bamboo shoot), and in this article we organize those 24 items and then explain 7 representative items from among the 19 vegetables.

We introduce native varieties handed down in Hyogo—from tribute varieties dating to the Edo period, such as Asakura sansho (Yabu City), Iwatsu negi (Asago City), Tamba black soybean (Tambasasayama City), Tanou taro (Amagasaki City), ebiimo (Himeji City), and Oichi eggplant (the former Oichi-mura area of Nishinomiya City), to the regional ingredients of Hanshin, Harima, Tajima, and Tamba.

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"	Has a cultivation history from before Meiji and covers the whole prefecture (includes bamboo shoots, excludes mushrooms and ferns, and includes extinct items)
Osaka Prefecture "Naniwa Heirloom Vegetables"	Cultivated within Osaka Prefecture from roughly 100 or more years ago
Nara Prefecture "Yamato Heirloom Vegetables"	Production in this prefecture confirmed from before the war; distinctive cultivation method, flavor and aroma, form, and provenance characteristics
Shiga Prefecture, "Omi heirloom vegetables"	Origin within Shiga Prefecture, generally introduced before the Meiji era; characteristics of appearance and taste; and preservation of the seed
Hyogo Prefecture	No heirloom-vegetable certification system of its own. The "Hyogo Native Variety Preservation Society" handles the preservation and continuation of native varieties

In this article, of the 24 Hyogo Prefecture items organized by the Japan Heirloom Vegetable Promotion Association, we treat the 19 vegetables in the main section, and introduce the 4 melons—which lean strongly toward being fruit—and the 1 bamboo shoot separately in the "Other local specialty varieties" section at the end of the article.

What are Hyogo's heirloom vegetables? The food culture of Tajima, Tamba, Harima, and Hanshin

Area	Representative items	Regional characteristics
Tajima (Yabu, Asago, Kami)	Asakura sansho, Iwatsu negi, Heike kabura	The mountainous areas at the foot of Mt. Hyonosen and Mt. Hachibuse, and the Sea of Japan coast
Tamba (Sasayama, Tamba)	Tamba black, Tamba black edamame, Sumiyama gobo, yama no imo, azamina	The day-night temperature difference and fog of the Tamba Basin
Harima (Himeji, Shiso, Tatsuno, Akashi, Kakogawa)	Aboshi mizuna, Himeji wakana, ebiimo, Himeji lotus root, Oichi bamboo shoots, Shiso sanjaku (Shiso City), petchin uri, Mitsu blue melon, Aboshi melon, Kakogawa melon, Fukashino melon, Mega melon	The Harima Plain, the Ibo River basin, and the Seto Inland Sea coast
Hanshin (Amagasaki, Nishinomiya)	Ama imo, Tanou taro, Muko issun broad bean, Oichi eggplant (the former Oichi-mura area of Nishinomiya City)	The Osaka Bay coast and the southern foot of Mt. Rokko
Hokusetsu (Sanda)	Sanda udo	The cool climate of the Sanda Basin

In Hyogo, items are concentrated in the Harima region, reflecting the historic agricultural belt of the Seto Inland coast and the Ibo River basin. Diverse native varieties line up by region—Tajima's sansho and negi, Tamba's black soybean and gobo, Hanshin's taro and broad bean, and the udo of Hokusetsu and Sanda.

Historical background — the 400-year-old Asakura sansho and Tamba black soybean

• Asakura sansho — Originating in Asakura, Yoka Town, Yabu City. It has a record of being presented to Tokugawa Ieyasu by the Ikuno magistrate in Keicho 16 (1611) and has a cultivation history of nearly 400 years. In Meiji 45, Tomitaro Makino recorded its scientific name as "Asakura-zansho"
• Tamba black — A large-grained black soybean grown in Tambasasayama City. With large grains weighing 80–90 g per hundred grains and a quality in which the skin is not easily broken, it is distributed nationwide as a premium item for the New Year osechi "simmered black beans"
• Iwatsu negi — A native negi of the Iwatsu district of Asago City, with characteristics intermediate between the Kanto-lineage "deep-rooted negi" and the Kansai-lineage "leaf negi." Both the leaves and the blanched white part can be eaten
• Tanou taro — A taro handed down in the Tanou district of Amagasaki City, said by tradition to "not make you itchy" when peeling (Amagasaki City official)

List of Hyogo's 19 heirloom vegetables and a seasonal calendar (the 4 melons and 1 bamboo shoot are listed separately at the end)

Wild vegetables, aromatic vegetables, leafy vegetables

Item	Features	Growing region	Season
Asakura sansho	Large-grained, little astringency, a citrusy aroma	Asakura, Yoka Town, Yabu City	Late May–early June
Sanda udo	Few fibers, an elegant aroma	Sanda City	February to March
Sumiyama gobo	Fair-colored, a rustic aroma and bite	Sumiyama, Tambasasayama City	Mid-August–March
Azamina	Characterized by many thorns on the leaves	Tamba City	Early October to late March
Aboshi mizuna	Somewhat thick stems and few fibers	Aboshi, Himeji City	Winter
Himeji wakana	Cold-hardy, pale-green round leaves	Himeji City	December–late March

Tubers and negi

Item	Features	Growing region	Season
Ama imo	Earlier-maturing than ordinary sweet potato	Amagasaki City	July–August
Ebiimo	Fine-textured and does not fall apart when simmered	Himeji City	October–February
Tanou taro	Sticky, does not make the hands itchy	Tanou, Amagasaki City	November
Yama no imo	Very sticky and pure white	Tambasasayama City, Tamba City	November–December
Iwatsu negi	Both leaves and blanched white part edible, tender and aromatic	Iwatsu, Asago City	Late November–late March

Beans, eggplant, lotus root, turnip, for pickling

Item	Features	Growing region	Season
Tamba black / Tamba black edamame	80–90 g per hundred grains, large-grained, skin not easily broken	Tambasasayama City	Edamame in October, dry beans year-round
Muko issun broad bean	Grain diameter about 3 cm, the savory essence of the bean when boiled in salted water	Amagasaki City	Spring
Oichi eggplant	Bulb-shaped, meltingly soft when heated	The former Oichi-mura area of Nishinomiya City (Kami-Oichi, Shimo-Oichi, Mondo, etc.)	July–October
Himeji lotus root	White, fine-textured, and crisp	Himeji City	July–the following April (the peak is late autumn to early winter, around year-end)
Heike kabura	Thorns on the leaf stalks, suited to soups	Kasumi District, Kami Town, Mikata District	Winter
Shiso sanjaku	A long type of 36–44 cm, crisp	Shiso City	Late June–mid-August
Petchin uri	Deep green, ideal for light pickles	Akashi City	July–early September
Mitsu blue melon	Characterized by white vertical stripes	Mitsu, Tatsuno City	Mid-June–mid-September

Characteristics and ways to eat seven representative Hyogo heirloom vegetables

Asakura sansho — a large-grained sansho, a 400-year-old tribute item

Season	Late May–early June
Growing region	Asakura, Yoka Town, Yabu City
Well-suited dishes	Tsukudani, sansho miso, an eel condiment, spices

Asakura sansho is a large-grained sansho originating in the Asakura district of Yoka Town, Yabu City, characterized by little astringency and a citrusy aroma. In Keicho 16 (1611), a record remains of the Ikuno magistrate Shinzaemon Mamiya presenting it to Tokugawa Ieyasu at Sunpu Castle, and records remain of it being presented from the Tajima and Tamba regions to the Edo shogunate throughout the Edo period. In Meiji 45, Tomitaro Makino recorded its scientific name as "Asakura-zansho."

In its late-May to early-June season, the fresh berries are shipped and processed into tsukudani, sansho miso, dried powder, and the like. Spreading after Tomitaro Makino's recording of it as a new variety, it is considered one of the varieties that became the origin of the large-grained lineage among Japan's cultivated sansho.

Iwatsu negi — Tajima's Kanto-Kansai intermediate-type negi

Season	Late November–late March
Growing region	Iwatsu, Asago City
Well-suited dishes	Hot pots, sukiyaki, grilled negi, sumiso dressing

Iwatsu negi is a native negi grown in the Iwatsu district of Asago City, with characteristics intermediate between the Kanto-lineage "deep-rooted negi" and the Kansai-lineage "leaf negi." Both the green part of the leaves and the blanched white part are tender and can be eaten. Its appeal is a distinctive sweetness that spreads when heated, along with a high aroma.

The sweetness stands out in hot pots, sukiyaki, and grilled negi, and you can enjoy the raw crispness in sumiso dressing too. It is shipped from farmers' markets and JA farmers' markets in the winter Tajima region and is also handled at supermarkets within Hyogo Prefecture.

Tamba black / Tamba black edamame — a large-grained black soybean weighing 80–90 g per hundred grains

Season	Edamame in October, dried soybeans year-round
Growing region	Tambasasayama City, Hyogo Prefecture
Well-suited dishes	Simmered black beans (osechi), salt-boiled edamame, miso, amanatto

Tamba black is a native variety of black soybean grown in Tambasasayama City, large-grained at 80–90 g per hundred grains. Because of a quality in which the skin is not easily broken, it is distributed nationwide as a premium item for the New Year osechi dish "simmered black beans." The day-night temperature difference and fog of the Tamba Basin are the growing conditions that cultivate its sweetness and taut skin.

In the October edamame season, new-crop beans shipped nationwide as "Tamba black edamame" appear, and you can enjoy the beans' sweetness and aroma simply salt-boiled. The dried soybeans have wide uses—miso, amanatto, simmered beans—and are distributed as a specialty of Tambasasayama.

Ebiimo — Himeji's fine-textured taro

Season	October–February
Growing region	Himeji City
Well-suited dishes	Simmered dishes, dengaku, karaage, miso soup

Ebiimo is a kind of taro grown in Himeji City, named for its long, slender shape and shrimp-like stripe pattern. Its appeal is fine-textured flesh that does not easily fall apart when simmered, and it is a Kansai taro belonging to the same ebiimo lineage as Kyoto's ebiimo (one of the Kyoto heirloom vegetables).

In simmered dishes it keeps its shape for an elegant finish, and made into dengaku or karaage you can enjoy a fluffy texture. In its October–February season it is shipped from JA farmers' markets within Himeji City.

Oichi eggplant — a bulb-shaped native round eggplant

Season	July–October
Growing region	The former Oichi-mura area of Nishinomiya City (the present Kami-Oichi, Shimo-Oichi, and the area around Mondo-Yakujin Station)
Well-suited dishes	Dengaku, simmered dishes, agebitashi, grilled eggplant

Oichi eggplant is a native round eggplant that has been grown in the former Oichi-mura area of Nishinomiya City (a settlement around Hankyu Mondo-Yakujin Station said to have been renowned for its good flavor in the Meiji era; the present Kami-Oichi to Shimo-Oichi area), characterized by a bulb-like shape. When heated, the flesh becomes meltingly soft while the skin keeps a firm bite. It is a round-eggplant native variety similar in shape to Kyoto's Kamo eggplant and Sabae's Yoshikawa eggplant.

The softness of the flesh comes alive in dengaku and agebitashi, and in grilled eggplant its distinctive sweetness stands out. In its July–October season it is shipped from farmers' markets within Nishinomiya City (the production area's "Oichi" is a former village name in the Hanshin area, a different region from the Oichi district of Kamigyo Ward, Kyoto City).

Aboshi mizuna — a native mizuna of the lower Ibo River

Season	Winter
Growing region	Aboshi, Himeji City
Well-suited dishes	Hot pots, ohitashi, salads, miso soup

Aboshi mizuna is a native mizuna grown in the Aboshi district of Himeji City. Its appeal is a crisp texture with somewhat thick stems that leave no fiber. It is a Brassicaceae leafy vegetable of the same family as Kyoto's mibuna and mizuna and has been used as a Kansai winter vegetable in pickles and hot pots.

You can enjoy the texture of the stems in hot pots, ohitashi, and salads, and as an ingredient in miso soup its moderate bitterness and aroma make an accent. It is shipped from farmers' markets within Himeji City in winter.

Tanou taro — Amagasaki's taro that does not make the hands itchy

Season	November
Growing region	Tanou, Amagasaki City
Well-suited dishes	Simmered dishes, imoni, dengaku, koromokatsugi

Tanou taro is a native taro that has been handed down in the Tanou district of Amagasaki City. It is very sticky and has the rare characteristic of not making the hands itchy when peeling. Cultivation continues in Tanou, where farmland dating to the Edo period remains despite being in the urban Hanshin area, and it is cherished in local home cooking.

The stickiness comes alive in simmered dishes and imoni, and you can enjoy a fluffy feel in dengaku and koromokatsugi. Its season is short, in November, and it is shipped from farmers' markets within Amagasaki City.

How to buy Hyogo's heirloom vegetables and tips for storage

Item	Main sources	Timing
Asakura sansho	Farmers' markets in Yabu City and Asago City, JA Tajima	Late May–early June (processed products year-round)
Iwatsu negi	JA farmers' markets in Asago City, JA in the Tajima region	Late November–late March
Tamba black edamame	Farmers' markets in Tambasasayama City, JA Tamba Hikami	October
Tamba black (dried beans)	Tambasasayama City, within Hyogo Prefecture, nationwide	Year-round
Ebiimo	JA farmers' markets within Himeji City	October–February
Oichi eggplant	Farmers' markets within Nishinomiya City	July–October
Tanou taro	Farmers' markets in Tanou, Amagasaki City	November
Sanda udo	Farmers' markets within Sanda City, JA Hyogo Rokko	February to March
Sumiyama gobo	Farmers' markets in Sumiyama, Tambasasayama City	Mid-August–March
Muko issun broad bean	Farmers' markets in Amagasaki City (mainly for home use, with little distribution)	Spring
Yama no imo	Farmers' markets in Tambasasayama City and Tamba City	November–December
Aboshi mizuna	Farmers' markets in Aboshi, Himeji City	Winter
Himeji wakana	Farmers' markets within Himeji City	December–late March
Azamina	Farmers' markets within Tamba City	Early October to late March
Himeji lotus root	JA farmers' markets within Himeji City	July–the following April (the peak is late autumn to early winter)
Shiso sanjaku	Farmers' markets within Shiso City	Late June–mid-August
Petchin uri	Farmers' markets within Akashi City	July–early September
Mitsu blue melon	Farmers' markets in Mitsu, Tatsuno City	Mid-June–mid-September
Heike kabura	Farmers' markets in Kasumi District, Kami Town, Mikata District	Winter

Mail order / hometown tax to outside the prefecture

• Tamba black / Tamba black edamame — As a hometown-tax gift of Tambasasayama City, edamame is shipped in October and dried beans year-round
• Asakura sansho — Distributed year-round via Yabu City's hometown tax and processed-goods mail order
• Iwatsu negi — Shipped in winter as a hometown-tax gift of Asago City
• Processed products — Asakura sansho tsukudani and powder, simmered ebiimo, and Muko issun broad bean are mainly home-cultivated, with very limited market distribution (Amagasaki City official, "phantom bean")

Efforts to protect Hyogo's heirloom vegetables

Efforts	Details
Hyogo Native Variety Preservation Society	An NPO that handles the preservation and continuation of native varieties within Hyogo Prefecture. It carries out seed-exchange events, cultivation guidance, and the like
Hyogo vegetables	A vegetable page where Hyogo Prefecture advances regional branding. It disseminates information on native varieties and specialty products
JA Tajima's promotion of Asakura sansho and Iwatsu negi	JA in the Tajima region supports production-area branding and channel expansion
Tamba Hikami's Tamba black brand	An effort to distribute Tambasasayama's black soybeans and edamame to the nationwide market

FAQ

Other regional specialty varieties

Of the Japan Heirloom Vegetable Promotion Association's 24 Hyogo Prefecture items, the 4 melons that lean strongly toward being fruit (Aboshi melon, Kakogawa melon, Fukashino melon, Mega melon) and the 1 bamboo shoot among the bamboo-shoot category (Oichi bamboo shoots) are introduced in a separate frame from the vegetables.

Item	Category	Growing region	Features
Aboshi melon	Melon (fruit)	Aboshi, Himeji City	Strong sweetness with a sugar level of 15–16 degrees
Kakogawa melon	Melon (fruit)	Kakogawa City	Large and with a good bite
Fukashino melon	Melon (fruit)	Fukashino, Himeji City	Fruit weight about 200 g, strong sweetness
Mega melon	Melon (fruit)	Mega, Himeji City	Cracks along the vertical grooves, strong sweetness
Oichi bamboo shoots	Bamboo shoots	Oichi, Himeji City	White, fine-textured, low in astringency—a taste of spring

Summary

Hyogo's 24 heirloom vegetables (19 vegetables, 4 melons, 1 bamboo shoot) are varieties that have been handed down in the Tajima, Tamba, Harima, Hanshin, and Hokusetsu regions. They line up with items reflecting the food culture of each part of Hyogo—Asakura sansho with its 400-year tribute history, Tamba black at around 80 g per hundred grains, Iwatsu negi usable for both leaf and blanched white, Himeji's ebiimo, Nishinomiya's Oichi eggplant, Amagasaki's Tanou taro, and more.

You can enjoy Hyogo's native varieties throughout the four seasons—Asakura sansho and Sanda udo in spring; Oichi eggplant, petchin uri, and Shiso sanjaku in summer; and Tamba black edamame, Iwatsu negi, ebiimo, and Tanou taro from autumn to winter. Through hometown tax and farmers' markets, you can taste Hyogo's regional ingredients at home too.

References / information sources

• Japan Heirloom Vegetable Promotion Association, "Hyogo Prefecture" — a list of 24 items
• Hyogo Prefecture, "Hyogo vegetables" — official prefectural vegetable information
• JA Tajima, "Asakura sansho" — production-area information
• National Agriculture and Food Research Organization Genebank "Native Variety Database"

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