What are Tottori’s heirloom vegetables? Features, season, and ways to eat the 4 items (including GI-registered sand-dune rakkyo and Hakushu bijin) explained

Tottori Prefecture's heirloom vegetables are native varieties grown amid the topographic diversity of the Tottori Sand Dunes on the Sea of Japan coast, the Chugoku Mountains, and the foothills of Mt. Daisen.The Japan Traditional Vegetable Promotion Associationorganizes 4 native varieties of Tottori Prefecture (Itaibara daikon, sand-dune rakkyo, Sanpo amanaga chili pepper, Hakushu negi), and this article explains all four in detail. Sand-dune rakkyo was registered on March 10, 2016 as the same GI No. 11 under two names, "Tottori Sakyu Rakkyo" and "Fukube Sakyu Rakkyo"—a nationally distributed specialty (cultivar: "Rakuda"; registered producer group: Tottori Inaba Agricultural Cooperative).

We introduce four items passed down in Tottori: sand-dune rakkyo, introduced to the sandy soil of the Tottori Sand Dunes in the late Edo period with full-scale production beginning in the early Taisho era (in 1914 / Taisho 3, Shihozo Hamamoto succeeded in substantial cultivation in dune fields); Itaibara daikon, the ingredient of Chizu Town's local dish "Itaibara gouko"; the non-pungent sweet-type chili "Sanpo amanaga"; and Hakushu negi, grown mainly in Yonago City with a melting texture.

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
Nagano Prefecture "Shinshu Heirloom Vegetable Certification System"	Provenance, food culture, variety traits (provenance from before the 1955-1965 period)
Tottori Prefecture	No prefecture-specific heirloom vegetable certification system. JA Tottori Inaba and others support regional branding

In this article, we explain all four Tottori items organized by the Japan Heirloom Vegetable Promotion Association in the main text.

What are Tottori's heirloom vegetables? The food culture of the Tottori Sand Dunes and the Chugoku Mountains

Area	Representative items	Regional characteristics
Inaba (Tottori, Yazu)	Sand-dune rakkyo, Sanpo amanaga chili pepper, Itaibara daikon	The sandy soil of the Tottori Sand Dunes and the mountainous areas of the Chugoku Mountains
Hoki (Yonago, Sakaiminato, Mt. Daisen foothills)	Hakushu negi (main cultivar "Kairyo Hakushu No. 5"; JA Tottori Seibu brand and GI-registered name "Hakushu Bijin")	Sandy soil to plains of the Mt. Daisen foothills and Yumigahama Peninsula

Tottori Prefecture divides into the old provinces of Inaba and Hoki: Inaba has the sandy soil of the Tottori Sand Dunes and the mountainous Chugoku Mountains, while Hoki has the Mt. Daisen foothills and the Hino River basin—different topography east and west. Sand-dune rakkyo is a representative specialty making use of sandy soil, and Hakushu negi is a melting-textured negi grown in the sandy loam of the Yonago Plain.

Quick reference table of 4 items

#	Item	Category	Main growing region	Season
1	Itaibara daikon	Daikon (small)	Itaibara, Chizu Town, Yazu District	Autumn to winter
2	Sand-dune rakkyo	Rakkyo (GI No. 11)	Dune fields of Fukube, Tottori City	June
3	Sanpo amanaga chili pepper	Chili pepper (sweet-long type)	Tottori City, Yazu District	July–August
4	Hakushu negi (main cultivar: Kairyo Hakushu No. 5 / JA Tottori Seibu brand and GI-registered name: Hakushu Bijin)	Negi (thick blanched-stem type)	Yonago City, Sakaiminato City, Mt. Daisen foothills	November–February (Yonago City official)

Characteristics and how to eat Tottori's 4 heirloom vegetables

Sand-dune rakkyo — a GI-registered specialty of the Tottori Sand Dunes

Season	June
Growing region	Dune fields of Fukube, Tottori City
Well-suited dishes	Sweet-vinegar pickles, salt pickles, soy-sauce pickles, condiment

Sand-dune rakkyo is a "Rakuda"-cultivar rakkyo grown in the dune fields adjacent to the Tottori Sand Dunes in Fukube, Tottori City. The thick sand layer, good drainage, and limited soil nutrients of the dune environment foster a fine-fibered, crisp texture and a pale, white appearance. On March 10, 2016, it was registered as MAFF Geographical Indication (GI) No. 11 under the two names "Tottori Sakyu Rakkyo" and "Fukube Sakyu Rakkyo" (registered producer group: Tottori Inaba Agricultural Cooperative).

Rakkyo cultivation in Fukube is a producing area with over 100 years of history: an industrial cooperative was founded in the early Taisho era, and in 1914 (Taisho 3) Shihozo Hamamoto succeeded in substantial cultivation in dune fields. Today about 75 farming households cultivate it on roughly 120ha, making it one of the larger producing areas in the country. The season is about one month in June, and it circulates year-round as processed sweet-vinegar, salt, and soy-sauce pickles.

Itaibara daikon — Chizu Town's small daikon

Season	Autumn to winter
Growing region	Itaibara, Chizu Town, Yazu District
Well-suited dishes	Itaibara gouko (takuan pickles), pickles

Itaibara daikon is a small native daikon, 10–15cm long, grown in the Itaibara area of Chizu Town, Yazu District. A cultivar handed down in the mountain settlements of the Chugoku Mountains, it's used locally as the ingredient for takuan pickles called "Itaibara gouko." The cool climate of the mountainous area and each settlement's own cultivation tradition have supported the preservation of this small daikon.

Its main use is pickle processing rather than eating fresh, and "Itaibara gouko" is passed down locally as a Chizu Town regional dish. Cultivation and shipping are limited, and it is sometimes handled at farm stands within Chizu Town and at local events.

Sanpo amanaga chili pepper — a non-pungent, thick-fleshed sweet-long pepper

Season	July–August
Growing region	Tottori City, Yazu District
Well-suited dishes	Grilled, tempura, stir-fried, stuffed with meat

Sanpo amanaga chili pepper is a large, non-pungent sweet-long chili grown in Tottori City and Yazu District, 17–20cm long and 35–40g—larger than shishito. Its shoulders are also broad at over 3cm, and the thick flesh is sweet and tender, so its flavor comes alive in heat cooking such as grilling, tempura, and stir-frying. A sweet-long chili that even children can eat easily without worrying about pungency.

In its July–August season it ships to JA farm stands and roadside stations within Tottori City. Stuffing it with meat or making yaki-bitashi brings out the flesh's sweetness.

Hakushu negi — Yonago's thick, tender white negi

Season	November–February (Yonago City official)
Growing region	Yonago City, western Tottori Prefecture
Well-suited dishes	Hot pot, sukiyaki, grilled negi, soups

Hakushu negi is a general name for the native white negi long grown in western Tottori Prefecture (Yonago City, Sakaiminato City, and around the Mt. Daisen foothills); the current main cultivar is the fixed line "Kairyo Hakushu No. 5" (a Tottori Prefecture original cultivar) improved from a native variety. Its blanched part is thick and tender, and when heated it turns sweet with a melting texture. Of these, those shipped by JA Tottori Seibu meeting a set standard circulate under the brand name "Hakushu Bijin," registered on August 27, 2024 as MAFF Geographical Indication (GI) No. 153 (registered producer group: Tottori Seibu Agricultural Cooperative).

Its shipping season is November–February, but yields are limited and it ships mainly to the Kansai market, so even locally there are few chances to obtain it.

How to buy Tottori's heirloom vegetables and storage tips

Item	Main sources	Timing
Sand-dune rakkyo	JA farm stands in Fukube, Tottori City; hometown tax donations; nationwide mail order	Fresh in June, processed year-round
Itaibara daikon	Farm stands and local events within Chizu Town	Autumn to winter
Sanpo amanaga chili pepper	JA farm stands and roadside stations in Tottori City and Yazu District	July–August
Hakushu negi / Hakushu Bijin	JA farm stands in western Tottori Prefecture; the GI "Hakushu Bijin" is centered on the Kansai market	November–February (Yonago City official)

Mail order / hometown tax to outside the prefecture

• Sand-dune rakkyo — Shipped as a Tottori City hometown tax gift, fresh (June) and processed (year-round). With the GI mark for "Tottori Sakyu Rakkyo" and "Fukube Sakyu Rakkyo"
• Hakushu negi / Hakushu Bijin — Shipped in winter as a hometown tax gift from Yonago City, Sakaiminato City, and others. GI-marked "Hakushu Bijin" circulates mainly in the Kansai market
• Processed products — Sweet-vinegar, salt, and soy-sauce pickles of sand-dune rakkyo circulate year-round

Efforts to protect Tottori's heirloom vegetables

Efforts	Details
Sand-dune rakkyo GI registration	Registered as GI No. 11 on March 10, 2016
JA Tottori Inaba's branding	Promoting nationwide distribution and hometown tax gifts, centered on sand-dune rakkyo
Hakushu Bijin GI registration	Registered as GI No. 153 on August 27, 2024 (registered group: Tottori Seibu Agricultural Cooperative)
Community-wide preservation in Chizu Town	Local residents carry on Itaibara daikon and Itaibara gouko

FAQ

Summary

Tottori's heirloom vegetables are four items: sand-dune rakkyo (GI No. 11, 2016, cultivar: Rakuda), Itaibara daikon, Sanpo amanaga chili pepper, and Hakushu negi (main cultivar: Kairyo Hakushu No. 5 / JA Tottori Seibu's brand name "Hakushu Bijin" registered as GI No. 153, 2024). They are items grown to match Tottori's topographic features—the sandy soil of the Tottori Sand Dunes, the mountain settlements of Chizu Town, and the sandy loam of the Yonago Plain.

Sand-dune rakkyo in June, Sanpo amanaga chili pepper in July–August, Itaibara daikon in autumn and winter, and Hakushu negi in November–February—you can enjoy Tottori's native varieties season by season. Through hometown tax gifts and farm stands, you can bring the native varieties of Inaba and Hoki to your home table.

References / information sources

• Japan Heirloom Vegetable Promotion Association, "Tottori Prefecture"
• MAFF GI No. 11 "Tottori Sakyu Rakkyo / Fukube Sakyu Rakkyo"
• JA Tottori Inaba, "Rakkyo"
• MAFF GI No. 153 "Hakushu Bijin"
• JA Tottori Seibu, "Hakushu Bijin"
• National Agriculture and Food Research Organization Genebank "Native Variety Database"

Related articles

• Heirloom vegetables of Japan
• Kyoto's heirloom vegetables (including Manganji chili pepper)
• Hyogo's heirloom vegetables (including Iwatsu negi)
• Heirloom vegetables of Shimane
• Heirloom vegetables of Okayama
• Yamato vegetables (Nara)