Types and Differences of Citrus at a Glance: How to Choose Mandarin, Yuzu, Sudachi, and Kabosu

Mikan, yuzu, sudachi, kabosu, lemon. Say "citrus" and the lineup is very rich. Many people have surely hesitated at the store or in a recipe—"which citrus is this?" or "how do sudachi and kabosu differ?"

This page organizes, in a list, everything from the broad classification of citrus, to the characteristics of major groups such as mikan, orange, and sour citrus, the difference and use of yuzu, sudachi, kabosu, and lemon, and a seasonal calendar. From the standpoint of those involved in dried vegetable processing, we also introduce, from a maker's viewpoint, ways to enjoy citrus year-round in dried and powder forms.

What is citrus? The basics of classification

Citrus is the collective name for plants of the genera Citrus, Fortunella (kumquat), and Poncirus (trifoliate orange) within the Rutaceae family. Grasping the overall picture first brings the position of each citrus into view.

Over 1,000 kinds in the world, about 80 in Japan

Citrus is said to number over 1,000 kinds in the world, and about 80 are grown in Japan too. From sweet, eat-as-is ones like the satsuma mandarin to ones enjoyed for aroma and acidity like yuzu and sudachi, both use and flavor are wide-ranging. Centered on warm-climate western Japan, each region has passed down citrus unique to its land. Not a few, like Tokushima's sudachi, Oita's kabosu, and Kochi's yuzu, have developed in connection with their producing regions. Variety breeding is also active, with new varieties appearing almost every year.

Broadly divided into 7 groups

Most edible citrus is classified in the genus Citrus and further divided into several groups. In fact, there are three ways to divide citrus—botanical classification, market distribution classification, and use in cooking—and this article organizes them around the most familiar "use in cooking." They divide broadly into a group whose flesh is eaten sweet, and a group enjoyed for aroma and acidity. The table below summarizes representative groups and their lineups.

The interesting thing about citrus is that use divides clearly by group. Remembering them by role—mandarin and orange types for eating as-is, sour-citrus types for adding aroma and acidity to dishes—makes them easier to choose. Tangor types and miscellaneous citrus types are positioned like a middle ground between mikan and orange, combining ease of peeling with a deep flavor.

Note that citrus tends to draw the eye to the fruit, but the Rutaceae family also includes small citrus eaten skin and all, like kumquat. Even within the same family, ways of eating and using are truly varied. Starting with the familiar groups makes choosing citrus much easier.

Types and characteristics of eat-as-is citrus

First, the type of citrus whose flesh you savor as-is. From the mikan familiar on the winter table to the mid-to-late citrus that appears in spring, sweetness and aroma each have individuality. Even among "mikan-like citrus," the balance of ease of peeling, sweetness, and acidity varies greatly by group. Whether you peel by hand or cut with a knife is also a point when choosing. Let's look at the representatives in order.

Mandarin types (satsuma mandarin, natsumikan)

The most familiar citrus in Japan is the satsuma mandarin. Easy to peel by hand with few seeds, it has been enjoyed as the fruit of the winter kotatsu. Satsuma mandarins have early, mid, and late varieties by harvest time, and can be savored over a long period, from the very-early ones around September to winter stored mikan. Thin-skinned with a good balance of sweetness and acidity is its strength.

The natsumikan, which appears from spring into early summer, has a refreshing acidity and slight bitterness as its strength. Even within the mandarin types, fragrant varieties like natsumikan and ponkan can have their peel used in cooking and confectionery. The peel of natsumikan in particular is rich in aroma, suiting marmalade and dried products. Agriture too processes it asDried mandarinandDried summer orange peel, making use of the peel's aroma that tends to be discarded.

Orange types & tangor types

Orange types have thick, hard-to-peel skin, but in exchange carry rich sweetness and a gorgeous aroma. Often the juice is pressed for juice, and navel orange, Valencia orange, and the red-fleshed blood orange are the representatives. The biggest difference from mikan is the thickness and difficulty of peeling; it's a citrus often cut apart with a knife to eat. Because the aroma is strong, the peel is sometimes used for marmalade and confectionery too.

Tangor types are a group crossing mikan and orange, including Kiyomi, Dekopon, iyokan, setoka, harumi, and more. Combining ease of peeling with deep sweetness, it's a group that has been especially popular in recent years. Peaking from January into spring, it lines the stores as the lead role of winter-to-spring citrus. Its appeal is enjoying both the ease of eating of mikan and the richness of orange, and it's chosen for gifting too. Some, like Dekopon, have a distinctive shape with a protruding top, enjoyable in appearance too.

Pomelo types & grapefruit types

The pomelo types, represented by buntan and banpeiyu, are large with firm flesh and a refreshing sweetness. The plump texture of the flesh is fun, and though the skin is thick it has good aroma and is used for candied peel too. Grapefruit types have a good balance of slight bitterness and acidity as their strength, familiar at breakfast and in juice. Cutting in half and scooping with a spoon is easy and popular too. Both are the flesh-savoring type, used differently from sour citrus.

Besides these, hassaku, amanatsu, hyuganatsu, and the like are called "miscellaneous citrus types," with enduring popularity for their moderate acidity and distinctive flavor. Hassaku has a slightly bitter, refreshing flavor, amanatsu a juicy acidity, and hyuganatsu can be eaten together with the white pith inside the skin. Each peaks in early spring, coloring the period of transition from winter mikan to spring citrus. We've summarized the representative varieties and seasons in the table below.

Types of sour citrus and how to use them

Sour citrus, as the name ("aromatic-acid") suggests, is citrus for enjoying aroma and acidity. Rather than eating it as-is like mikan, you press the juice or grate the peel to add flavor to a dish—a fine supporting player. Deeply rooted in Japanese food culture, it has become indispensable to various scenes of washoku, such as grilled fish, soba, hot pot, ponzu, and condiments for sashimi. Yuzu, sudachi, kabosu, and lemon are the representatives, each differing in strength of aroma, quality of acidity, and suitable dishes. Knowing the differences lets you choose them to match your cooking.

Telling them apart by size and flavor

Sour citrus looks similar, but you can tell them apart by size and flavor. The table below organizes the main differences.

If you want to make use of peel aroma, yuzu; to bring out aroma as a condiment, sudachi; to use plenty of juice, kabosu; to finish it Western-style, lemon—choosing by role keeps you from hesitating. You can substitute with what's on hand, but just remember that the direction of the aroma changes. For example, using lemon in place of sudachi tends to bring a Western aroma to washoku, and using sudachi in place of kabosu brings out a stronger aroma. Adding a little at a time and checking the taste keeps you from failing.

The detailed difference between sudachi and kabosu

Especially easy to confuse are sudachi and kabosu. Remembering that sudachi is about golf-ball size with sharp aroma, and kabosu is about tennis-ball size with abundant, mellow juice, makes them easy to tell apart. Both are sour citrus tied to their producing regions—Tokushima and Oita—active as a condiment for grilled fish and noodles, and as juice for hot pot and ponzu. Their seasons, uses, and storage tips are covered in detail inthe explanation of sudachiandthe explanation of kabosu. If you hesitate over which to choose for a dish, remembering "sudachi for aroma-first, kabosu for juice-first" is handy.

Yuzu, lemon, and other sour citrus

Yuzu, even among sour citrus, has an especially rich peel aroma, characterized by using the peel as the lead—grating it over clear soups and hot pot, or using it in yuzu tea and yuzu baths. In enjoying the peel aroma rather than the juice, its role differs from kabosu, which uses the juice.

Lemon is easy to pair with Western food, sweets, and drinks, a sour citrus easy to use year-round. Its strengths are strong acidity and a Western aroma, differing in direction from Japanese sour citrus. Aroma and usability differ between domestic and imported, andthe difference between domestic and imported lemonsalso explained in detail in.

Besides yuzu, sudachi, kabosu, and lemon, there are distinctive sour citrus across Japan. We've summarized the lineup tied to regional food culture in the table below.

In this way, sour citrus divides in aroma and acidity by producing region. Trying the citrus available in your area lets you encounter the taste of each land. Choosing to match your cooking or drinks is another pleasure.

A seasonal calendar of citrus

Citrus differs in season by type, and combining them well lets you enjoy it year-round. Broadly, sour citrus is a guide from summer to autumn, mandarin types from autumn to spring, and mid-to-late citrus from winter to spring. In-season fruit is rich in both aroma and flavor and tends to be reasonably priced, so choosing with the season in mind lets you enjoy it deliciously and affordably.

Summer-to-autumn sour citrus

Sudachi and kabosu peak from August to October, and yuzu from autumn into winter. Much sour citrus appears from around August to December, hitting its peak in the period that overlaps with seasonal tastes such as summer noodle dishes and autumn grilled fish. The green, unripe fruit has strong aroma, perfect for condiments and ponzu. As autumn deepens, it colors yellow, the acidity mellows, and it becomes suited to juice and honey-pickling too. Even the same citrus changes expression between green and fully ripe yellow—that's the interesting part of sour citrus. To enjoy the refreshing aroma, open-field fruit of this season is exceptional.

Autumn-to-spring mikan and mid-to-late citrus

Satsuma mandarins have early, mid, and late varieties by type, enjoyable over a long period from October to around April, from the very-early ones around September to winter stored mikan. Tangor types and mid-to-late citrus such as Kiyomi, Dekopon, iyokan, and setoka peak from January into spring. Furthermore, there are miscellaneous citrus types like natsumikan, hassaku, amanatsu, and hyuganatsu that appear from spring into early summer. Seen this way, citrus shifts throughout the year like a seasonal relay—sour citrus for summer to autumn, mandarin types for autumn to winter, and mid-to-late and miscellaneous citrus for winter to early summer. Choosing with the season in mind lets you encounter the deliciousness unique to that time.

The basics of choosing and storing citrus

Even with different types, there are common points to the knack for choosing fresh citrus and the approach to storage. If you're getting in-season citrus, you'll want to judge its good condition and use it up without waste. Whether it's the flesh-eating type like mikan or the juice- and peel-using type like sudachi, the basics of choosing are common.

How to choose fresh citrus

When choosing citrus, checking the following points lets you pick fresh ones.

• The peel has firmness and gloss, and it feels heavy when held (proof of abundant juice)
• The peel color is even, with no wilting or bruising
• The cut of the stem end is fresh and not discolored
• For sour citrus, green and firm ones; for mikan, ones where the peel and flesh are tightly attached are good

When buying mikan by the box, checking whether the fruit at the bottom is spoiled is also reassuring. The heavier ones are packed with juice and flesh, and ones with a small stem end are said to be a marker of good sweetness.

Storage tips by type

Sour citrus is weak to dryness, so store it in a poly bag in the fridge's vegetable drawer. Pressing the juice and freezing it in an ice-cube tray is handy, letting you use just the amount you need. Store satsuma mandarins in a cool, well-ventilated place, and when bought by the box, occasionally swap top and bottom so the weight doesn't crush the lower fruit, making them last. Removing any spoiled fruit early prevents its effect on the others. Thick-skinned oranges and pomelos keep relatively well, but eating any of them up early is best. Chilling too much makes the sweetness hard to feel, so chilling a little before eating brings out the flavor.

A trick for using the peel too

Citrus with good peel aroma, like yuzu and natsumikan, can have the peel used too, not discarded. Grating it for a condiment, or making marmalade or candied peel—the uses are various. When using the peel, washing the surface well first is reassuring. Peel you can't use up can be chopped and frozen or dried, handy for flavoring anytime. Storing the juice and peel separately lets you use them differently to match your cooking, enjoying one citrus to the last without waste.

Enjoying citrus year-round in dried and powder forms

Citrus aroma is best in fresh, in-season fruit, but the season is short and the fruit spoils quickly. That's where processing into dried or powder becomes an option. As a maker involved in dried vegetable processing, we introduce ways to enjoy the aroma year-round.

Dried citrus as an option

Citrus sliced and dried keeps well at room temperature, letting you enjoy aroma and acidity even past the season. It can be used close to fresh fruit—floated in tea or soda water, or added as a finishing touch to a dish. Unlike fresh fruit, there's no worry of spoilage, and being usable in small amounts, there's no waste from failing to use it up. Dried slices are also showy in appearance, adding color simply floated in black tea or a drink. Agriture handles a wide range of citrus as dried products, centered on sour citrus, includingDried yuzuandDried sudachi、Dried lemon. The usability of dried citrus is covered inthe use cases and storage of dried lemonis also a helpful reference.

Making use of citrus powder

Citrus powder, made by powdering the fruit peel and all, is handy when you want to add aroma and acidity quickly. Made into citrus salt with salt, or mixed into confectionery—its strength is adding flavor without adding water. Because you can add just the aroma without upsetting the balance of a dough or sauce, it's valued in confectionery-making and restaurant prep too.yuzu powderandSudachi powderAs with

, a small amount sets the flavor, widening the range of cooking and confectionery. Just a shake into dressing, yogurt, or soda water lets you easily enjoy citrus aroma.

A maker's viewpoint: ingenuity for keeping aroma when drying

When drying citrus, over-heating drives off the aroma and leaves only the acidity. How to keep the refreshing aroma is the very heart of drying processing. Thin-skinned sour citrus is especially hard to gauge, and Agriture dries domestic ingredients slowly with low-temperature hot air, locking in the aroma as much as possible. Because peel thickness and moisture content differ by citrus, changing the drying method to match the type is also a maker's commitment.

Savor the season with fresh fruit, and use dried products and powder year-round. Once you can use them differently, citrus becomes even more familiar. Even in periods when fresh fruit isn't around, dried products let you add citrus aroma to your table.

To detailed articles by purposeIf you already know what you want to know, please also see the detailed explanations by purpose. Sudachi, with sharp aroma suited to condiments, is covered inhow to use and store sudachi, and kabosu, with abundant juice suited to hot pot and ponzu, inhow to use and store kabosu. For a seasoning that makes use of yuzu peel,andhow to make yuzu koshoand yuzu shichimi are helpful. Business operators looking for citrus as a powder raw material, please also seehow to choose citrus powder and OEM.

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• Available from small lots of 100 g
• We handle heirloom vegetables from across Japan
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Frequently asked questions

Summary: know the types of citrus and use them differently

Citrus numbers over 1,000 kinds in the world and about 80 grown in Japan, dividing into major groups such as mandarin types, orange types, tangor types, pomelo types, grapefruit types, miscellaneous citrus types, and sour-citrus types. Remembering them by role—mikan and orange for eating as-is, sour citrus like yuzu, sudachi, kabosu, and lemon for adding aroma and acidity to dishes—makes them easier to choose. Seasons differ by type too, so choosing with the season is another pleasure.

Savor the season with fresh fruit, and enjoy aroma year-round with dried products and powder. Remembering this way of using them differently makes citrus even more familiar. Similar citrus, like sudachi and kabosu, can be chosen without hesitation once you grasp their characteristics. Once you find a citrus that intrigues you, please also see the detailed explanations of sudachi and kabosu. Make good use of seasonal citrus to add aroma and color to your everyday table.