ネギの種類と違い一覧｜長ねぎ・白ねぎ・青ねぎ・九条ねぎ・わけぎの使い分け

Types and classification of Japanese green onions | Broadly split into three lineages

Green onion is an indispensable vegetable on the Japanese table, and its varieties are surprisingly diverse. From what lines up as "naganegi" in supermarkets, to Kyoto's heirloom "Kujo green onion," to Gunma'sShimonita negi", and even Western leek—each differs in taste, texture, and use.

This article comprehensively introduces the major green onions distributed in Japan, and compares each variety's characteristics, uses, cost, and processing suitability from the viewpoint of commercial sourcing.

The three green-onion lineages: Senju, Kaga, and Kujo

Japanese green onions are broadly classified into three lineages by cultivation method and the part eaten.

Strain	Features	Representative varieties	Main growing region
Senju group (root-deep green onion)	The white part is grown long. Centered in eastern Japan	Senju green onion, Fukaya green onion	Saitama, Chiba, Ibaraki
Kaga group (thick green onion)	Thick and short. Turns sweet when heated	Shimonita green onion, Iwatsu green onion	Gunma, Hyogo
Kujo group (leaf green onion)	Eaten soft all the way to the leaves. Centered in western Japan	Kujo green onion, Banno green onion	Kyoto, Fukuoka

In addition to these three lineages (reference:MAFF, representative green onion varieties), "wakegi," a cross between green onion and shallot, "asatsuki," a relative of chives, and the Western green onion "leek" are also distributed in the Japanese market.

The difference between white green onion (naganegi) and green green onion (aonegi)

The most basic distinction is between "white green onion" and "green green onion." White green onion is hilled up with soil to block sunlight and grow the white part long. It's mainstream in Kanto and Tohoku. Green green onion is green and soft all the way to the leaves, and is used widely in Kansai and western Japan. The way they're used in cooking also differs: white green onion for heated dishes, green green onion mainly for garnish and color.

Varieties and characteristics of white green onion (root-deep green onion)

Senju green onion | The standard variety most often seen in supermarkets

Senju green onion is a representative root-deep green onion said to originate in the Senju district of Adachi Ward, Tokyo (reference:Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries). It's now grown all over the country, and much of what's sold as "naganegi" in supermarkets belongs to this lineage. The white part is long, 30-40 cm, and heating brings out sweetness and a melting texture. It works in a wide range of dishes—hot pot, sukiyaki, stir-fries, grilled green onion.

Fukaya green onion | A high-sugar brand green onion from Saitama

Fukaya green onion is the collective name for root-deep green onions grown around Fukaya, Saitama. Fukaya is blessed with fertile soil between the Tone and Ara rivers, and long hours of sunshine make it suited to green-onion cultivation. Compared with ordinary white green onion, it has a higher sugar content and a thick, soft white part. Winter Fukaya green onion becomes very high in sugar, with pronounced sweetness. Grilling brings out its sweetness best.

Shimonita green onion | Gunma's heirloom that "melts" when heated

Shimonita negiis a specialty of Shimonita Town, Gunma, 5-6 cm thick with a white part 15-20 cm long (reference:Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries), a stubby shape entirely unlike ordinary green onion. Eaten raw it has a strong pungency, but heating makes it melt to a soft consistency and turn intensely sweet. This dramatic change in flavor is Shimonita green onion's greatest charm. Adding it to sukiyaki or hot pot lets its sweetness dissolve into the broth, lifting the whole dish.

Cultivation takes more than 15 months, and the season is the roughly 3 months from November to January. Because production is limited, it's also called the "phantom green onion." It's popular as a gift too, trading at high prices of around 500-1,000 yen per bundle (5-6 stalks).

Iwatsu green onion | Hyogo's rare variety you can enjoy both white and green

Iwatsu green onion, grown in Asago, Hyogo (reference:Minna no Nogyo Hiroba), is a rare type where you can eat both the white and green parts. Because you can savor the sweetness of white green onion and the aroma of green green onion in a single stalk, it's sometimes counted among the "three great green onions of Japan." It's in season from late November to early March and pairs superbly with hot pot. Production is low, and it's distributed mainly locally and in Kansai.

Varieties and characteristics of green green onion (leaf green onion)

Kujo green onion | Kyoto's aromatic heirloom leaf green onion

Kujo green onionis an heirloom vegetable that has been grown centered on the Kujo district of Kyoto City. Its leaves are soft and richly aromatic, and its aroma remains even when heated. The internal "mucilage component" gives dishes body and depth. There are two types: "Kujo-buto" (thick, for hot pot) and "Kujo-boso" (thin, for garnish).

In Kyoto cuisine it's used widely—in dashimaki egg, yudofu, ramen toppings. For commercial use,dry processingmakes long-term storage possible while retaining aroma and color, allowing stable year-round supply.

Banno green onion (Hakata Banno green onion) | A brand product of young-harvested Kujo lineage

"Banno green onion" is a registered trademark of JA Chikuzen Asakura in Fukuoka, made from young-harvested Kujo-boso green onion (reference:JA Zen-Noh Fukuren). Its formal name is "Hakata Banno green onion." It has little bite and a mild pungency, and true to its name (banno means "all-purpose"), it suits any dish. Being thin and soft, it's most commonly used as-is for garnish. On the western-Japan table it's indispensable for udon, soba, hiyayakko, natto, and more.

Konegi (hosonegi) | The garnish standard distributed nationwide

Konegi isn't a variety name but a collective term for green-green-onion-lineage varieties harvested at a young stage. What's sold as "konegi" or "hosonegi" in supermarkets falls under this. The difference from Banno green onion is the growing region: Banno green onion is a Fukuoka-only brand, while konegi is produced all over the country. Its main use is as garnish, chopped and used in small amounts.

Green-onion relatives | wakegi, asatsuki, leek

Wakegi | A cross between green onion and shallot

Wakegiis a variety born from a cross between green onion and the onion relative "shallot." It resembles green green onion in appearance, but has a small bulb at the base from which it divides into multiple stalks and multiplies. It's soft all the way to the leaf tips, with mild pungency and aroma. Hiroshima is a main growing region, and dressing it with vinegar-miso (nuta) is the classic way to eat it. It's in season in spring, March-April, when wakegi is especially soft and sweet.

Asatsuki | A wild-vegetable-type green onion with strong pungency

Asatsuki is written 浅葱, and the name comes from its color being paler (asai) than green onion (negi) (reference:Yasai Navi). It's actually a different plant from green onion, being a variety of "chives." A perennial that multiplies by bulbs, it's grown widely in the Tohoku region such as Yamagata and Akita. It resembles hosonegi in appearance, but is characterized by strong pungency and a sharp aroma. Dressing it with vinegar-miso, or eating it raw with miso, is common. It can be harvested twice a year, in spring and autumn.

Leek (poro-negi) | A thick, flat green onion used in Western cooking

Leekis a Western green onion native to the Mediterranean coast (reference:KAGOME VEGEDAY), also called "poro-negi" or "seiyo-negi" in Japan. The big difference from Japanese green onion is that the white part is thick and short and the leaves are flat. Its aroma and pungency are mild, and heating gives it a melting texture and increased sweetness. In French and Italian cooking it's a standard ingredient for soups, gratins, and pot-au-feu. In Japan too, distribution is increasing centered on commercial use, with demand from Western-style restaurants and hotels.

Full variety comparison table | Application, taste, growing region, and season at a glance

We've compared the major green-onion varieties distributed in Japan at a glance. Please use it for commercial sourcing decisions.

Variety	Category	Main growing region	Season	Thickness	Turnip and daikon look similar, but there is a clear difference in their characteristics after drying. Please use this as a reference for material selection.	Heat	Main use
Senju negi	White green onion	Nationwide	November to February	Medium	◎	○	Hot pot, grilled, stir-fry
Fukaya green onion	White green onion	Saitama	November to February	Thick	◎◎	○	Grilled, hot pot, tempura
Shimonita negi	Thick green onion	Gunma	November to January	Extra thick	◎◎	△ (strong raw)	Sukiyaki, hot pot, grilled
Iwatsu negi	White + green	Hyogo	November–March	Thick	◎	○	Hot pot, grilled, tempura
Kujo green onion	Green green onion	Kyoto	Year-round (winter is peak)	Medium to thin	◎	○	Garnish, hot pot, ramen
Banno negi	Green green onion	Fukuoka	Year-round	Thin	○	△	Garnish, soups, hiyayakko
Konegi	Green green onion	Nationwide	Year-round	Extra thin	○	△	Garnish
Wakegi	Cross variety	Hiroshima	March to April	Fine to medium	○	△	Vinegar-miso dressing, stir-fry
Asatsuki	Chives variety	Yamagata, Akita	Spring, autumn	Extra thin	△	◎	Garnish, raw
Leek	Western green onion	Imported, Hokkaido	November to February	Extra thick	◎	△	Soup, gratin, pot-au-feu

As this table shows, white-green-onion types suit dishes that draw out sweetness through heating, while green-green-onion types suit garnish that makes the most of aroma and color.Agriture's product listoffers raw materials of varieties suited to dry processing.

How to choose and prep green onion | Points by variety

How to spot fresh green onion

White green onion is fresh when the white part has firmness and elasticity and the cut end is moist. Ones with a dry, wrinkled surface, or a blurred boundary between green and white, have lost freshness. For green green onion, choose ones with leaf tips standing crisp and a vivid green color. Wilted or yellowing leaves are a sign of deterioration.

Prep methods by variety

For white green onion (Senju, Fukaya), peel off one outer layer and cut off the root before use. If it's muddy, wash it well before cooking. Because Shimonita green onion is thick, cutting it in half lengthwise before washing makes it easier to remove the mud.

For green green onion (Kujo, Banno), just cut off the root and rinse the whole thing to use. Slice into small rounds when using as garnish, or cut diagonally into 5 cm widths for hot pot. For wakegi, cut off the bulb at the base, blanch quickly, then dress with vinegar-miso—the basic way to eat it.

How to store green onion | For fresh produce

White green onion is best stored wrapped in newspaper and stood upright in a cool, dark place. In the refrigerator, it keeps 1-2 weeks in the vegetable compartment. If it's too long, cut it in half, wrap in plastic, and store standing up. Laid on its side it bends and quality drops.

Green green onion is weak to drying, so wrap the root in a moistened paper towel, put it in a plastic bag, and store it in the refrigerator. About a week is the guide. You can also chop it and freeze it, which is convenient since you can take out just what you need. Note that freezing softens the texture somewhat, so it's better suited to heated dishes.

Representative dishes using green onion | Recommendations by variety

Dishes where white green onion shines

Grilled green onion: Cut Fukaya or Shimonita green onion into 5 cm widths and grill slowly in a frying pan or on a grill. The point is not to touch it until the surface browns. Heating raises the sugar content, giving a fragrant exterior and a melting interior. Eaten with just salt, the ingredient's sweetness stands out.

Sukiyaki: Shimonita green onion melts to a soft consistency when heated and adds sweetness to the broth. Simmered in the warishita, its unity when eaten together with the meat is exceptional. Ordinary white green onion can substitute, but Shimonita green onion wins on the depth of sweetness.

Hot pot: Cutting Senju green onion diagonally and adding it to the pot is the standard. The white part turns sweet when simmered and adds umami to the broth. Adding it in the latter half, as the broth reduces, lets the flavor soak in for a delicious result.

Dishes where green green onion shines

Garnish: The simplest use is slicing Kujo or Banno green onion into small rounds and adding it to udon, soba, ramen, or hiyayakko. Using it within 5 minutes of cutting brings out the most aroma. Because the pungency component volatilizes and the flavor weakens over time, cutting it just before serving is the iron rule in restaurants.

Nuta (vinegar-miso dressing): The classic dish for wakegi. Blanch the wakegi quickly, plunge it into ice water, drain, then dress with vinegar-miso. A spring seasonal treat, it's one of the standard cherry-blossom-viewing dishes in Hiroshima.

Kujo green onion hot pot: "Negi nabe," using plenty of Kujo green onion, is a famous winter dish of Kyoto. Unlike an ordinary hot pot, Kujo green onion is the star. Add a large amount of Kujo green onion to the dashi and enjoy the whole soup as the mucilage component dissolves out. The aroma that remains even after heating is Kujo green onion's true forte.

Dishes where leek shines

Potage soup: The basic recipe is to sauté leek and potato in butter, simmer in bouillon, then blend smooth. Leek's mild sweetness makes for an elegant soup. Chilled, it becomes vichyssoise.

Gratin, quiche: Slice leek into rounds, combine with béchamel sauce, top with cheese, and bake in the oven for an authentic French home dish. Leek's texture, which turns silky when heated, is a distinctive quality Japanese green onion can't match.

Commercial sourcing viewpoint | Comparing variety selection and processing methods

Recommended varieties by application

When using green onion commercially, the optimal variety differs by the final product's application.

Use	Recommended variety	Reason
Ramen topping	Kujo green onion, konegi	Good color and aroma, blends with the noodles
Hot-pot soup ingredient	Shimonita green onion, Fukaya green onion	Heating brings out sweetness and makes the broth delicious
Instant-noodle kayaku	Kujo green onion (dried)	Rehydrates well, retaining color and aroma
Frozen-food ingredient	White green onion (Senju lineage)	Good cost performance and stable supply
Freeze-dried soup	Kujo green onion, konegi	High drying suitability and good appearance
Furikake, seasoning	Kujo green onion (powder)	Concentrated flavor, effective in small amounts
Western-style menu	Leek	Turns silky when heated, suits Western dishes
Japanese-cuisine garnish	Banno green onion, asatsuki	Choose by mild pungency (Banno) or strong (asatsuki)

Comparison of storage methods and processing suitability

Commercial storage of green onion comes in three patterns—"fresh," "frozen," and "dried"—each with different merits and demerits.

Storage method	Storage period	Storage condition	Texture	Aroma	Cost	Rehydration after drying
Fresh	1–2 weeks	Refrigerated (5°C or below)	◎	◎	Highly variable	High-end cuisine, garnish
Frozen	2–3 months	Frozen (-18°C or below)	△ (water on thawing)	○	High electricity cost	Stir-fries, soup
Dried	1 year or more	Room temperature (avoid direct sunlight)	○ (returns on rehydration)	◎	Low storage cost	Instant noodles, soup, furikake

On the commercial floor especially, dry processing delivers major merits in shelf stability, cooking efficiency, and transportability all at once.Agriture's contract-processing servicehandles dry processing of Kujo green onion from small lots.

Cost comparison | fresh vs. frozen vs. dried

An annual cost estimate assuming commercial use of 100 kg of green onion per month.

Item	Fresh green onion	Frozen green onion	Dried green onion
Raw-material cost (monthly)	30,000-80,000 yen (highly variable)	25,000-35,000 yen	40,000-60,000 yen
Storage cost	Refrigerator space	Freezer space + electricity	Room-temperature shelf only
Disposal loss	20-30% (spoilage, freshness decline)	5〜10%	Nearly 0%
Pre-processing (washing, cutting)	Needed	Not needed	Not needed
Annual effective cost	Approx. 600,000-1,200,000 yen	Approx. 400,000-500,000 yen	Approx. 500,000-750,000 yen

Because the purchase price of fresh green onion swings 2-3 times with seasonal variation, the annual cost is hard to read. Dried green onion, though the raw-material cost is somewhat higher, comes in at about the same as—or slightly above—frozen on total cost, thanks to zero disposal, no pre-processing needed, and low storage cost.

Regional heirloom green onions | The appeal of local brands

Magari negi (Sendai magari negi)

An heirloom vegetable of Sendai, Miyagi, deliberately laid down partway through cultivation and made to stand up again, so the white part bends into a distinctive dogleg shape. Stressed by this cultivation method, the green onion gains sweetness and becomes tender. It's most delicious grilled, and is cherished as a winter taste of Sendai.

Aka negi (Ibaraki, Tochigi)

A rare green onion whose white part colors a reddish purple, grown in Ibaraki and Tochigi. It contains anthocyanin pigment; the color fades somewhat when heated, but the sweetness strengthens. Its visual impact is raising demand at restaurants as a colorful accent to dishes.

Koshizu negi (Aichi)

an AichiHeirloom vegetablescharacterized by a gentle transition between the white and green parts. Having qualities intermediate between white and green green onion, it's indispensable to Nagoya regional dishes like sukiyaki and miso-nikomi udon.

白ネギと青ネギの使い分け

辛みと香りのもとになる成分

ネギを刻んだときに立ちのぼる、あの独特の香りと辛み。もとになっているのは硫化アリルという成分です。ネギの細胞が壊れることで生まれるため、刻んだ直後がいちばん香りが立ちます。薬味として使うなら、食べる直前に刻むのが定石です。

この香りと辛みは、加熱するとおだやかになり、代わりに甘みが前に出てきます。白ネギを焼いたり煮込んだりするととろけるように甘くなるのは、この変化によるものです。生で薬味に使うか、加熱して甘みを引き出すかで、選ぶ品種も変わってきます。

青ネギは葉の部分を刻んで生のまま薬味に使い、白ネギは白い茎の部分を加熱して甘みを活かす。この使い分けが基本になります。粉末にしたネギパウダーなら、刻む手間なく香りを料理に加えられます。

部位で変わる味と使いどころ

同じネギでも、白い部分と緑の葉では持ち味がはっきり違います。用途から逆算すると、選ぶ品種が決まります。

Comparison	White green onion (root-deep green onion)	Green green onion (leaf green onion)
主に食べる部位	白い茎の部分	緑の葉の部分
生での味わい	辛みが強い	香りが立ち、辛みはおだやか
加熱したとき	とろけて甘みが出る	香りが飛びやすい
Suitable use	焼き物・鍋・煮込み	薬味・仕上げの散らし
Representative varieties	千住ねぎ・下仁田ねぎ・深谷ねぎ	九条ねぎ・万能ねぎ・小ねぎ
色を活かす料理	白さを見せる椀種など	緑を散らす麺類・丼もの

加熱調理の主役にするなら白ネギ系、仕上げに香りと彩りを添えるなら青ネギ系、と覚えておくと迷いません。業務用では、この使い分けがそのまま仕入れる品種の選定基準になります。

Dry processing of green onion | Why it draws attention for commercial use

Why dried green onion is chosen for commercial use

In commercial food manufacturing, demand for dried green onion is expanding year by year. Products using dried green onion are all around us—instant-noodle kayaku, freeze-dried soup, furikake, seasonings, retort foods, and more.

The reasons dry processing is chosen are clear: a best-before date of over a year at room temperature, weight about one-tenth of fresh for reduced logistics cost, no pre-processing needed for labor-saving on the production line, and nearly zero disposal loss.Agriture's commercial dried vegetablesare products that make the most of these merits.

Green-onion varieties suited to drying, and processing methods

The best suited to dry processing isKujo green onion. Because its leaves are soft and thin, it dries uniformly and returns with good color and aroma on rehydration. White green onion has a high water content and takes time to dry, but processing it is still possible.

There are mainly three processing methods. Low-temperature drying (40-60°C over a long time) excels at retaining color and aroma, suiting high-quality raw materials. Hot-air drying (80-100°C) can process large volumes in a short time, but has the drawback of color fading easily. Freeze-drying is the highest-quality drying method but also costs more. At Agriture, we center on low-temperature drying and adjust the optimal temperature and time for each variety.

Rehydration performance and quality checks for dried green onion

The "rehydration performance" of dried green onion when returned with water is an important indicator that sways quality. Rehydration performance refers to how close it gets to the original texture, color, and aroma when returned with water. For Kujo green onion, the water-rehydration ratio is about 8-10 times (10 g dried returns to 80-100 g), and even after rehydration a vivid green color and aroma are retained.

When sourcing dried green onion commercially, always request a sample and run a rehydration test. There are three checkpoints: color (has it faded?), aroma (does the green onion's distinctive aroma remain?), and texture (does the crispness return?).How to read quality specsas well, and also check the water activity and microbial test values.

Cut sizes of dried green onion by application

The application of dried green onion changes with the cut size at processing. Ring cut (3-5 mm) is best for ramen and udon toppings. Coarse mince (1-3 mm) goes into fried rice and okonomiyaki ingredients. Powder (100 mesh or finer) is used for flavoring dressings and snack foods.

Instant-noodle makers favor ring cut for its "visual presence," while soup-powder makers choose powder for ease of dissolving. Selecting the cut size to match the application greatly affects the final product's quality.

Dry-processed Kujo green onion products

At Agriture, we use Kyoto Kyotango-grown Kujo green onion and provide commercial raw material with the aroma sealed in through our own low-temperature drying technology. Cut sizes range from 3 mm to 10 mm ring cut, and we can also handle particle-size-adjustedpowder type. From a minimum lot of 100 g, we also take on customContract processingrequests.

Green onion trivia | Handy tidbits worth knowing

The image of "green onion" differs east and west

What comes to mind when you hear "negi" differs greatly between eastern and western Japan. In Kanto people picture "naganegi" with a long white part, but in Kansai the standard is "leaf green onion" eaten all the way to the green leaves. This stems from differences in climate and food culture: in cold eastern Japan, root-deep green onion hilled up to whiten developed, while in warm western Japan, leaf green onion that grows with soft leaves became mainstream.

What's interesting is that ordering "extra green onion" at a udon shop in Kansai gets you a heap of green green onion, but saying the same at a soba shop in Kanto increases the white part of white green onion. Even the same word "negi" points to completely different things depending on the region.

Green onion cultures around the world

Green onion is loved not only in Japan but around the world. In China, a thick white green onion called "da cong" is indispensable as an aromatic vegetable in stir-fries. In Korea, green green onion called "pa" is used in jeon and kimchi. In France, leek (poireau) is the basis of soups and is widely enjoyed as a common ingredient.

In Wales (UK), the leek is cherished as a national symbol.

The etymology and history of green onion

Green onion is said to have come to Japan in the Nara period, arriving via China (reference:The history and types of green onion）。古くは「き（葱）」と呼ばれていました。「ネギ」の語源には諸説あり、「根を食べる葱（き）」が転じた説や、神職の「禰宜（ねぎ）」と同じ語源で「労う（ねぎらう）」に由来する説があります。風邪をひいたときにネギを食べるという言い伝えが各地に残っており、古くから暮らしに根づいた野菜だったことがうかがえます。

By the Edo period, Senju negi had grown into a major vegetable supporting the Edo table, taking root in common food culture as a soba garnish. Meanwhile in Kyoto, Kujo green onion was refined together with restaurant culture and established its position as an indispensable ingredient in kaiseki cuisine. From the Meiji era on, variety improvement advanced and today's diverse varieties emerged. Entering the Showa era, the development of refrigeration made nationwide distribution possible, and regional varieties around the country came to be branded.Kujo green onionhas records of being grown in Kyoto since the Heian period, and is one of the oldest leaf-green-onion varieties in Japan.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

Summary | Know your green-onion varieties for optimal sourcing

Japanese green onions come in three lineages—white green onion, green green onion, and thick green onion—plus diverse varieties like wakegi, asatsuki, and leek. Because taste, aroma, texture, and processing suitability all differ, choosing the variety to match the final product's application is required.

For commercial use, from the standpoint of stable supply and quality control, dry processing is a strong option. Kujo green onion especially has high drying suitability and is adopted in a wide range of products—instant noodles, soup, furikake, and more.

At Agriture, centered on Kyoto-grown Kujo green onion, we carry out manufacturing and sales ofCommercial dried vegetables. From variety-selection consultations to custom processing (cut size, particle size, blend support) andsustainable agricultural support, please feel free to reach out. Samples are available from 100 g.

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