Summer Kyoto Vegetables: The Season of Fushimi Togarashi and Shishigatani Kabocha

Every vegetable has its own “season,” and eating it at that time lets you enjoy its character at its best. Kyoto's traditional “Kyoto vegetables” include some that come into season in summer, brightening the summer table with their freshness and bold flavor. Here we introduce representative summer Kyoto vegetables — Manganji togarashi, Kamo eggplant, Fushimi togarashi, andShishigatani kabocha— along with their characteristics and recommended ways to eat them.

Seasonal Calendar of Summer Kyoto Vegetables

Most summer Kyoto vegetables come into season from June through September. We've summarized the seasons, growing regions, and ways to eat the representative varieties in a table. For the full seasonal range of Kyoto vegetables,Kyoto vegetable calendarThe Flavor and Texture of Manganji Togarashi

Manganji togarashi

Manganji togarashiis a sweet chili pepper, as large and thick-fleshed as a bell pepper. Bred in Maizuru, Kyoto during the Taisho era, it is called the “king of peppers” for its size and “Manganji amato” for its sweetness. With almost no heat and tender flesh, it is easy to use in grilled dishes, stir-fries, and simmered dishes, and even simply grilled with a sprinkle of salt, its sweetness stands out. Cultivation has spread among farmers within Kyoto Prefecture, and it is beloved as a signature summer Kyoto vegetable.

• Plain-grilled (with katsuobushi and soy sauce)
• Stir-fried with chirimen-jako
• Tempura, simmered

Kamo eggplant

Kamo eggplantis a leading summer Kyoto vegetable, distinguished by its round, plump shape. Its flesh is dense and its skin thick, so it holds its shape well even when cooked, making it perfect for dengaku, grilled eggplant, and deep-fried and marinated dishes. It pairs well with oil and has a satisfying bite, earning it the name “queen of eggplants.” A whitish area below the stem cap is another mark of Kamo eggplant, a traditional Kyoto vegetable grown mainly in Kamigamo.

• Kamo eggplant dengaku
• Grilled eggplant
• Deep-fried and marinated, eggplant steak

Fushimi togarashi

Fushimi togarashi is a sweet chili pepper distinguished by its long, slender shape and tender flesh. A “traditional Kyoto vegetable” cultivated in Kyoto since the Edo period, it has almost no heat, and lightly grilling or deep-frying it brings out its sweetness. Because both skin and flesh are thin, it cooks quickly and can be enjoyed in a wide range of dishes — grilled and marinated, tempura, simmered — making it a versatile Kyoto vegetable.

• Deep-fried Fushimi togarashi
• Grilled and marinated, tempura
• Stir-fried with jako as a standing side dish

Shishigatani kabocha

Shishigatani squash, whose distinctive gourd-like shape catches the eyekabocha. Low in moisture with smooth flesh and modest sweetness, its mild flavor goes well with simmered and steamed dishes. It is said to have arisen when kiku squash, brought back from Tsugaru in the Edo period, changed in Kyoto's climate; today its main growing regions are Kyoto City and Ayabe City. At Anrakuji temple in Shishigatani, Kyoto, the “squash memorial service,” some 300 years old, is held every July and is cherished as a summer tradition.

• Simmered, slow-simmered
• Steamed dishes
• Stir-fry

Enjoying Summer Kyoto Vegetables Year-Round Through Drying

Summer Kyoto vegetables have a short season, and quite a few varieties have concentrated shipping periods. Drying concentrates their umami and makes them keep well, so summer flavors can be brought to the table regardless of season. Agriture works with producers within Kyoto Prefecture, wasting nothing — even fruit that doesn't meet shipping standards — by drying summer Kyoto vegetables at low temperature and delivering them in a form that can be used after their season has passed. For example,Commercial dried Fushimi togarashican be rehydrated and used as an ingredient in stir-fries and standing side dishes. Kyoto-grown dried vegetables areOYAOYA.

Frequently Asked Questions About Summer Kyoto Vegetables

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• OEM supported from 100 g of existing raw material
• Drying of brought-in raw materials also possible
• Support from processing to filling in one place

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• Spring Kyoto vegetables | The season of Kyoto bamboo shoots and hanana
• Autumn Kyoto Vegetables | Shogoin Turnip and Kintoki Carrot
• Winter Kyoto vegetables | Shogoin daikon and Kujo scallion
• A list of Kyoto vegetable varieties — famous heirloom vegetables and their characteristics
• Kyoto vegetable calendar — check the seasons of the four seasons at a glance