Kaga lotus root: featuring a sticky, thick-fleshed texture

The heirloom vegetable "Kaga vegetables" handed down since the Edo period in Ishikawa Prefecture. Among them, "Kaga renkon (Kaga lotus root)" has an especially long history and has been cherished by locals for many years. This article explains in detail the characteristics, history, and nutritional value of Kaga renkon, recommended ways to eat it, and even its use as a dried vegetable.

What is Kaga renkon?

Stickiness and thick, meaty flesh are its greatest features

The greatest features of Kaga renkon are its "stickiness" and "thick, meaty flesh." It has more starch than ordinary lotus root, is thick, and has a hefty weight—that is the appeal of Kaga renkon. You can enjoy a different texture at each node: the part near the base has a mochi-like chewiness. Conversely, the tip has a crisp, crunchy bite, perfect for dishes like kinpira. You can enjoy entirely different tastes depending on which part you eat.

How it differs from ordinary lotus root

Much of the lotus root distributed at supermarkets comes mainly from growing regions such as Ibaraki Prefecture, and the current Kaga renkon is said to be an improved lineage of the "Shina Shirobana" type, with a crisp texture. Kaga renkon, on the other hand, has a lot of starch, so grating it produces a strong stickiness. It is precisely this stickiness that makes it possible to make "hasu-mushi" without using a binder. Also, because the internodes are short and thick, there is more edible portion per node—another welcome point.

One of the 15 Kaga vegetables

Kaga renkon isKaga vegetablescertified by the Kanazawa Agricultural Products Brand Association as one of the 15 items. Meeting the certification standard of "a vegetable grown since before 1945 and still grown mainly in Kanazawa," it is a high-quality item shipped with a brand stickerHeirloom vegetables, contained in burdock and cocoa.

The history of Kaga renkon

The beginnings of cultivation in the Edo period

The history of Kaga renkon is very old, dating back to the Edo period. In the Kaga domain of that time, lotus root was also valued for medicinal use. In the era of Maeda Tsunanori, the fifth lord of the Kaga domain, it is said to have been used within the castle as "hasu-no-ne" among the upper-ranking samurai. In time, Kaga renkon came to be grown as "Ohi renkon" throughout the Ohi-machi area of Kanazawa, especially in the Kosaka district.

Development after the Meiji era and "Kosaka renkon"

In this district, the lotus root was a variety called "jibasu," and because it crept about 1 meter deep underground, digging it up required great effort. Even so, the distinctive stickiness and texture of Kaga renkon captivated people, and cultivation is said to have continued until the mid-Meiji period. By the 1890s, its marketability rose further, and it came to be known as "Kosaka renkon," a representative agricultural product of the region. In this way, cultivation of Kaga renkon as a food crop got into full swing, and to this day it continues to be cherished by many as a specialty of Kanazawa (see:the Kanazawa City Agricultural Products Brand Association）。

The nutritional value of Kaga renkon

Main nutritional components

Kaga renkon is known as a vegetable that contains vitamin C, potassium, dietary fiber, and more in good balance. You can check the specific contents in the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology's Food Composition Database under the values for lotus root (raw / boiled). Because the vitamin C in lotus root is enveloped in starch, it is not easily broken down by heat, making it well suited to intake through Japanese dishes such as simmered dishes and tempura.

Heat-resistant vitamin C

Because the vitamin C in lotus root is enveloped in starch, it is said to suffer little loss even when cooked with heat. Even in Japanese cooking such as simmered dishes, hasu-mushi, and tempura, the ease of taking in vitamin C is a practical appeal of Kaga renkon.

Recommended ways to eat Kaga renkon

Kaga renkon has a different texture in each part, and its appeal is that you can enjoy several cooking methods within a single root. We recommend dividing it into dishes that make use of the stickiness and dishes that make use of the crisp bite.

Dishes that make use of the stickiness

• Hasu-mushi: a Kanazawa local dish. A winter Kaga staple made with grated lotus root
• Renkon mochi: grated root plus potato starch, shaped and grilled or fried
• Renkon manju: a ryotei-style dish paired with a kuzu-an sauce
• Grated soups: added to miso soup or clear soup to enjoy the thickening

Dishes that make use of the crisp bite

• Kinpira: julienned, quickly stir-fried, finished with soy sauce and mirin
• Lotus root tempura: thin- and thick-sliced to enjoy the difference in texture
• Lotus root salad: lightly boiled thin slices with plum paste or mayonnaise
• Su-renkon: an osechi staple of thin slices pickled in sweet vinegar

Simmered and slow-cooked dishes

• Chikuzen-ni: a classic simmered dish of root vegetables and chicken
• Simmered lotus root and chicken: a soy-sauce-based Japanese dish
• Simmered hijiki with lotus root: a regular side dish

How to choose and store Kaga renkon

How to choose Kaga renkon

• Short internodes and a plump, thick shape
• Few scratches or dark spots on the surface
• Little dark discoloration or dirt inside the holes at the cut end
• A hefty, heavy feel
• Choosing ones with the "Kaga vegetable" brand sticker gives peace of mind

How to store Kaga renkon

• With soil on: wrap in newspaper and keep in a cool, dark place. It keeps at room temperature to refrigerated
• Peeled or pre-cut: the cut surface discolors easily, so seal in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2–3 days
• Grated: do it just before use. Prevent discoloration with lemon juice or vinegar
• Long-term storage: thin-slice and freeze, or dry (home food dryer, sun-drying)

Commercial use of Kaga renkon | The strengths of dried lotus root

When restaurants, prepared-food makers, and frozen-food makers handle Kaga renkon for commercial use, fresh produce poses challenges: "prep labor such as peeling and vinegar-water treatment," "discoloration countermeasures," "refrigerated storage space," and "seasonal price fluctuation." The option that resolves these isDried lotus root, contained in burdock and cocoa.

• Long-term room-temperature storage: doesn't crowd the refrigerator; use the amount you need when you need it
• Zero prep: no peeling or vinegar-water treatment needed—just rehydrate and use
• Stable purchase price: stockpile dried in season, curbing the impact of seasonal price fluctuation
• Reduced waste loss: small-pack support minimizes leftovers
• "Kaga vegetable" brand appeal: can be listed on menus as a regional specialty heirloom vegetable

At Agriture, we handle the dry-processing of heirloom vegetables including Kaga renkon for commercial use. From OEM and small-lot sample production to regular supply, wholesale and OEM of commercial dried vegetables and Drying OEM .

Summary: Kaga renkon at home and for commercial use

Kaga renkon is a leading Kaga vegetable handed down in Kanazawa since the Edo period. Its greatest features are stickiness and thick, meaty flesh, and you can enjoy both dishes that make use of the stickiness, such as hasu-mushi and renkon mochi, and dishes that make use of the crisp bite, such as kinpira and tempura. At home, enjoy it fresh in season; for commercial use, dry-processing lets you use it stably year-round—a many-sided presence among Japanese ingredients.

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