What are Yamaguchi’s heirloom vegetables? Features, season, and ways to eat the 37 varieties organized by the association (Iwakuni lotus root, Hagi tamage eggplant, Iwakuni red daikon) explained

Yamaguchi's heirloom vegetables are varieties grown amid diverse terrain — the mild climate of the Seto Inland Sea coast, Hagi and Nagato on the Sea of Japan side, the mountainous areas of the Chugoku Mountains, and the Nishiki River basin in Iwakuni.The Japan Traditional Vegetable Promotion Associationorganizes 27 Yamaguchi heirloom vegetables and 9 heirloom fruit trees. This article covers 23 major items in the vegetable section in the main text, while the 9 heirloom fruit trees and the processing-material and spice items (konjac, Aio sesame, ayu-tade, wasabi) are organized in the "Other local specialty varieties" section at the end.

Iwakuni renkon (a nationwide lotus-root-producing area), the 1-kg-class Hagi tamageEggplant, Iwakuni aka-daikon, Mito gobo, Yamaguchi kodaka tamanegi, Niho kyuri, Tokusa uri, and more — we introduce items that support Yamaguchi's food culture.

The definition of "heirloom vegetable" and the scope of this article

Certifying body	Main criteria
Kyoto Prefecture "Kyoto Heirloom Vegetables"	Cultivation history predating the Meiji era, covering the entire prefecture
Osaka Prefecture "Naniwa Heirloom Vegetables"	Cultivated within Osaka Prefecture from roughly 100 or more years ago
Nagano Prefecture "Shinshu Heirloom Vegetable Certification System"	Cultivation, food culture, and varietal traits from before the 1955–1964 period
Yamaguchi Prefecture	No prefecture-specific heirloom-vegetable certification system. JA and municipalities support regional branding

Yamaguchi Prefecture has no official criteria or certification system that fixes heirloom vegetables, and the Japan Heirloom Vegetable Promotion Association also notes that they are "difficult to group as heirloom vegetables." This article introduces, of the 27 heirloom vegetables and 9 heirloom fruit trees the association organizes, 23 major items from the vegetable section in the main text, while treating the 9 heirloom fruit trees and the processing-material and spice items (konjac, Aio sesame, ayu-tade, wasabi) separately in the "Other local specialty varieties" section at the end.

What are Yamaguchi's heirloom vegetables? The food culture of Suo and Nagato

Area	Representative items	Regional characteristics
Suo (Iwakuni, Shunan, and others)	Iwakuni renkon, Iwakuni aka-daikon, Sasagawa kintai hakusai, jibai kyuri, tokkuri daikon	The Nishiki River basin and the Seto Inland Sea coast
Around Yamaguchi city and Ube	Niho kyuri, Tokusa uri (present main producing area: Higashikiwa, Ube city), Yamaguchi kodaka tamanegi, Aio sesame, tsukune-imo, sasage beans, Kakutaro yuzu	The Yamaguchi Basin and the mountainous areas of Ato and Tokuji
Nagato (Hagi, Nagato city, and others)	Hagi tamage nasu, Hagi wakegi, Hagi ninniku, Hagi gobo, Hagi koroge kabura, shiro-okra (Nagato)	The Sea of Japan coast and the Hagi castle town
Shimonoseki (Kanmon)	Takehisa kabura, Hikoshima harusai, Hikoshima natsumaki kanran, kakichisha, oba shungiku, ayu-tade	The Kanmon Strait and the Hikoshima and Utsui districts
Mine and Shunan	Mito gobo (Akago gobo), tokkuri daikon, wasabi (konjac in Iwakuni city)	Around the Akiyoshidai karst and the Chugoku Mountains

Historical background: Iwakuni renkon and the food culture of Choshu

• Iwakuni renkon — A lotus root grown in the Nishiki River basin of Iwakuni city. Carried on by regionally selecting the "shirobana" lineage introduced from China in 1917. Notable for thick flesh that draws long threads when broken, it is one of Yamaguchi Prefecture's representative products
• Hagi tamage nasu (Taya nasu) — A giant eggplant grown in Taya, Senzaki, Nagato city, and Kiriguchi, Hagi city, with some individuals reaching 1 kg
• Yamaguchi kodaka tamanegi — A small onion grown in Aiofutajima, Yamaguchi city. An early-maturing lineage bred around 1920 from Hokkaido's "Sapporo-ki"
• Mito gobo (Akago gobo) — A burdock grown in Mitocho, Mine city. Its strong points are a balance of softness, bite, and aroma

Yamaguchi's heirloom vegetables: list of 23 major items

Root and tuber vegetables

Item	Features	Growing region	Season
Mito gobo / Akago gobo	Soft, with rich bite and aroma	Mitocho, Mine city	October–December
Iwakuni aka-daikon	A round daikon with vivid-red skin and a pure-white cut face	Nishimi, Iwakuni city	December to February
Tokkuri daikon	A small tokkuri (sake-flask)-shaped daikon	Shunan city	Early to mid-December
Takehisa kabura	Small, pure white, dense-fleshed, sweet	Takehisa, Shimonoseki city	Late November to early December
Hagi koroge kabura	Grown leaves fall sideways	Hagi city	Late October–December
Hagi gobo	A short burdock; both leafstalk and root edible	Hagi city	November–December
Tsukune-imo / butsushou-imo	Palm-shaped, very sticky and glossy	Tokuji, Yamaguchi city, and Ato town	November–December
Iwakuni renkon	Thick-fleshed; draws long threads when broken	Iwakuni city	August–January

Leaf-and-stem vegetables

Item	Features	Growing region	Season
Azamina	Cold-hardy; harvested even in the depths of winter	Iwakuni, Yamaguchi, Hagi, and others	Early October–March
Kakichisha	An Oshima heirloom; slightly bitter with a bite	Shimonoseki city	October–June
Hikoshima harusai	Deep-green, crinkled, semi-heading	Hikoshima and Utsui, Shimonoseki city	Early to mid-December
Hikoshima natsumaki kanran	A cabbage with soft, sweet leaves	Hikoshima, Shimonoseki city	Late November–January
Oba shungiku	Low in acridity, soft	Shimonoseki city	October–late February
Hagi wakegi	Mild, with good flavor	Oshima, Hagi city	November–March
Hagi ninniku	Many cloves, pale-purple outer skin	Oshima, Hagi city	Late May–mid-June
Sasagawa kintai hakusai	A Chinese cabbage without fuzz, sweet	Nishimi, Iwakuni city	December

Fruit-vegetables, beans, onion, and others

Item	Features	Growing region	Season
Jibai kyuri	A large cucumber grown on the ground	Nishikimachi, Iwakuni city, and others	Summer
Niho kyuri	30 cm long, good aroma and bite	Niho, Yamaguchi city	July–August
Tokusa uri	White uri, barrel-shaped, for sake-lees pickling. Now grown in Higashikiwa, Ube city	Ato-Tokusa, Yamaguchi city (present main producing area: Higashikiwa, Ube city)	June–August
Hagi tamage nasu / Taya nasu	A giant eggplant of up to the 1-kg class	Taya, Senzaki, Nagato city, and Kiriguchi, Hagi city	Late May–mid-July
Sasage beans	Small broad beans; clean, light flavor	Former Aiocho, Yamaguchi city	Early May–early June
Shiro-okra	Pale green, very sticky, suited to raw eating	Nagato city (Misumi, Yuya, Heki, and others)	Early July–October
Yamaguchi kodaka tamanegi	A small-bulb, high-storability early lineage	Aiofutajima, Yamaguchi city	January–February

Seven representative Yamaguchi heirloom vegetables: characteristics and how to eat them

Iwakuni renkon — the thick, thread-drawing Nishiki River lotus root

Season	August–January
Growing region	Iwakuni city (Nishiki River basin)
Well-suited dishes	Simmered dishes, renkon-zushi, renkon dango, tempura

Iwakuni renkon is a lotus root carried on by regionally selecting the "shirobana" lineage introduced from China in 1917 in the Nishiki River basin of Iwakuni, and its greatest feature is a thick flesh and a stickiness that draws long threads when broken. It has been tied to the local food culture as the ingredient for Iwakuni-zushi (renkon-zushi).

Besides simmered dishes, renkon dango, and tempura, its texture comes alive in Japanese cuisine featuring lotus root in general. It is in season from August to January, and it is shipped outside the prefecture too via JA farm stands, hometown-tax gifts, and mail order in Iwakuni city.

Hagi tamage nasu (Taya nasu) — the giant eggplant of the 1-kg class

Season	Late May–mid-July
Growing region	Taya, Senzaki, Nagato city, and Kiriguchi, Hagi city
Well-suited dishes	Dengaku, grilled eggplant, simmered dishes, agebitashi

Hagi tamage nasu (also called Taya nasu) is a large eggplant grown in Taya, Senzaki, Nagato city, and Kiriguchi, Hagi city, with some individuals reaching 1 kg each. The name is said to come from "tamageta" (astonished), and its striking appearance has made it a distributed regional specialty. Its flesh is soft, and when cooked it takes on a melting texture.

In dengaku, grilled eggplant, and agebitashi it makes a dish that shows off the large fruit. It ships at farm stands in Nagato and Hagi during its season of late May to mid-July.

Iwakuni aka-daikon — the round daikon with vivid-red skin

Season	December to February
Growing region	Nishimi district, Iwakuni city
Well-suited dishes	Vinegar pickles, salad, light pickles, namasu

Iwakuni aka-daikon is a round daikon grown in the Nishimi district of Iwakuni city, with vivid-red skin and a pure-white cut face. The red-and-white contrast is beautiful, and made into vinegar pickles or namasu it adds color to the table. It is distributed within Iwakuni city in winter.

In salad and light pickles you can enjoy its raw bite, and it is also used in New Year's red-and-white dishes.

Mito gobo (Akago gobo) — the aromatic burdock around Akiyoshidai

Season	October–December
Growing region	Mitocho, Mine city
Well-suited dishes	Kinpira, simmered dishes, tempura, gobo soup

Mito gobo is an heirloom burdock grown in Mitocho, Mine city, whose strong points are a balance of softness, bite, flavor, and aroma. Grown around the Akiyoshidai karst plateau, its well-draining soil suits burdock cultivation.

In kinpira, simmered dishes, and tempura its aroma stands out, and its flavor comes alive in gobo soup too. It ships at JA farm stands in Mine city from October to December.

Yamaguchi kodaka tamanegi — the small onion of Aio bred from Sapporo-ki

Season	January–February
Growing region	Aiofutajima, Yamaguchi city
Well-suited dishes	Onion salad, soup, simmered dishes, stir-fries

Yamaguchi kodaka tamanegi is an onion grown in Aiofutajima, Yamaguchi city, an early-maturing lineage bred around 1920 from Hokkaido's "Sapporo-ki" (the heirloom variety no longer exists; per the Japan Heirloom Vegetable Promotion Association and JA Yamaguchi official sources). Notable for high storability, the sandy loam facing the Seto Inland Sea and the mild climate suit its cultivation.

Small-bulbed and strongly sweet, its flavor stands out in onion salad and soup. It ships at JA farm stands in Yamaguchi city during the May–June harvest period.

Niho kyuri — the 30-cm cucumber of Niho, Yamaguchi city

Season	July–August
Growing region	Niho district, Yamaguchi city
Well-suited dishes	Salad, light pickles, vinegared dishes, miso soup

Niho kyuri is an heirloom cucumber about 30 cm long grown in the Niho district of Yamaguchi city, whose strong points are good aroma and a good bite. A variety carried on in the hilly-and-mountainous area of the Yamaguchi Basin, it is beloved as a local summer vegetable.

In salad and light pickles its texture and aroma stand out, and as a miso-soup ingredient its high moisture content comes alive too.

Tokusa uri — the white uri of Ato-Tokusa for sake-lees pickling

Season	June–August
Growing region	Ato-Tokusa, Yamaguchi city
Well-suited dishes	Sake-lees pickles, Nara-zuke-style pickles, light pickles, simmered dishes

Tokusa uri is a barrel-shaped white uri originally grown in Ato-Tokusa, Yamaguchi city, and now grown in Higashikiwa, Ube city (per the Japan Heirloom Vegetable Promotion Association's organization). It is a white uri carried on as a raw material for sake-lees pickles.

Sake-lees pickles and Nara-zuke-style pickles are beloved in the region, and it can also be used in light pickles and simmered dishes. It can be obtained from June to August at farm stands in Higashikiwa, Ube city.

How to buy Yamaguchi's heirloom vegetables and tips for storing them

Item	Main sources	Timing
Iwakuni renkon	JA farm stands in Iwakuni city, hometown-tax gifts, nationwide mail order	August–January
Hagi tamage nasu	JA farm stands in Nagato and Hagi	Late May–mid-July
Iwakuni aka-daikon	JA farm stands in Iwakuni city	December to February
Mito gobo	JA farm stands in Mine city	October–December
Yamaguchi kodaka tamanegi	JA farm stands in Aio, Yamaguchi city	January–February
Niho kyuri	Farm stands in the Niho district, Yamaguchi city	July–August
Tokusa uri	Farm stands in Higashikiwa, Ube city	June–August

Mail order / hometown tax to outside the prefecture

• Iwakuni renkon — Shipped autumn-winter to the following January as a hometown-tax gift from Iwakuni city
• Mito gobo — Shipped autumn to winter as a hometown-tax gift from Mine city
• Processed products — Tokusa uri sake-lees pickles, Iwakuni konjac, Hagi gobo processed goods, and the like are distributed

Efforts to protect Yamaguchi's heirloom vegetables

Efforts	Details
JA Yamaguchi's brand development	Spreading Iwakuni renkon, Mito gobo, Hagi tamage nasu, and others as regional brands
Heirloom-variety succession by each municipality	Yamaguchi city (Aio, Niho, Ato), Shimonoseki city (Hikoshima, Takehisa), Iwakuni city, and Hagi city maintain their own local varieties
Cultural-property designation of heirloom fruit trees	Yamaguchi city's Kakutaro yuzu is a Yamaguchi city cultural property. The wild natsumikan tree on Omijima island, Nagato city, is a natural monument

FAQ

Other regional specialty varieties

We introduce separately the 9 heirloom fruit trees included in the Japan Heirloom Vegetable Promotion Association's list, along with processing-material and spice items that don't fit within the vegetable category.

9 heirloom fruit trees

Item	Growing region	Features
Iyokan	Suo-Oshima town	Grown on Suo-Oshima. The premium "Shima sodachi" has a sugar content of 12 degrees or higher
Kakutaro yuzu	Yamaguchi city	A seedless yuzu. A Yamaguchi city cultural property
Ganne kuri	Kawahira and Ganne, Miwacho, Iwakuni city	Large chestnuts of 30 g or more
Kokko	Iwaishima, Kaminoseki town	A relative of the shima-sarunashi. A phantom fruit tree
Saijo kaki	Hagi city and Mine city	An astringent persimmon suited to dried persimmons
Sudai	Otsushima, Shunan city	Turns orange in winter and returns to green in spring
Natsumikan / natsu-daidai	Nagato city	A natural monument. The wild tree was found on Omijima island
Yokono kaki	Yasuoka-Yokono, Shimonoseki city	Larger than the Fuyu persimmon, with a sugar content around 20 degrees
Yoshiura ponkan	Iwakuni city	The parent of Yamaguchi Prefecture's original citrus varieties

Processing materials and spices

Item	Growing region	Features
Konjac	Iwakuni city	An heirloom konjac processed with the clean water of the Nishiki River
Aio sesame	Aiofutajima, Yamaguchi city	An Aio heirloom sesame. Sold November–February
Ayu-tade	Shimonoseki city	A condiment used in ayu (sweetfish) dishes as the base for tade vinegar
Wasabi	Nishikimachi, Iwakuni city, and Kano, Shunan city	A good balance of sweetness, pungency, and aroma

Summary

Yamaguchi's heirloom vegetables — centered on Iwakuni renkon, Hagi tamage nasu, Iwakuni aka-daikon, Mito gobo, Yamaguchi kodaka tamanegi, Niho kyuri, and Tokusa uri — total 36 items: the 27 items carried on across the diverse areas of Suo and Nagato, plus 9 heirloom fruit trees. From the Seto Inland Sea coast to the Chugoku Mountains and to Hagi and Nagato on the Sea of Japan side, the items divide by terrain.

Hagi tamage nasu, Hagi ninniku, and Yamaguchi kodaka tamanegi from spring to early summer; Niho kyuri, Tokusa uri, and shiro-okra in summer; Mito gobo and Iwakuni renkon in autumn; Iwakuni aka-daikon, Takehisa kabura, and Sasagawa kintai hakusai in winter — the timing and producing area differ by item, so note too that distribution is often centered on farm stands. Through hometown-tax gifts and farm stands, you can enjoy Yamaguchi's local ingredients on the family table.

References / information sources

• Japan Heirloom Vegetable Promotion Association, "Yamaguchi Prefecture"
• National Agriculture and Food Research Organization Genebank "Native Variety Database"

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