Vegetables– tag –

You bought a lot of mushrooms while they were cheap, or you can't use up mushrooms you were given—that's when "drying" comes in handy. Drying mushrooms makes them keep longer and deepens their umami and stock flavor. On the other hand, questions like "sun or oven, which is better?", "I'm worried about mold," and "how long until they're fully dried?"...

Tamogitake, sometimes called a "phantom mushroom" for its vivid yellow color and pleasant aroma. It's a mushroom long enjoyed in places like Hokkaido, and used in miso soup or takikomi gohan, it offers deep umami and stock flavor. On the other hand, questions come up—"how do I prep it?", "what's a classic way to eat it?", "is dried tamogitake..."

Dried maitake adds aroma and umami to takikomi gohan and miso soup. It keeps longer than fresh maitake, and even a small amount deepens a dish's flavor considerably. On the other hand, situations often leave people unsure—"should I rehydrate it?", "the soaking liquid turns dark—is that okay?", "can I make tempura with it?"—it's that kind of ingredient...

Dried shiitake supports the deep umami of simmered dishes, takikomi gohan, and miso soup. It's a handy dry good to keep on hand, but many situations leave people unsure—"what's the right way to rehydrate it?", "can the soaking liquid be used as dashi?", "how long is the best-before date?" On this page, we cover dried shiitake...

We explain how to use and rehydrate dried mushrooms, covering the characteristics of each type such as shiitake, maitake, and enoki, when to rehydrate in water versus simmer them directly, uses in miso soup and takikomi gohan, and storage methods.

We explain how to rehydrate and eat dried kikurage (wood ear mushroom), covering rehydration in water or hot water, the tip of always heating it to prevent food poisoning, popular recipes like stir-fries, soups, and harusame, and storage methods.

We explain how to make and choose vegetable furikake, covering an easy homemade recipe using dried vegetables or leftover vegetables, salt-free and additive-free ideas that are easy for children to eat, and how to read the ingredients on store-bought products—tips for a furikake packed with vegetables that tastes good too.

The NPO VegProject Japan will hold VEG FOOD EXPO at Tokyo Big Sight from April 15–17, 2026. Twelve vegan-certified companies will gather, a special area will be newly set up, and over 50,000 visitors are expected.

22 companies led by Kagome launched an idea contest 2026 for students on March 2. Against intake of 218g for men and 210g for women in their 20s, it invites measures to close the gap to the 350g target. Realistic solutions such as keeping dried vegetables stocked in the office are also welcome.

Kagoshima Prefecture’s heirloom vegetables are a group of varieties handed down in growing regions with differing terrain—the Satsuma and Osumi peninsulas with volcanic soils of Sakurajima and Mt. Kaimon, island groups such as Tanegashima, Yakushima, Amami Oshima, and the Tokara Islands, and the mountainous areas of the Kirishima range. The Japan Heirloom Vegetable Promotion Association organizes Kagoshima Prefecture’s heirloom...

Miyazaki Prefecture’s heirloom vegetables are a group of varieties handed down across diverse areas from coast to mountains—Miyazaki City and Nichinan along the Hyuga-nada coast, Nishimera, Shiiba, and Misato in the Kyushu Mountains, the Kobayashi and Saito basins, and Nobeoka and Hyuga in the north. The Japan Heirloom Vegetable Promotion Association covers 12 heirloom vegetables and 3 heirloom fruits...

Oita Prefecture’s heirloom vegetables are a group of varieties grown in diverse areas—the Seto Inland Sea coast of the Kunisaki Peninsula and Usa, the Aso-Kuju foothills of Yufu and Kuju, the Bungo Channel coast of Usuki and Saiki, and the Hita basin. The Japan Heirloom Vegetable Promotion Association organizes a total of 16 items—13 heirloom vegetables and 3 heirloom fruits...

Kumamoto City’s “higo vegetables” are varieties handed down in the spring-water areas around Lake Ezu, the Aso foothills, the Kumamoto plain, and the outskirts of Kumamoto City such as Kikuchi and Mashiki. Kumamoto City designated 15 items as “higo vegetables” in fiscal 2006 and operates a system that trademarked them in January 2008...

Nagasaki Prefecture’s heirloom vegetables are a group of varieties grown in the mountainous parts of Nagasaki City, the Isahaya plain, Unzen and Shimabara, Hirado and Iki, and Saikai City (including items introduced after the war). The Japan Heirloom Vegetable Promotion Association organizes 16 heirloom vegetables of Nagasaki Prefecture. Unzen kobu takana, Nagasaki hakusai (Chinese cabbage)...

Saga Prefecture’s heirloom vegetables are varieties handed down in terrains such as the Genkai Sea coast of Karatsu, the Taku basin, the Ariake Sea coast, the Saga plain, and the mountainous Sefuri range. The Japan Heirloom Vegetable Promotion Association organizes a total of 11 items—7 heirloom vegetables, 1 heirloom fruit, and 3 specialty vegetables. Taku City...

Fukuoka Prefecture’s heirloom vegetables are varieties handed down within terrains such as Fukuoka City on Hakata Bay, Kitakyushu on the Kanmon Strait, the Chikugo plain, the Itoshima Peninsula, and the Chikugo River basin. The Japan Heirloom Vegetable Promotion Association notes that for Fukuoka Prefecture it “has not established a formal definition or certification system for heirloom vegetables,” and covers 10...

Kochi Prefecture’s heirloom vegetables are varieties handed down within diverse terrains—warm Pacific-coast Nankoku and Muroto, the Niyodo River basin, the Shimanto River basin, and the mountainous areas of the Shikoku Mountains (Otoyo, Niyodogawa, Motoyama, Ochi). The Japan Heirloom Vegetable Promotion Association organizes 32 varieties of Kochi Prefecture’s heirloom vegetables...

Ehime Prefecture’s heirloom vegetables are a group of items handed down within terrains such as the Matsuyama plain, Saijo on the Seto Inland Sea coast, Nanyo along the Uwa Sea, and the mountainous areas of the Shikoku Mountains (Kumakogen) (including wild perennials such as teiregi). The Japan Heirloom Vegetable Promotion Association organizes 11 heirloom vegetables of Ehime Prefecture...

Kagawa Prefecture’s heirloom vegetables are varieties handed down within terrains such as the warm, low-rainfall climate of the Sanuki plain, the Seto Inland Sea coast and former saltern land, islands such as Shodoshima and Teshima, and the mountainous areas of the Asan Mountains. The Japan Heirloom Vegetable Promotion Association organizes a total of 12 items—10 heirloom vegetables and 2 heirloom fruits...

Tokushima Prefecture’s heirloom vegetables are varieties grown within terrains such as the plains of the Yoshino River basin, the Awa Mountains, the mountainous areas around Mt. Tsurugi, and the northeast facing the Naruto Strait. The Japan Heirloom Vegetable Promotion Association organizes a total of 13 items—11 heirloom vegetables and 2 heirloom fruits. At a Kyoto ryotei...

Yamaguchi Prefecture’s heirloom vegetables are varieties grown within diverse terrains such as the warm Seto Inland Sea coast, Hagi and Nagato on the Japan Sea side, the mountainous Chugoku Mountains, and the Nishiki River basin of Iwakuni. The Japan Heirloom Vegetable Promotion Association organizes 27 heirloom vegetables and 9 heirloom fruits of Yamaguchi Prefecture. In this article, vegetables...

Hiroshima Prefecture’s heirloom vegetables are varieties handed down in central Hiroshima City in the lower Ota River, the Bingo region of Fukuyama and Onomichi, and the southern foothills of the Chugoku Mountains such as Akiota. Hiroshima Prefecture selected native varieties as “Hiroshima treasure vegetables” in fiscal 2009–2011 (prefecture official). Currently, the Hiroshima Agricultural Gene Bank and local JA and producers...

Okayama Prefecture’s heirloom vegetables are varieties handed down within diverse terrains such as the warm Seto Inland Sea coast, the Kibi Highlands and Chugoku Mountains, the sandy loam of the Kurashiki and Okayama plains, and the reclaimed land of Kojima Bay. The Japan Heirloom Vegetable Promotion Association organizes 12 regional varieties of Okayama Prefecture (as of September 2023), and this article...

Shimane Prefecture’s heirloom vegetables are varieties handed down mainly around the brackish lakeshores of Lake Shinji and Lake Nakaumi, the Izumo plain, and the Chugoku Mountains. In Shimane Prefecture’s official materials, those clearly positioned as native varieties are centered on “Tsuda turnip” and “Kuroda seri,” while many others are regional brands or later-bred...

Tottori Prefecture’s heirloom vegetables are native varieties grown within terrain diversity such as the Tottori Sand Dunes on the Japan Sea coast, the Chugoku Mountains, and the foothills of Mt. Daisen. The Japan Heirloom Vegetable Promotion Association organizes 4 native items of Tottori Prefecture (Itaibara daikon, sand-dune rakkyo, Sanbo amanaga pepper, Hakushu green onion), and this...

Wakayama Prefecture’s heirloom vegetables are a group of items handed down by region within the sandy soil of the Kinokawa River basin, the mountainous Kii Mountains, and the maritime climate of the Kumano Sea and the Kuroshio Current (including introduced varieties from Osaka such as usui pea). Wakayama Prefecture has no unique heirloom vegetable certification system, and the Japan Heirloom Vegetable Promotion Association...

Hyogo Prefecture’s heirloom vegetables are varieties handed down within terrain diversity spanning from the mountainous areas of Tajima to the Harima plain, the Tamba basin, the Hanshin area, and Awaji Island. Hyogo Prefecture has no unique “heirloom vegetable certification system,” and the prefecture advances regional branding as “Hyogo vegetables.” Meanwhile, the Japan Heirloom Vegetable Promotion...

Omi’s heirloom vegetables are a group of native varieties handed down within Shiga Prefecture surrounding Lake Biwa. Shiga Prefecture operates an “Omi heirloom vegetable” selection system based on three conditions—“originating within Shiga Prefecture with a history of introduction generally before the Meiji era, having features in appearance or taste, and having preserved seeds”—and as of 2025...

Mie Prefecture’s heirloom vegetables are varieties handed down within diverse terrains spanning the Ise plain, the Shima Peninsula, the Kumano-nada coast, the Suzuka Mountains, and the Iga basin. Mie Prefecture operates its unique “Mie heirloom vegetable” selection system, and per the Mie Prefecture official page, there are 6 officially selected items. Adding to these, the Japan Heirloom...

Aichi’s heirloom vegetables are a group of native varieties handed down within the terrain diversity of the Nobi plain, the Chita Peninsula, the Atsumi Peninsula, and the Mikawa mountains, and the warm climate of Owari and Mikawa. The “Aichi heirloom vegetable” system that Aichi Prefecture independently selects (4 conditions: cultivated since around 1955, originating in Aichi, and still having seeds...

Shizuoka Prefecture’s heirloom vegetables are a group of native varieties handed down within varied terrains—Mt. Fuji, the Southern Alps, the Izu Peninsula, the Makinohara plateau, and around Lake Hamana—and the warm maritime climate of the Kuroshio Current. In the Japan Heirloom Vegetable Promotion Association’s certification they number about 44, including Orido eggplant and Mikatahara and Mishima potatoes (G...

The Hida-Mino heirloom vegetables are a group of native varieties handed down within the terrain diversity linking Gifu Prefecture’s mountainous areas and the Mino plain—the Hida Mountains, the Hakusan range, the Kiso River water system, and more. Gifu Prefecture launched its unique “Hida-Mino heirloom vegetable” certification system in 2001, and per the Gifu Prefecture official page, as of September 2023...

Shinshu (Nagano Prefecture)’s heirloom vegetables are a group of native varieties handed down within the elevation differences created by mountain terrains—the Japan Alps (Northern, Central, Southern), Yatsugatake, Shiga Highlands, and the Kiso valley. The Japan Heirloom Vegetable Promotion Association and Nagano Prefecture’s “Shinshu heirloom vegetable certification system” have selected 85 items, and...

Yamanashi Prefecture’s heirloom vegetables are a group of native varieties handed down within varied terrains and elevation differences—the volcanic-ash soil of the Mt. Fuji foothills, the alluvial fans of the Kofu basin, the Southern Alps foothills, the southern foothills of Yatsugatake, and the Minobu mountains. In the Japan Heirloom Vegetable Promotion Association’s certification they number 13, including akebono soybean, Otsuka carrot, and Narusawa greens...

Fukui Prefecture’s heirloom vegetables are a group of native varieties handed down within geographic diversity—the maritime climate of Wakasa Bay, the sand dunes of the Echizen coast, the heavy-snow area of the Ono basin, and the mountainous areas of Katsuyama and Okuetsu. In the Japan Heirloom Vegetable Promotion Association’s certification they number 23, including Yoshikawa eggplant, Yamauchi turnip, Kamisho taro, and Ka...

Toyama Prefecture’s heirloom vegetables are a group of native varieties handed down within terrains such as the snowmelt water from the Tateyama range, the alluvial fans of the Kurobe and Sho rivers, and the Toyama Bay coast. In the Japan Heirloom Vegetable Promotion Association’s certification they number 21, including Nyuzen jumbo watermelon, Gokayama turnip, Takaoka dokko, Kanaya green onion, and Shinkuro eggplant...

Niigata Prefecture’s heirloom vegetables are a group of native varieties handed down within the food culture of a heavy-snow area known as a leading rice-producing region. In the Japan Heirloom Vegetable Promotion Association’s certification they number 33, including juzen eggplant, Meike greens, Kurosaki edamame, kagura nanban, and kakinomoto (edible chrysanthemum)—many of which are unfamiliar in other prefectures...

Kanagawa Prefecture’s heirloom vegetables are native varieties handed down within varied terrains—the Tanzawa Mountains, the Sagami River basin, and the Miura Peninsula—and the history of being a vegetable-supply area near Edo. In the Japan Heirloom Vegetable Promotion Association’s certification there are 29 items, including Miura daikon, Tsukui native soybean, Manpukuji vivid-red long carrot, and norabo...

Chiba Prefecture’s heirloom vegetables are native varieties handed down in the warm climate of the Boso Peninsula and the fertile land nurtured by the Tone and Edo rivers. In the Japan Heirloom Vegetable Promotion Association’s certification there are 12 items, including Yagiri green onion, Oura burdock, Koito native soybean, and Toke mustard greens—handed down within the food culture linking the metropolitan area and Boso...

Saitama Prefecture’s heirloom vegetables are native varieties handed down within the agricultural development of the Kawagoe domain in the Edo period and the history of being a vegetable-supply area near Tokyo. In the Japan Heirloom Vegetable Promotion Association’s certification there are 18 items, including norabo-na, Kawagoe sweet potato, Iwatsuki green onion, and shakushi-na—which have supported the metropolitan area’s food culture...

Gunma Prefecture’s heirloom vegetables are native varieties protected within the volcanic-ash soil of northern Kanto, the cool climate of mountainous areas, and complex terrains such as Mt. Haruna, Mt. Akagi, and Mt. Myogi. In the Japan Heirloom Vegetable Promotion Association’s certification there are 22 items, ranging from nationally known varieties such as Shimonita green onion, Kokufu Chinese cabbage, and kaki-na, to the Iriyama district...

Tochigi Prefecture’s heirloom vegetables are native varieties protected within the diverse terrain from the Nikko mountains to the Kanto plain and the agricultural culture continuing since the Edo period. In the Japan Heirloom Vegetable Promotion Association’s certification there are 14 items, including kanpyo (dried gourd), Miya green onion, and Nissato green onion—items distinctive to Tochigi...

Ibaraki Prefecture’s heirloom vegetables are native varieties handed down within Hitachi’s food culture and the rich agricultural base of the Kanto plain. In the Japan Heirloom Vegetable Promotion Association’s certification there are 5 items, of which 4 are native varieties from before the war, and 1 (Satogawa kabocha) is a native variety treated as a regional heirloom vegetable in prefecture-official terms...

Fukushima Prefecture’s heirloom vegetables are native varieties handed down according to the climate and food culture of each of the three regional divisions—Nakadori, Aizu, and Hamadori. In the Japan Heirloom Vegetable Promotion Association’s certification there are 14 items, spanning “Fukushima heirloom vegetables,” “Aizu heirloom vegetables,” “Iwaki heirloom vegetables,” and “Iwashiro heirloom...

Yamagata Prefecture organizes 86 items (officially it does not indicate a top ranking). In the Japan Heirloom Vegetable Promotion Association’s certification there are 86 items (as of March 2024), and the Yamagata Prefecture agricultural information site’s tally confirms about 160 kinds among native crops overall. From nationally known items such as dadacha soybean, Atsumi turnip, and Minden eggplant...

Akita Prefecture is the only municipality in the Tohoku region with a prefecture-official certification system for heirloom vegetables. The 39 items certified as “Akita heirloom vegetables”—including tonburi, Misekiseki seri, and Matsudate shibori daikon—are all native varieties nurtured within Akita’s harsh winters and rich food culture. This article covers the 39 items...

What are Miyagi’s heirloom vegetables? Native varieties nurtured by the food culture of the Date domain. In Miyagi Prefecture there exist 22 varieties of heirloom vegetables organized by the Japan Heirloom Vegetable Promotion Association (there is no public certification system by Miyagi Prefecture itself). Many of them have been cultivated for over 400 years since the Edo period, centered on the castle town of the Sendai domain (Date domain)...

The definition of “heirloom vegetables” and the scope of this article. There is no nationally unified definition of “heirloom vegetables,” and the standards differ by certifying body. To help you accurately understand this article, we first organize the standards of the main certifying bodies. Certifying body / main standard / Kyoto Prefecture’s “Kyoto heirloom vegetables”: from before the Meiji era...

The definition of “heirloom vegetables” and the scope of this article. There is no nationally unified definition of “heirloom vegetables,” and the standards differ by certifying body. To help you accurately understand this article, we first organize the standards of the main certifying bodies. Certifying body / main standard / Kyoto Prefecture’s “Kyoto heirloom vegetables”: from before the Meiji era...

Hokkaido’s heirloom vegetables are a distinctive food culture born from the fusion of varieties brought from abroad by the Meiji-era Development Commission and native varieties refined in a harsh cold climate. The 14 items deeply rooted in the lives of Hokkaido residents—Sapporo ki (yellow onion), Danshaku potato, Rawan butterbur, and more—are also a mirror reflecting Hokkaido’s pioneering history itself...