Japanese Unique Vegetables

There are not so many vegetables that are native to Japan, but the following are said to be native to Japan.

These were either introduced to Japan in ancient times and made their own development in Japan, or are significantly popular in Japan.

ごぼう/牛蒡(Gobo) – burdock

Gobo is a root vegetable rich in dietary fibers. We enjoy its crispy texture.

One of the most popular gobo dishes is Kimpira-gobo (きんぴらごぼう/金平牛蒡) – chopped burdock cooked in soy sauce and sesame oil.

わさび/山葵(Wasabi)

Wasabi is well-known for being eaten with sushi and sashimi, and is characterized by its pungent spiciness and aroma.

Cultivation of wasabi requires a large amount of clean water, so the well-known locations for wasabi are generally also famous for their clean water.

Azumino (Nagano prefecture)

Azumino is a town surrounded by mountains of 3000m class and rich in nature. It has abundant clean groundwater with temperature that does not change much throughout the year. This is why it is a suitable environment for growing wasabi.

Izu (Shizuoka prefecture) Izu is a mountainous area with abundant spring water. It is said that wasabi has been actively cultivated in this area since the 17th century.

Generally, their thick stems are grated and eaten with sashimi or sushi, but their leaves can also be pickled or cooked as tempura.

里芋/さといも(Satoimo) – Taro root

Satoimo is eaten in many Asian countries including India, China, Korea and Japan. Sticky texture is one of its features. Satoimo is always cooked before eating – usually boiled or stewed.

紫蘇/しそ(Shiso) – Shiso herb

Shiso is a leafy vegetable that was introduced from China to Japan in ancient times. There are two types – red shiso and blue shiso and both have indispensable roles in Japanese cuisine. Blue shiso is also called “Ooba”. There are various uses – blue shiso is mainly used for garnishing sashimi and eliminating the smell of fish. Red shiso contains anthocyan-based red pigments and is used to add color when making pickled plums.****

松茸/まつたけ(Matsutake) – Matsutake mashroom

Matsutake mushrooms are known to be very expensive food in Japan. They are harvested in the fall season and their price changes annually depending on the yield of that year. In Japan, it is a high-class ingredient like caviar and truffles.

・Price of matsutake(JPY/kg)

Year 2015 – 26,243 JPY (approximately 253 USD)

Year 2010 – 16,175 JPY (approximately 155 USD)

Year 2005 – 24,301 JPY (approximately 230 USD)

A signature characteristic of matsutake mushrooms is its unique aroma. The following dishes are common:

・ Matsutake rice – Matsutake gohan Rice cooked with matsutake mushrooms

・ Steamed clay bottle-Dobin mushi Soup with sliced matsutake mushrooms and other ingredients in the soup stock