Traditional Osaka vegetables

During the Edo era, Osaka—known as "the nation's kitchen"—was home to numerous unique vegetables that individuals consumed on a daily basis.As agricultural lands were turned into residential areas, however, and diets became more Westernized, these traditional vegetables have declined. Recently, there has been a trend toward re-examining this traditional food culture. With the help of Osaka prefectural sponsorship, an increasing number of agricultural producers have begun researching and recreating these traditional Osaka vegetables. As of 2019, a total of 18 varieties have received certification in this regard from the Osaka prefectural government.When mentioning traditional vegetables, those from Kyoto often come to mind. Because Kyoto produce was traditionally destined for royalty, these vegetables were historically famed for their delicious and delicate flavor, along with an elegant appearance. Osakans, meanwhile, care exclusively for taste—meaning that traditional Osaka vegetables had a rich flavor but a rough appearance. For example, a melon-like vegetable known as the Tamatsukuri kuromon shirouri clocks in at the enormous size of around 30 centimeters long, while the Kotsuma nankin—a member of the pumpkin family—is tiny and bumpy, but features a pleasingly thick and sticky texture. The Moriguchi daikon (radish) is long and thin, sometimes reaching immense lengths of more than 180cm,while the Kema cucumber is known for its firm texture and bitter taste. Other local traditional vegetables include the Kintoki carrot, Osaka shirona (loose-leaf Chinese cabbage), Tennouji kabura (turnip), Tanabe daikon (radish), mejiso (perilla leaf), Hattori shirouri (cucumber), Torikai nasu (eggplant), Mishima udo (a type of mountain herb), Suita kuwai (arrowhead), Senshyu yellow onion, Takayama manna (type of green leaf), Takayama gobou (burdock root), Usui endou (pea), and Namba negi (spring onion).Foods and products featuring fresh, seasonal traditional vegetables may be found in restaurants and pickle shops throughout Osaka.