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10 best autumn foods in Japan

4 Comments
By Elizabeth Sok

As the sweltering days begin to ebb and the evenings offer the respite of a cool breeze, are you hankering for a hot pot, or hoping for a hot roasted kuri (chestnut) already? I know I am. 

In Japanese, fall is often known as the best season to whet your appetite or shokuyoku no aki. And, when you take a look at the bounty of seasonal foods around this time of year, it is no wonder that autumn has become especially known for its culinary pleasures. 

Maybe you’re already familiar with Japanese sweet potatoes and the impressive variety of mushrooms available year-round, but particularly come fall and winter. However, there are still other flavors of the land to explore as the leaves turn and the days grow chillier. Read on for 10 of the best fall foods in Japan and ways to sample them. 

1. Kabocha (Pumpkins)

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Filled with vitamins and antioxidants Image: iStock/ Nungning20

Introduced to Japan via Portuguese sailors in the mid-16th century, kabocha are also known as Japanese pumpkins or kabocha squash in English. These relatively small, dark green vegetables have a thick edible rind and meaty yellowy-orange inside. In addition to their sweet taste, kabocha also packs plenty of vitamins, proteins and antioxidants. Hokkaido produces about half of the country’s Japanese pumpkins, which are enjoyed as tempura, in soups and in sweets such as cakes and puddings. 

2. Satsuma Imo (Sweet Potato)

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Roasted beni haruka’s Japanese sweet potatoes Image: iStock/ Edy Gunawan

Native to South America, satsuma imo (sweet potato) was introduced to Kagoshima by the Ryukyu Kingdom (present day Okinawa) in the 1700s. Today, southern Kyushu, especially Kagoshima and Miyazaki are the main producers of Japan’s sweet potatoes. There are more than 100 varieties of this superfood with varying appearances and sugar content. With a distinctive purple flesh, beni imo is quite sweet and often used in desserts from ice cream to tarts. Beni azuma is Japan’s most common sweet potato. Its reddish-purple exterior conceals its firm and flakey yellow insides. While there are many ways to enjoy sweet potatoes, the simplest may be the best: roasted. 

3. Kuri (Chestnut)

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An autumn staple. Image: iStock/ MrKornFlakes

4. Budo (Grapes)

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Ever try Shine Muscat? Image: iStock/west

There are several types of grapes or budo produced in Japan, with most cultivars originating from European or American varieties, but some highly prized breeds have been developed in the country as well. Yamanashi Prefecture is the leading producer of both grapes and wine in Japan, such as the popular Pione, Delaware, Campbell Early, Kyoho and Shine Muscat. Shine Muscat is one of the newest breeds in Japan, first registered in 2006; these large light green grapes have a sweet and refreshing taste and are always seedless. Kyoho, is a deep blackish-purple color, and a very sweet taste reminiscent of the Concord grape from which they descended. The skins and seeds of this grape are meant to be removed before eating. 

5. Kaki (Permissimons)

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The perfect season to get your persimmon fix. Image: iStock/k--k

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4 Comments
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Hoshigaki,dried persimmons are rad.

You can eat most horse chestnuts here,too,so after enjoying conkers,dig in.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

We enjoy all of those. Eating our first persimmons.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

I love making Italian-style gnocchi with sweet potato to go with a nice Gorgonzola sauce.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

When it gets cooler I like eating curries and stews. I like all them things in the pictures too.

-4 ( +0 / -4 )

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