Protected local food
Erabu Yuri
えらぶゆり
A pure white lily from Okinoerabu, a coral island in southern Kagoshima, bred from the island's wild Easter lilies. It is gently scented and graces Japanese ceremonies.
Key facts
- Registered as a protected name
- 18 November 2020
- Region
- Kyushu & Okinawa
- Official name in Japanese
- えらぶゆり
- Official area (in Japanese)
- 鹿児島県大島郡和泊町及び知名町
An island Easter lily
Erabu yuri was bred from teppo-yuri, the wild white lily known in English as the Easter lily, which grew on Okinoerabu and nearby islands. The flowers are pure white with a faint scent and rounded leaves. They are elegant without being overpowering, so they suit weddings and funerals, New Year flowers and spring grave visits.
A warm coral island
Okinoerabu, in the Amami Islands of Kagoshima, is a raised coral island averaging 22°C, right in the lily's ideal range of 15 to 25°C. Growing is said to have begun in 1899, when an Englishman who found the wild lilies advised islanders to plant them in coastal fields.
Good to know
- The island's lily fields bloom in late April and May, when Okinoerabu holds a lily festival.
- Okinoerabu is also famous for limestone caves such as Shoryu-do. Flights go from Kagoshima.
Questions travellers ask
Is this a food?
No. It is one of the non-food products in Japan's GI register.
What is an Easter lily?
Lilium longiflorum, a white trumpet lily native to southern Japan's islands.
Where it comes from
More protected foods from the same area
Crafts from the same area
Heritage stories from the same area
Sources
We checked the facts on this page against these sources.