Protected local food
Hakushu Bijin
伯州美人
A thick white leek from Yonago, Sakaiminato and the Daisen foothills in Tottori. It is shipped only in the coldest weeks of winter, when it turns sweet and melting.
Key facts
- Registered as a protected name
- 27 August 2024
- Region
- Chugoku
- Official name in Japanese
- 伯州美人
- Official area (in Japanese)
- 鳥取県米子市、境港市及びその周辺の大山山麓（鳥取県西伯郡日吉津村、南部町、伯耆町、大山町、同県日野郡日南町、日野町、江府町）
The beauty of Hoki
Hakushu is an old name for Hoki, the historic province of western Tottori, and bijin means beauty. This leek has a thick, soft white part that turns sweet and almost melting when cooked. It is a brand built on flavour and sells for more than ordinary white leeks.
Bred in Tottori
Western Tottori has grown white leeks for a long time. Hakushu bijin is Tottori's own variety, bred step by step from native leeks.
Only in deep winter
Growers use the fertile soil and cold winters of Yonago, Sakaiminato and the foothills of Mt Daisen, fertilise carefully, and grow and ship it only in the coldest part of winter, when the leeks are sweetest.
Good to know
- Sakaiminato's Mizuki Shigeru Road is lined with bronze yokai statues from the GeGeGe no Kitaro manga.
- Compare with Akutsu Magari Negi, a sweet curved leek from Fukushima.
Questions travellers ask
When is it in season?
Only in midwinter, roughly December to February.
How should I cook it?
Grill it whole until soft, or add thick pieces to hot pots and sukiyaki.
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.