Protected local food
Hibarino Okra
ひばり野オクラ
Okra from Ugo town in Akita that grows large but stays soft and tender. Stable quality has earned it prices 30 to 50 percent above other okra.
Key facts
- Registered as a protected name
- 15 December 2017
- Region
- Tohoku
- Official name in Japanese
- ひばり野オクラ
- Official area (in Japanese)
- 秋田県雄勝郡羽後町
Big but tender
Large okra pods usually turn tough. Hibarino okra stays soft even when it is big, so it works in many kinds of dishes. Thanks to that and its steady quality, it sells for 30 to 50 percent more than okra from other areas.
Sun and teamwork
Ugo is one of the sunniest parts of Akita, and growing in greenhouses lets farmers keep the temperature right for okra, a plant that loves warmth. Growers visit each other's fields to improve their methods together.
How to eat it
Blanch it and serve with soy sauce and bonito flakes, slice it into natto or soba, or fry it as tempura.
Good to know
- Ugo is known for the Nishimonai Bon Odori, one of Japan's three great bon dances, held in August, which is also okra season.
- In Akita, also try Iburigakko and Kazuno beef.
Questions travellers ask
Where is it grown?
In Ugo town, in southern Akita Prefecture.
When is it in season?
Summer.
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.