Protected local food
Kaga Renkon
加賀れんこん
Thick, starchy lotus root from Kanazawa in Ishikawa, one of the traditional Kaga vegetables. Grated, it is sticky enough to form dumplings without any binder.
Key facts
- Registered as a protected name
- 10 July 2026
- Region
- Chubu
- Official name in Japanese
- 加賀れんこん
- Official area (in Japanese)
- 石川県金沢市及び河北潟干拓地内
Sticky enough to shape
Kaga renkon is thick-walled and full of starch. Grated, it is so sticky it forms balls without any binder, and it gets stickier from autumn into winter. In summer it is crunchy, and in winter it turns soft and chewy. It is essential in Kanazawa dishes such as hasu-mushi, steamed grated lotus root in thick broth, and surinagashi-jiru, a grated lotus soup.
From the castle grounds
Legend says the story began about 300 years ago, when Maeda Tsunanori, lord of Kaga, brought lotus seedlings back from Mino and planted them inside Kanazawa Castle. Today it grows in Kanazawa and on the reclaimed land of Kahokugata in Ishikawa, where rain is plentiful and the clay is so heavy your feet stick in it.
Look for the rust
Dark rust-like marks on the skin, called sabi, are a sign of freshness. Kaga renkon keeps well, and it sells for more than ordinary lotus root.
Good to know
- Order hasu-mushi at Kanazawa restaurants, especially in winter. Omicho Market is the place to see Kaga vegetables.
- Compare with Okuchi Renkon, lotus root grown with warm groundwater in Niigata.
Questions travellers ask
What are Kaga vegetables?
A set of heirloom vegetables certified by Kanazawa city as having been grown there since before 1945.
Why is lotus root lucky?
You can see through its holes, so it is said to give a clear view of the future.
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.