Protected local food
Kagawa Obara Beni Wase Mandarin
香川小原紅早生みかん
A mandarin from Kagawa with a vivid deep red peel, said to be the reddest of Japan's roughly 100 unshu varieties. Sweet and well balanced.
Key facts
- Registered as a protected name
- 15 December 2017
- Region
- Shikoku
- Official name in Japanese
- 香川小原紅早生みかん
- Official area (in Japanese)
- 香川県
The reddest mandarin
Japan grows about 100 varieties of unshu mandarin, the easy-peel citrus. Obara Beni Wase is said to be the reddest of them all, with a vivid, deep red peel. Inside, sweetness and acidity are nicely balanced.
A lucky branch
The variety began as a single branch with red fruit, found by chance on a tree in Sakaide, Kagawa. Local growers raised it into a speciality. The Seto Inland Sea climate, with little rain in summer and autumn and long hours of sun, has long suited mandarins.
How to eat it
Peel and eat, the way you would a clementine. It is a winter fruit and a striking gift because of its colour.
Good to know
- Look for it in Kagawa from late autumn into winter. The red colour makes it easy to spot.
- In Kagawa, also see the Zentsuji Square Watermelon and try Sanuki white miso.
Questions travellers ask
Why is it so red?
It comes from a natural red-fruited branch found in Sakaide. Its peel is deeper red than other unshu mandarins.
When is it in season?
From late autumn into winter.
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.