Protected local food
Kawai Aka Shiso
川井赤しそ
A rare red shiso from Kawai in Miyako, Iwate, with leaves green on top and red-purple underneath. Thick and fragrant, it is used to colour famous Kishu umeboshi.
Key facts
- Registered as a protected name
- 30 January 2025
- Region
- Tohoku
- Official name in Japanese
- 川井赤しそ
- Official area (in Japanese)
- 岩手県宮古市川井地区(旧川井村)
Green on top, purple below
Most red shiso is purple on both sides, but Kawai aka shiso is katamen shiso, one-sided shiso, with leaves green on top and red-purple underneath. The leaves are thick, each weighing 1.2 to 1.8 times as much as ordinary shiso, and the scent is strong.
The colour of umeboshi
Salted, the leaves give pickles a deep colour and aroma, so they are used to make Kishu Nanko umeboshi, Japan's most famous pickled plums. Locally they are made into a popular shiso juice.
Cool mountain farming
The variety is native to the Kawai district of Miyako city, Iwate, in the mountains inland from the coast. The whole district manages every step from saving seed to processing. The cool climate keeps pests down, and the short harvest season lets the soil rest through winter.
Good to know
- Try Kawai shiso juice, a sweet-tart, ruby-red drink sold at roadside stations around Miyako.
- Miyako's Jodogahama Beach, with white rocks and clear water, is one of the highlights of the Sanriku coast.
Questions travellers ask
What is aka shiso used for?
Mainly for colouring and flavouring umeboshi and other pickles, and for making shiso juice and furikake.
When is it harvested?
In summer, over a short season.
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.