Protected local food
Nissato Negi
新里ねぎ
A traditional curved leek from Niisato in Utsunomiya, Tochigi. The white part bends like a bow, and it is soft and very sweet when cooked.
Key facts
- Registered as a protected name
- 26 May 2017
- Region
- Kanto
- Official name in Japanese
- 新里ねぎ
- Official area (in Japanese)
- 栃木県宇都宮市新里町
A leek that bends
Nissato negi is a magari-negi, a curved leek: the white, blanched part grows bent like a bow. Farmers in Niisato, Utsunomiya city, Tochigi, have grown the same variety the same way since the late Edo era, for more than 100 years.
Hard soil, cold winters
The soil here is black and coarse, sticky and mixed with pebbles, and with few mountains to the south the fields get plenty of sun but also the full winter cold. Those conditions push the leeks to grow well and build up sweetness. They sell for high prices and are a popular year-end gift.
How to eat it
Grill thick pieces until soft and sweet, or add them to sukiyaki and hot pots in winter.
Good to know
- Utsunomiya is famous for gyoza and is under an hour from Tokyo by Shinkansen. Winter is leek season.
- Compare with Mito Yawaraka Negi, a long, straight, tender leek from neighbouring Ibaraki.
Questions travellers ask
Why is it curved?
It is a traditional curved leek type. The bend comes from how it is grown, and curved leeks are known for being soft and sweet.
Where is it grown?
In Niisato-machi, Utsunomiya city, Tochigi Prefecture.
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.