Protected local food
Omi Hino Hinona
近江日野産日野菜
A slender red-purple turnip from Hino in Shiga, first found in the Muromachi era. Pickled with nothing but vinegar, it turns a soft cherry-blossom pink.
Key facts
- Registered as a protected name
- 21 October 2022
- Region
- Kansai
- Official name in Japanese
- 近江日野産日野菜
- Official area (in Japanese)
- 滋賀県蒲生郡日野町
A slender turnip
Hinona is a long, thin turnip whose root is deep red-purple right up to the top. It turns a steady cherry-blossom pink with vinegar alone, which makes it the star of sakura-zuke, a pretty pink pickle.
From the Muromachi era
It goes back to a turnip found in Kagake, in what is now Hino town in Shiga, during the Muromachi period, more than 500 years ago.
Every yellow flower cut
To keep the variety pure, Hino has a custom called zatsuna-kari: in early spring, locals cut down every yellow flower of related plants in the area so they cannot cross with hinona. Growers also run a union that manages the original seed.
Good to know
- Look for hinona sakura-zuke pickles in Shiga souvenir shops. They are a classic side for rice.
- Hino was home to the Omi merchants, and its old merchant houses are open to visitors.
Questions travellers ask
Why does it turn pink?
Its root is rich in red-purple pigment, which turns bright pink when it meets vinegar.
When is it in season?
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
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- Hida no Takumi: 1,300 years of master woodworkers in Takayama
- Iga and Koka: in search of the real ninja
- Lake Biwa Canal: the waterway of hope from Otsu to Kyoto
- Lake Biwa: villages that live with the water
- Saigoku 33 Kannon Pilgrimage: Japan's 1,300-year journey of the heart
- The railway across the sea: Nagahama, Tsuruga and Imajo
- The Six Ancient Kilns: pottery born and raised in Japan
Sources
We checked the facts on this page against these sources.