Protected local food
Ozasa Urui
小笹うるい
Crisp, slightly slippery hosta shoots (urui) from Ozasa in Kaminoyama, Yamagata, at the foot of the Zao mountains. A mountain vegetable grown in fields.
Key facts
- Registered as a protected name
- 20 March 2019
- Region
- Tohoku
- Official name in Japanese
- 小笹うるい
- Official area (in Japanese)
- 上山市東地区、本庄地区の一部
A mountain vegetable, farmed
Urui are the young shoots of a wild hosta that grows in Japan's mountains, eaten as a spring vegetable. In Ozasa, in the foothills of the Zao mountains in Kaminoyama, Yamagata, the weather is close to that of the wild plant's mountain home, and the volcanic soil is deep, well-drained and slightly sticky.
Crisp and slippery
Ozasa urui have the slippery texture urui are known for, and a fresh crunch. The white part of the stem, the best part to eat, is about 20 percent longer than usual. Growers never let seedlings leave the area, so it is still grown only here.
How to eat it
Blanch it briefly and dress with sesame or mustard and soy sauce, or eat it raw in salads. It is also good as tempura.
Good to know
- Kaminoyama is a hot spring town near Yamagata city. Look for urui at local markets in late winter and spring.
- In Yamagata, also try Yamagata Celery and Yonezawa beef.
Questions travellers ask
What is urui?
The young shoots of a hosta plant, a Japanese mountain vegetable with a crisp, slightly slippery texture.
Where is it grown?
In Ozasa and nearby areas of Kaminoyama city, Yamagata 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.