Protected local food
Tokushima Sudachi
徳島すだち
A small green citrus from Tokushima, which grows 98% of Japan's sudachi. It is picked while the skin is dark green, for its fresh scent and sharp sourness, and squeezed over all kinds of dishes.
Key facts
- Registered as a protected name
- 31 March 2023
- Region
- Shikoku
- Official name in Japanese
- 徳島すだち
- Official area (in Japanese)
- 徳島県
Japan's sudachi comes from here
Tokushima ships 98% of all sudachi in Japan. The fruit is picked while its skin is still dark green, when its scent is fresh and its sourness is sharp. Tokushima families squeeze it over many dishes, and restaurants use it widely.
A citrus from ancient times
The name comes from sutachibana, an old word linking its sour juice to the citrus family. Sudachi has grown wild in Tokushima since the time of the Man'yoshu poems, about 1,300 years ago, and was long grown for home use. Commercial growing began from the 1960s and 70s, and in 1974 its flower became the prefecture's flower.
Good to know
- Squeeze sudachi on grilled saury in autumn, on cold soba or udon, and into hot pot dipping sauce.
- Try it with Awaodori Chicken, Tokushima's own jidori.
Questions travellers ask
What is sudachi?
A small, round, green Japanese citrus used like a lime, mostly squeezed over food.
Where does sudachi come from?
Almost all of it, 98%, comes from Tokushima Prefecture on Shikoku.
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.