A Root Vegetable Rich in Nutrients
Apios is highly regarded for its nutritional value. It contains approximately 30 times as much calcium as potatoes and around four times as much iron. It is also rich in isoflavones, dietary fiber, and vitamin E.
Apios has traditionally been used not only as a food but also as an ingredient in traditional Japanese herbal medicine. Although the plant belongs to the legume family, its underground tubers are eaten like a root vegetable.
Its flavor is distinctive, somewhere between a peanut and a potato. This combination gives apios a unique taste that sets it apart from more familiar Japanese root vegetables.
Shichinohe: One of Japan’s Leading Apios-Producing Areas
Shichinohe Town in Aomori Prefecture is renowned as a major production area for apios and is known for having the largest harvest in Japan. The tubers are relatively small, about the size of a ping-pong ball, making them easy to prepare and enjoy.
One of the most common ways to eat apios is to cook it without peeling its thin skin. Simply boiling the tubers in salted water brings out their natural flavor. The texture is pleasantly fluffy and potato-like, while a subtle sweetness reminiscent of chestnuts develops as you eat it. Its concentrated umami flavor makes it a particularly satisfying local delicacy.
Apios Potage: A Local Favorite
Another way to enjoy this nutritious specialty is in apios potage soup. A creamy potage made with apios was developed around the time the Tohoku Shinkansen railway was extended to provide full-line service, and it has since become one of the local dishes recommended in Shichinohe.
For travelers exploring northern Japan, tasting apios is an opportunity to discover an unusual local crop and learn about the agricultural traditions of Aomori. Its distinctive combination of a potato-like texture, chestnut-like sweetness, and rich nutrients makes it a memorable taste of Shichinohe.
Apios Season
Peak season: November through March