Yatsushiro Ginger (Kumamoto): season, origin and where to buy

Seasonal calendar

Thanks to tunnel storage, it is shipped year-round.

Timing shifts with the weather and conditions in each region.

Official registration details (MAFF)

The registered description as published by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.

Characteristics

Yatsushiro Shoga ginger is characterized by its fresh, relatively mild taste. The exterior is comparatively smooth, attractive in color and gloss, and free of pest damage. The generously sized rhizomes are shipped only after careful trimming and after satisfying strict quality standards. Yatsushiro Shoga is rated highly by the market for its excellent quality and year-round availability, and as a result is traded at prices more than 30% higher than more common types of ginger.

Link with the production area

Yatsushiro Shoga fields are located in valleys surrounded by mountains and abundant sources of water. Some of the fields are adjacent to mountainous areas renowned for their picturesque rice terraces. Plot sizes are kept small to prevent diseases and pests from spreading should they ever occur. Good-quality ginger can be shipped year-round because of tuff deposits where trenches are dug for storing ginger under optimal temperature and humidity levels.

Characteristics and link with the area: Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries website (https://www.maff.go.jp/e/policies/intel/gi_act/register/s95.html)

Where to buy

As a rule, only products that meet the registered standard may use a GI name (with exceptions such as prior use). Check for the GI mark and the place of origin to tell it apart from ordinary products with similar names.

Find on furusato nozei (opens in a new tab)

These links go to Japanese-language shops; check whether they ship overseas.

Some shop links on this page are affiliate links; we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

It is offered as a Yatsushiro City furusato nozei (hometown tax donation) gift.

FAQ

Ginger grown in the hilly Yatsushiro area of Kumamoto. Carefully trimmed and strictly graded, it has a glossy, clean appearance and a juicy, mild flavor. Storage in tunnels cut into tuff rock allows it to be shipped all year round.

Yatsushiro Ginger is produced in Yatsushiro City; Hikawa Town, Yatsushiro County; Kaito District, Ogawa Town, Uki City; and Chuo District, Misato Town, Shimomashiki County, Kumamoto Prefecture.

Yatsushiro Ginger is shipped all year round. Thanks to tunnel storage, it is shipped year-round.

Look for it via furusato nozei (hometown tax donation). Check the GI mark and the place of origin before you buy.

Yatsushiro Ginger was registered as a Geographical Indication on March 30, 2020 (Registration No. 95). The registered producer group is Yatsushiro Regional Agricultural Cooperative.