Yoshino Hon-kuzu, Kuzumochi - Traditional Foods in Japan | Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries

NaraYoshino Hon-kuzu, Kuzumochi

Classification (Large)

Agricultural products

Classification (Small)

Other processed agricultural products

Main ingredients used

Kudzu roots

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Region of inheritance

Yoshino region, Uda City, Yoshino Town

Product overview (special characteristics and types)

Yoshino Hon-kuzu is made by refining starch that is extracted from the roots of kudzu plants which grow naturally in the Yoshino region of Nara Prefecture. The product itself is called kuzu-ko, an edible powder, which is also used in a food called kuzumochi, a gelatinous cake made by combining kuzu-ko and water with sugar and boiling the mixture until it firms up. Among the different varieties of kuzu-ko, flour that is derived from 100 percent pure kudzu starch is known as “Yoshino Hon-kuzu,” a name that indicates its quality. The kuzumochi made from Yoshino Hon-kuzu has a translucent, glass-like appearance and a smooth, silky texture, perfect as a cool dessert on a hot summer’s day.

History and culture

Yoshino Hon-kuzu is a flour made from the root of the kudzu plant, a plant that grows wild in the fields and mountains. Kudzu is a perennial vine belonging to the Fabaceae family (the bean/legume family) and is one of the Seven Grasses of Autumn.
Since antiquity, kudzu has had various uses: its roots form the base of a traditional Chinese medicine remedy, the Kakkon-to formula; its leaves were used as feed for domestic animals; its vines were used as textile fabric; and its flowers, in hangover cures.
Kudzu was used throughout different periods of Japanese history, and after the mid-Edo period, people started eating kuzumochi, a cake made from the edible kudzu flour, kuzu-ko. In the Yoshino region, an area characterized by cold winters and high-quality water sources, kudzu flourished as a mainstay of the local food culture. With its roots found to be of premium quality and therefore suitable for kuzu-ko production, it yielded flour fit to be offered as a gift to the royal court.
Later, kuzu-ko was also made into chagashi, small cakes that are to be had with tea, and today the food has permeated into various types of cooking, from Japanese cuisine to Buddhist vegetarian dishes. It is even used in making Western desserts, displaying its versatility as an ingredient.
Other than being used in kuzumochi, it is also a vital ingredient in traditional Japanese confections like yokan and kuzukiri.

Production method

Yoshino Hon-kuzu is made by grinding down the roots of the kudzu plant — water is then added before the mixture is kneaded and squeezed to bring out the starch. This mixture is rinsed with water numerous times until the pure white substance, Yoshino Hon-kuzu, is produced. Rinsing the ground-up roots time and again is a process called “Yoshino-zarashi,” the traditional method of rinsing that originated from Yoshino.
The production of Yoshino Hon-kuzu, in detail, is as thus: kudzu roots are smashed into pieces, then poured into a bucket; water is added and the mixture is stirred; time is then spent to let the sediment sink. The scum and other impurities that rise to the top of the mixture are removed and the water is run off the sediment before fresh water is added. These steps are repeated over the course of ten days, after which a completely white starch called nama-kuzu is produced. This starch is left to dry for over a month on a drying rack until it is dehydrated. The entire process averages two to three months.
Upon adding water and applying heat, Yoshino Hon-kuzu takes on a viscous quality. Kuzumochi is made by combining Yoshino Hon-kuzu, water, and sugar in a pot before bringing it to a boil. When the mixture gets sticky and starts to become clear, the burner is turned off and the pot is removed from the stove to cool — the end-product is kuzumochi.

Conservation and succession efforts

There has been a decline in the number of skilled workers who are able to harvest kudzu roots, causing a dip in production of Yoshino Hon-kuzu. With the goal of food culture conservation in mind, specialty stores have launched initiatives such as the “Kuzu Shoku-Iku Project” and “Le sommelier d’un Kudzu” to promote deeper understanding about Yoshino Hon-kuzu through interaction with experts.
Furthermore, to preserve brand equity, the product that is made purely with kudzu root starch is referred to as Yoshino Hon-kuzu, while products that exceed 50 percent kudzu root starch in their makeup are referred to as Yoshino Kuzu.
The Yoshino Kuzu Manufacturers Cooperative, made up of manufacturers from Nara prefecture, have received the Regional Collective Trademark from the Japan Patent Office for the name Yoshino Hon-kuzu, based on how the basic ingredient is solely starch that is extracted from kudzu roots and is manufactured or processed in Yoshino and its neighboring regions.

Main consumption method

Kuzumochi is commonly enjoyed with kinako bean powder, matcha, and brown sugar syrup. Apart from kuzumochi, Yoshino Hon-kuzu is widely used in cooking and sweets, serving as an ingredient in sesame tofu, kuzuyu (a hot beverage), kuzu manju buns, sweet kuzu noodles, and as a thickener.

At-home recipes：Kuzuyu(yields 1 cup)

Ingredients

Hon-kuzu

25 g

Hot water

180 cc and 5 tbsp

Sugar

roughly 1 tsp

How to make

In a coffee cup or similar, add Hon-kuzu and sugar, then dissolve by adding a small amount of lukewarm water.

Add hot water, then stir until the mixture turns clear. Note: If the mixture does not turn completely clear, heat it up in the microwave for 30 to 40 seconds. It should become transparent and thick.

Recipe credit : Morino Yoshino Kuzu Hompo, Co., Ltd.（0745-83-0002）