Taste of autumn! Enjoy Japan's best hoshi-imo, the pride of Ibaraki Prefecture, and the "hoshi-imo shrine" full of good luck!

  • Ibaraki
  • Eating
Dried hoshi-imo
What do you think of when we say "autumn gourmet"? There are many delicious gourmet foods in autumn, and one of them is probably "sweet potatoes. The sweet and tasty "hoshi-imo" is a specialty of Ibaraki Prefecture. Highly nutritious and full of nature's bounty, here are some of the many charms of hoshi-imo!

Ibaraki Prefecture ranks first in the nation in hoshi-imo production and output!

Hoshi-imo" is a specialty of Ibaraki Prefecture. Ibaraki Prefecture's share of the national hoshi-imo market is said to be over 90%! The reason for this is due to Ibaraki's geographical features that make it suitable for potato production, such as soil suitable for growing sweet potatoes, and a climate with little rainfall and sea breezes in the winter, which is suitable for the drying process.
Dried hoshi-imo

The reason for Japan's No. 1 hoshi-imo production is Ibaraki Prefecture's geographical features!

It is said that the production of hoshi-imo in Ibaraki Prefecture began in the late Meiji period (1868-1912) in the area of present-day Hitachinaka City. The hoshi-imo has developed into a specialty product that can be proudly shown throughout the country because of the soil suitable for growing sweet potatoes, the raw material, and the climate with little rainfall and sea breezes in winter, which were suitable for the drying process.

Two kinds of hoshi-imo

The standard taste "Hiraboshi".

flat dried
One of the most popular hoshi-gaki products is "hiraboshi" (flat dried sweet potatoes), which is made by slicing and drying sweet potatoes. They are reasonably priced and easy to handle, and can be eaten as is while enjoying the different chewiness of the different varieties. There are also many other delicious ways to eat them, such as heating them slightly in a toaster oven until they are browned, or putting butter or margarine on top of them!

Maruboshi", a little bit luxurious

Dried whole
Maruboshi," which is made by drying steamed sweet potatoes without slicing, is a slightly richer hoshi-imo than hiraboshi. Because it is thicker than hira-boshi, it takes longer to dry, so the production quantity is smaller and the price is a little higher than hira-boshi. However, hoshi-imo is more suitable for gifts and special occasions because you can enjoy the original sweetness and tenderness of hoshi-imo more than hira-boshi.

How hoshi-imo is made

Hoshi-imo is also called "dried sweet potato" in some regions. As the name suggests, they are made by drying sweet potatoes, and there are two methods: one is the traditional method of "sun-drying" and the other is drying in a factory with quality control.

Traditional "sun-dried".

Hand-dried in the sun
There are still some producers who manufacture the products by the traditional method of sun-drying. The process of drying hoshi-imo in the sun slowly and deliberately for about a week in the case of flat drying and about two weeks in the case of round drying requires a lot of work, such as turning over each piece and moving it if it rains, but it is filled with the attention and love of the producers.

Hoshi-imo Shrine, a sacred place for hoshi-imo

Hitachinaka City produces a particularly large amount of hoshi-imo in Ibaraki Prefecture. There is a shrine associated with hoshi-imo about a 5-minute walk from Ajigaura Station on the Hitachinaka Kaihin Railway, which runs through Hitachinaka City. It is the much talked-about Shingu "Hoshi-imo Shrine," built in 2028 and lined with golden torii gates!
It is said to be popular among gold-loving foreigners visiting Japan, and if you visit the shrine, you will be blessed with "hoshii mono (everything you want). If you like hoshi-imo, you should visit there at least once.
Golden torii gate
Red seal of Hoshi-imo Shrine
Click here for more information about "Hoshi-imo Shrine

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