Kagawa prefecture products

Okra

Okra photo

Okra—a nutritious summer vegetable. Okra is native to eastern Africa, and there are records okra cultivation in Egypt from as early as the thirteenth century. First introduced to Japan from the United States during the late 13s to early 1800s, okra cultivation became common in the mid-1900s. Because okra can grow as many as two centimeters per day during peak growing periods, it can be harvested every day, or even twice in one day.

Seasonal season
Time to go around Peak season (seasonal season)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Main production area
The whole prefecture
  • The surface of okra is covered in fuzz, and the fresher the vegetable, the rougher this fuzz will be. Fuzz can be removed by rubbing okra with salt before cooking. Because okra cooks quickly, it is great for salads, deep-fried tempura, or lightly boiled and served with dressing. Okra has a slimy texture that increases when it is finely diced. By changing how okra is cut, you can adjust its texture to your liking.

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South Takamatsu Okra Committee
Chairperson AKAMATSU Yukio
Chairperson AKAMATSU Reiko
Organization name Kagawa Prefectural Agricultural Cooperative Central Farming Center
Group location 367-1 Shimodai-machi, Takamatsu City, Kagawa Prefecture
Recommended way of eating Japanese food, Okonomiyaki, Kakiage, Miso soup, etc.
Prefecture retail store Prefecture supermarket
A popular summer vegetable, Okra can be used in any kind of recipe. Containing many nutrients, such as pectin, vitamin A, B1, B2 and C, minerals, calcium and potassium, okra is said to be good for preventing heat-related illnesses. The okra produced by Mr. and Mrs. Akamatsu is very plump, because it is grown outdoors where it can soak in plenty of sun. Okra grows extremely quickly at a rate of two centimeters per day, and can be harvested in only four days after flowering. As a result, harvest time is very busy for okra farmers, who have to work every day to keep up. Freshly harvested okra is then carefully sorted, packaged and sent to the market right away. The delicious taste of fresh, seasonal okra is one of summer’s luxuries.