Anno Imo (安納芋)

Picture a roasted sweet potato split open on a cold evening. The skin is wrinkled and dark, while the flesh glows golden orange with a glossy, syrup-like surface. This is the image most often associated with Anno Imo (安納芋), a Japanese sweet potato closely connected with Tanegashima, an island in Kagoshima Prefecture. Among Japan’s many satsumaimo varieties, it is known for turning soft, moist, and pronounced in sweetness when cooked slowly. This guide explains what Anno Imo is, where it comes from, how it tastes, and how it differs from other Japanese sweet potatoes. It also covers seasonality, cooking methods, storage, nutrition, and what to check before buying Anno Imo in or outside Japan. TOCWhat Is Anno Imo? Illustration of honey sweet potato, highlighting its sticky texture and rich orange color. Anno Imo is a name used for sweet potatoes descended from a local Tanegashima line, particularly the registered cultivars Anno Beni and Anno Kogane. Tanegashima lies about 115 km south of Kagoshima city. Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) describes the island’s product as a driver of the demand for moist, sticky roasted sweet potatoes that grew in Japan fro...