Beniazuma Sweet Potato (紅あずま)

On a cold evening in Tokyo, the aroma of yaki imo, Japan’s roasted sweet potato, still drifts through shopping streets. Today, many vendors favor moist, intensely sweet cultivars, but Beniazuma once defined the classic fluffy style across Kanto, the region around Tokyo. Beniazuma sweet potato (紅あずま) is a cultivar of satsumaimo, the Japanese sweet potato, with deep reddish-purple skin. Its yellow, floury flesh also turns fluffy in the oven or steamer. This guide explains how Beniazuma tastes, where it grows, and when to buy it. It also compares the cultivar with Beniharuka, Anno imo, and Naruto Kintoki. After that, you will find cooking methods, nutrition data, and storage tips. Most facts come from Japan’s variety registry, national research reports, and official food composition tables. TOCWhat Is Beniazuma Sweet Potato? Put simply, Beniazuma is a table sweet potato from a 1980s national breeding program for eastern Japan. Breeders crossed a Kanto breeding line with Koganesengan, a high-yielding cultivar widely associated with sweet potato shochu production in Kyushu. They wanted a root that swelled early, cropped heavily, and still tasted good. Official trials rated its eating qu...