Hinona Kabu Turnip (Brassica rapa)

Hinona Kabu Rabish (Brassica rapa): heirloom variety from the land of the Rising Sun. Delicate taste and beautiful colours; white on the bottom and bright purple on the top. As the roots can reach up to 60 cm, the soil must be worked deep enough. It can be sown all year round,  and can be consumed in several ways, from raw to pickled. 

Great taste and interesting history too, refer to the next section for further details. 

Lord Gamou Sadahide, builder of the Otowa Castle in Japan, found this turnip in Hino around 1470. Impressed by its colour and taste  he gave it as a gift to the emperor Kashiwabara (1500-1526) who named it. The emperor was so happy that he wrote a poem about pickled turnips to show his gratitude.

The Noguchi Seed Company claims that the seed was spread by a Genbei seed seller in the Hokan era (1751-1763).