Nakagusuku Shima Ninjin

"Nakagusuku Shima Ninjin" is a carrot characterized by its vivid yellow color and thin and long shape resembling a burdock. It has been an essential and valuable ingredient for medicinal cuisine and local dishes of Okinawa Prefecture and is deeply rooted in the local food culture.
　The carrot is highly recognized by consumers and traded at higher prices than ordinary carrots, as well as shima ninjin produced in other areas.

Nakagusuku Shima Ninjin is cultivated using seeds of a traditional variety, shima ninjin, that are home-raised within Nakagusuku Village and by following the cultivation guidelines specified by Nakagusuku-mura Yasai Sanchi Kyougikai (Nakagusuku Village Vegetable Producing Area Association). According to the shipping standards, only shima ninjin carrot roots that are free of breakage, cracks, injury, rot, and pest damage can be shipped. Those with slight damage (breakage, cracks, injury, rot, or pest damage) can be used for processed products.

The producing area, Nakagusuku Village, is located in the central region of the main island of Okinawa, which is blessed with a warm climate and abundant underground water, constituting the natural conditions suitable for cultivating shima ninjin, which grows best at 15°C or higher temperatures and requires much water.
　Shima ninjin is believed to have been brought to Japan in the 17th century. It was once widely cultivated from Tohoku to Kyushu areas. However, it requires much labor to cultivate, such as deep plowing and earthing up because of its long roots; and carrot cultivation in other areas has shifted to the use of seiyo ninjin (Western carrot cultivars). Today, commercial growing of shima ninjin only remains in Okinawa Prefecture.
　Farmers have continued growing the traditional cultivar in the producing area by maintaining the strain via home seed-raising, the production of shima ninjin in the region accounts for about 70% of the entire production in the prefecture. Actions have also been taken since 2017 to preserve better freshness, such as using new packaging material that keeps the vivid yellow color by preventing Nakagusuku Shima Ninjin from turning green during distribution.