Kuwanoki mame (mulberry bean)

This is a family of kidney bean cultivated in Yamagata City. This area used to thrive with silkworm culture, and thus mulberry was cultivated extensively. The bean seeds were sown around the roots of mulberry trees so that plants would grow along the tree trunks, and therefore they came to be called “kuwanoki mame,” or mulberry beans. When the plant fully ripens, the beans and shells come to show a red splashed pattern. After dried for preservation, they can be soaked in water for reconstitution and then cooked in shells, which is a rare feature among pulse crops.
○ Main cultivation area
Yamagata City (former Miyama Town)
○ Harvest period
October