“Hoshizora Yukimi Spinach” is a top-class spinach grown exclusively in winter, which takes twice as long to grow as in summer. Its name means being raised to withstand the freezing cold, while gazing at the starry skies and snow in mid-winter Nayoro city. Taking the top gold prize at the “Vegetables Sommelier Summit” testifies to its individuality and its superior taste. Part of the root that is gently dug out of the frozen soil has a particularly dense umami and sweetness, best eaten hot out of a shabu-shabu pot. After harvest, the fields of this farm turn into a snowy field. Playing in a reserved field and tasting 100% locally grown produce dipped in a shabu-shabu inside a greenhouse-that’s a winter experience you can only get here in Japan.

The cold-sweetened method of cultivation works with leafy vegetables, such as spinach and Japanese mustard spinach. The leaves seem to crawl on the ground to withstand the cold, making the leaves thicker and boosting their sugar content.

The only time Kanda Farm uses any fuel at all is the morning of the harvest, to melt the surface of the frozen soil so the sweet roots can be dug up. Fuel is not used any other time.

Other ingredients for the shabu-shabu include a local, specialty pork and thin slices of mochi. Such simple ingredients are best to maximize the taste of the spinach.

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