🍱 Crimson Turnip Pickles

This pickle is made from a traditional vegetable known as the crimson turnip (hinokabu), which is featured in the Ehime folk song "Iyo Bushi." The pickles have an aroma of bitter orange and a sweet and tangy flavor, resulting in a clean yet rich finish. Historically, over 300 years ago, when Tadatomo Gamo was transferred to Matsuyama, he transplanted turnips from his ancestral land in Hino, Gamo County, Omi Province (now Shiga Prefecture), marking the beginning of the crimson pickle's history. The original “Omi Hinokabu” variety was then adapted and improved to suit the Matsuyama region and became a local specialty. The vibrant crimson color of the turnip is a result of the anthocyanin pigments in the turnip reacting with the bitter orange juice. Even the renowned haiku poet Shiki Masaoka, who had connections to Ehime, composed a haiku praising this pickle: "Crimson turnips, around the meal tray, a scene of spring." Loved by many, this pickle evokes nostalgia for those who have left their hometowns.