Daikon Radish Smoked, Pickled in Akita Prefecture, with 20,000 Scheduled to Be Produced

The Yomiuri Shimbun

10:20 JST, November 9, 2025

AKITA — Production of iburigakko smoked and pickled daikon radishes is in full swing in the Sannai district of Yokote, Akita Prefecture.

The preserved food is made in the snowy prefecture for winter.

About 2,500 daikon radishes were seen hanging from a ceiling in a smoking hut in the district. Wood from mizunara trees was being used in the smoking process.

After four to five days of smoking, the daikon are pickled in a mixture of brown rice, rice malt and other ingredients. The work will continue through mid-December, with plans to produce about 20,000 iburigakko.

“I think we can make especially tasty iburigakko this year thanks to the high-quality daikon that we’re using,” said Atsuko Takahashi, 74, who owns the smoking hut.