Satsuma is the old province name for the now Western part of Kagoshima prefecture and place of one of the most famous radishes. Satsuma radish owns a reputation of being very big and heavy, and you expect it to be rather tough and woody due to its size. Yet it is soft in fiber, which makes it a versatile ingredient in the kitchen. The radish grows on Sakurajima Island which is why it is also known as Sakurajima radish. It is spherically or sometimes spindle-shaped and usually weights around 10 kg, though it can also reach and exceed 20 kg. Harvest season is end of December to end of February.
The more obscure the beginning of something is, the more legends arise. This is also the case of Sakurajima radish.
Some say that it emerged in the 1680s as a variety of another radish called Hōryō radish, which comes from present-day Aichi prefecture (you will find more information about Hōryō radish in the post about Owari radish). Others assume that the radish is native to Sakurajima Island and originated from radishes grown at the seacoast. Yet another theory suggests that it emerged from the Kokubu radish that was cultivated in West Sakurajima Island.
Kokubu radish
Nonetheless, the origin of Kokubu radish too remains in obscurity. It has been cultivated in Hayato, Aira district, which is now the modern city of Kirishima (located to the north of Kagoshima Bay). Weighting between 2 and 10 kg Kokubu radish can be regarded as the downsized version of Sakurajima radish. The protruding part of the root has a tint of red, although there are also varieties which are green at the top. Kokubu radish is now part of an agricultural initiative called “traditional vegetables” (dentō yasai) that promotes the cultivation of native local products with a long history. It’s not the only radish as such, this endeavor includes radishes and vegetables from other regions too, such as Kyoto vegetables or Yamato vegetables.
All in all, there is not much known about the origin of Satsuma radish.
I have only found about two sources so far that address this radish. One source is from 1709, and says the following:
“Satsuma radish: [This radish] is bigger than the ordinary one. The skin is thick, the root is resistant to cold and very pungent. If cooked, the radish becomes sweet and delicious. Even when this radish is hit by snow or frost, it will not lose its flavor. The leaves look like the same as those of the ordinary radish. The only difference to the leaves of the ordinary radish is that the core leaves are erected whereas the older leaves are turned sideways. If well fertilized, it will grow very big. Even if the root sticks out of the soil, it will not be damaged by cold. The leaves and stems too taste better than those of the ordinary radish." (Yamato honzō, suppl. vol)
The other source is from 1712.
“Kikuchi in Higo province, Yoshino in Aki province, Tsu in Ise province, Kagoshima in Satsuma province, and Takeo in Hizen province, they all produce long and large radishes”. (Wakan sansei zue)
That’s it.
But as scanty as the sources are, as abundant are the ways in which Sakurajima radish can be prepared.
One of the characteristics of this radish is that it stays firm when being simmered, which makes it an ideal ingredient in oden dishes, miso soup or as buridaikon: a dish in which yellowtail and radish are simmered in soya sauce. You can find many radish recipes on the official homepage of Kagoshima city (it’s in Japanese).
Yet Sakurajima radish also makes a good pickle, even a “good-looking” pickle, due to its snow-like white color.
And if you cannot obtain a fresh one, you still have the option to buy a dried product, which is known as “coiled dried radish” (guruguru maki). The expression guruguru maki hints at the way the radish is prepared for the drying process, that is, thinly sliced into a very very long strip.