【Local food Festival Month~ Tambasasayama Aji Matsuri: From early October】 Tambasasayama Black Edamame release!
Tambasasayama Black Edamame, called the phantom edamame, is available from the day the ban is lifted.
The 2024 release date for Tambasasayama Black Edamame is October 7th, Monday
Heavy traffic is expected on Saturdays and Sundays. Please use a detour routes or free shuttle buses.
2023 Tambasasayama Black Edamame Sales Store Map
Do you know Tambasasayama Black Edamame？
Speaking of Tambasasayama City, Hyogo, it is “black soybeans” which boasts the highest production volume and quality in Japan.
Do you know Edamame are green soybeans? Yes, Tambasasayama Black Edamame are young black soybeans and called the “phantom edamame” because they come on the market for only a few weeks in October. The local people enjoy them around the autumn festival time, not as the full grown black soybeans that are served in the New Year’s dish, but as green pods when they are still in the process of growing.
Only local people was enjoying Black Edamame, but with the publication of the popular gourmet manga “Oishinbo” and also the introduction at the the 21st Centry Park City Expo “Horonpia ‘88” held in 1988, it quickly became famous all over Japan for its large, sweet, chestnut-like texture and delicious taste.
Local Food Festival ~ Tambasasayama Aji Matsuri
Beginning of October every year, the “Aji Matsuri(Local Food Festival)” used to be held at Sannomaru Square of Sasayama Castle. At the festival, Tambasasayama black edamame, Tamba chestnuts, wild boar meat, Tambasasayama beef etc. were on sale. About 100,000 tourist visited the 3-day festival, and the heavy traffic near the “Tannan Sasayamaguchi” Exit of Maizuru-Wakasa expressway was the “autumn tradition”.
Unfortunately in 2020 and 2021, the festival was canceled due to the spread of Covid-19. But, in spite of the fact that the Aji Matsuri was not held, we welcomed a record number of 600,000 tourists, in October alone. In addition, the black edamame online shop has been enhanced. Therefore, from 2022 onwards, the entire month of October will be designated as the “Tambasasayama Aji Matsuri Month” instead of just 3-day event.
To ensure that customers can purchase Tambasayama specialty products safely and securely, we are promoting our Internet sales this year as well.
We recommend purchasing at the online shop portal site, “Ouchi de Tambasasayama (Tambasasayama at home)”. You can check and purchase the local products from various farmers and shops in Tambasasayama.
https://edamame.jp (Japanese only)
【Edamame matures!】 The appearance and taste of Black Edamame can vary greatly depending on when they are purchased.
Those sold earlier than the official release day are early-ripening types that differs in taste and variety from the Tambasasayama Black Edamame which has been certified as a Japanese agricultural heritage. (The early-ripening types are named, ‘Murasaki-zukin’, ‘Kurokko-hime’, ‘Chakkoro-hime’, ‘Hikari-hime’, etc.)
Please enjoy the taste of Tambasasayama Black Edamame at each stage.
Early October 【First picking】
The beginning stage of Black Edamame. They have a fresh taste, not so sweet, and beautiful green in color. They are the size of typical edamame and have crispy texture. They go well with beer. The recommended boiling time is 10 to 15 minutes.
Mid-October 【Mid-picking】
At this stage, there is a good balance of freshness and taste. The pods and beans become darker in color. Slightly larger than regular edamame with crisp texture and sweetness intensifies. Goes well with Japanese sake. Estimated boiling time is 15 to 20 minutes.
Late October 【Late picking 】
The color and texture are close to Black soybeans, and the sweetness and taste are very rich. They have chewy texture. The color of the pods is yellowish, and the beans is between purple and black (because of anthocyanin). Much larger than regular edamame. They are suitable for eating as a snack or cooked with rice (the rice becomes pinkish color). The recommended boiling time is 20 to 25 minutes.
Preparations for the New Year begin in November.
By mid-November, the black soybeans are fully grown. After dried, sorted, then they will be ready to use for New Year’s black soybean dishes. They are sold under the names of ‘Tamba Black Soybeans’ or ‘Tambasasayama Black Soybeans’ for Osechi (New Year’s dish) at high-end restaurants and department stores. Tambasasayama Black Soybeans are the indispensable part of the traditional Japanese food “Osechi”.
~How to boil perfectly~
①Wash the Black Edamame with water.
②Drain the water, put them in a bowl, wash them with salt, and remove the downy hair.
③[For Boiling] Boil 2.5 to 3 liters of water in a deep pot, add 100 to 120 grams of salt to 500 grams of Black Edamame, and boil.
[For steaming] Boil enough water to cover the edamame in a frying pan, add the Black Edamame, cover and steam. Sprinkle a generous amount of salt to finish.
④The approximate time for boiling is the number of the harvested date.
For example, 10 minutes for those harvested on the 10th of Oct., 20 minutes for those harvested on the 20th, and 30 minutes for those harvested on the 30th.
[For storing in the freezer] Boil for 2-3 minutes and store in freezer. Before you eat, add salt and boil the edamame for about 10 minutes (adjust the boiling time according to your preference while checking the hardness).
⑤After boiling, cool off the edamame by draining the hot water in a strainer and pour cold water over it or spreading out the edamame. If you cool them at a dash, they will have a vivid color.
Black Edamame tastes better when it’s slightly cooled rather than when hot.
There are many other ways to enjoy edamame. Here are some examples:
[Grilled Edamame] (After rubbing salt and removing the downy hair, place aluminium foil on the toaster or fish grill and cook while flipping it upside down for the same amount of time as boiling), [Stir-fried peperoncino with garlic and red pepper], [Ethnic stir-fry with cumin and black pepper] and [Stir-fry with butter and soy sauce] .
Points to note for purchasing Black Edamame in Tambasasayama
➢ Expected heavy congestion on Saturdays and Sundays. Weekday visits are recommended.
➢ During lunch time, parking lots and restaurants in the castle town are expected to be crowded with people and cars.
If you visit Tambasasayama by car, we recommend that you arrive before 10am as parking is likely to be scarce.
Please make a reservation in advance for restaurants or take advantage of takeout. (Last year, many people had difficulty finding a place to have lunch, as there are many small restaurants that have reduced the number of seats due to infection control measures.)
➢ Even if you have already been vaccinated, we ask for your cooperation in wearing a mask, disinfecting with alcohol, and avoiding the three Cs.
From October 8th, Green Slow Mobility (electric vehicle with a speed of 20km/h or less) will be operated around the castle town on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays.
The capacity is 7 passengers, and free of charge. Let’s ride on!
Basic information
| Postal code | 〒669-2332 |
| Address | 2 Kitashinmachi, Tambasasayama City, Hyogo |
| Phone number | +81-79-552-1111 |
| Parking | Please use the nearby municipal parking lot.(up to 400 yen/day) |
| Access(by train/bus) | From the west exit of JR ‘Sasayamaguchi’ station, take the Wing Shinki Bus and get off at Nikaimachi, 5 min. walk from the bus stop. |
| Access(by car) | About 10 minutes from ‘Tannan Sasayamaguchi’ Exit on Maizuru-Wakasa Expressway. |
| Map | View on Googlemap |
