An Auspicious Food for Family Prosperity
Taro has traditionally been regarded as an auspicious food for celebrations such as the New Year. Because many small taro tubers grow around a parent tuber, it is associated with wishes for the prosperity of descendants and the continuation of the family.
Taro grown in Osaka is known for its particularly fine texture and high quality, and it has also been used by traditional Japanese restaurants. Among these varieties, the beautifully rounded Senshu Satoimo has traditionally been offered as an accompaniment during Tsukimi, the Japanese moon-viewing festival held around the full moon of the fifteenth day of the eighth lunar month.
For this reason, Senshu Satoimo is also known as “Tsukimi-imo” (Moon-Viewing Taro) or “Koimo” (Small Taro).
Fields Filled with Large Taro Leaves
August is the peak harvest season for Senshu Satoimo. During this period, visitors traveling through the Senshu region can see fields covered with the large, distinctive leaves of taro, creating a characteristic summer landscape of the area.