Hoshi-imo
ほしいもSnack
Hoshi-imo suits riders who want a chewy, sweet ride snack that keeps in a jersey pocket, and the best batches appear only from midwinter.
Where to eat Hoshi-imo
- Hitachinaka
Japan's biggest producing area, with more than 500 farms.
Ibaraki makes about nine in ten of Japan's dried sweet potatoes, and most come from Hitachinaka on the coast. The prefecture says farmers there started in the late Meiji era, helped by sandy soil and a dry winter wind off the sea. The potatoes are steamed, sliced or left whole, and dried in the sun or in drying rooms.
Packs name the variety, such as tamayutaka or beni-haruka. Hira-boshi slices are the everyday kind. Maru-boshi dry whole for longer and cost more.
Quick answers about Hoshi-imoよくある質問
How do you order Hoshi-imo?
Look for hira-boshi slices for snacking and maru-boshi, whole potatoes dried longer, as a richer treat. The variety name on the pack tells you the texture.
When is Hoshi-imo in season?
Hoshi-imo: Made through the dry coastal winter, and best from January; the prefecture named 10 January Hoshi-imo Day.