Sawa azami is a perennial plant in the thistle genus of the daisy family. It grows naturally along mountain streams and in other moist mountainous environments, reaching heights of approximately one to three meters. From around September to October, it produces downward-facing flower heads in pale purplish-pink hues.
In the Kasuga district of Ibigawa Town, Gifu Prefecture, sawa azami has long been valued as a local food. Since ancient times, residents have harvested the central ribs of its leaves and enjoyed the young spring shoots in simmered dishes and salt-preserved preparations. Today, it remains a specialty that the community proudly regards as part of its culinary heritage.
Sawa azami has a refreshing, distinctive aroma and can be prepared in several ways. The stems are peeled before cooking, while the leaves can generally be used as they are.
Popular preparations include tempura, stir-frying in oil, simmered dishes with a slightly sweet seasoning, and adding the plant to soups. It can also be briefly boiled and served as ohitashi (vegetables seasoned after blanching) or incorporated into Japanese-style dressed salads.
These traditional cooking methods make the most of the plant’s fragrance and allow its distinctive character to shine in a variety of home-style dishes.
In traditional use, the above-ground parts of sawa azami have been valued for their purported diuretic, detoxifying, and tonic properties. Its underground parts have also been used traditionally as a hemostatic remedy. These are historical medicinal uses rather than established medical recommendations.
Sawa azami is harvested from late April through July, when its young shoots and leaves are suitable for cooking. Visitors to Ibigawa Town in spring and early summer may have an opportunity to discover this distinctive local ingredient and experience a lesser-known part of Gifu Prefecture’s traditional food culture.