Sugar beets, known in Japan as tensai or satou daikon (sugar beet), are a distinctive agricultural crop grown only in Hokkaido within Japan. They are an important raw material for producing familiar types of Japanese sugar, including granulated sugar and refined white sugar.
Sugar beets are well suited to cool northern regions and are relatively resistant to cold and wind damage. Their ideal growing temperature is around 25°C, while excessively warm nighttime temperatures are considered unfavorable.
Hokkaido’s climate was found to provide particularly suitable conditions for cultivation. The crop was first experimentally grown in what is now Hakodate in 1871, followed by trials at the Sapporo Agricultural College in 1878. These early experiments eventually led to large-scale cultivation in Hokkaido.
Among the figures associated with promoting sugar beet production in Hokkaido were William Smith Clark, the influential educator who helped establish Sapporo Agricultural College, and Masayoshi Matsukata, a prominent statesman involved in Japan’s early industrial development.
The cultivation of sugar beets became part of Hokkaido’s agricultural development, taking advantage of the island’s cool climate and large areas of farmland.
Growing begins with raising seedlings around February. The young plants are transplanted into fields from late April, where they continue growing through the warmer months before being harvested around October.
The roots are processed to extract their natural sugars, which are then used to produce everyday products such as granulated sugar and refined white sugar. Although sugar beets may not be as familiar to travelers as Hokkaido’s famous potatoes, corn, or dairy products, they are an important part of the island’s agricultural landscape.
For visitors exploring Hakodate and southern Hokkaido, sugar beets offer an interesting glimpse into the region’s history of agricultural development. A crop introduced during the early modernization of Hokkaido has become an important source of the sugar found on Japanese tables today.
October and November