Saitama Sweet Potato Kawagoe Culture

Kawagoe, Saitama Prefecture — Edo-period sweet potato cultivation supplying Tokyo markets

Kawagoe City in Saitama Prefecture is known throughout Japan as 'Koedo' (Little Edo) for its preserved Edo-period merchant district, and 'Imo no Machi' (Sweet Potato Town) for its centuries-long sweet potato (satsumaimo) cultivation tradition. The sandy, well-drained Musashino Plateau soils around Kawagoe are ideal for sweet potato cultivation, and the town developed into a major supply source for Edo (now Tokyo) during the Edo period when satsumaimo was the primary anti-famine staple food. Kawagoe sweet potato varieties — particularly Beniazuma (紅あずま), the dominant Kanto variety — have a drier, starchier texture compared to Kyushu satsumaimo, making them ideal for daigakuimo (candied sweet potato pieces lacquered with sugar and sesame) and imo-yokan (sweet potato yokan jelly pressed into blocks). Kawagoe's central attraction is Kashiya-Yokocho (Candy Alley) where traditional confectionery shops sell satsumaimo-based sweets including: imo-manju (potato steamed buns with red bean filling using sweet potato dough), imo-chips (sliced and seasoned), kuri-imo (candied with chestnuts), and the ubiquitous daigakuimo. Baked satsumaimo (yaki-imo), sold by cart vendors from October through February throughout Japan, represents the simplest and most evocative preparation: the potato is slow-cooked in hot stones (ishi-yaki method) at 70–80°C for 45–60 minutes, activating beta-amylase enzymes that convert starch to maltose, creating exceptional sweetness.

Maltose sweetness concentrated by slow baking, buttery interior, slightly caramelised skin — the humble winter street food that connects Edo to modern Tokyo