Japanese Green Onion and Negi Varieties: From Hakata to Kyoto

Japan (Allium fistulosum cultivation in Japan for over 1,000 years; Kujō negi Kyoto cultivation traced to Heian period; Tokyo negi developed during Edo era in Kanto region)

Negi (葱) in Japanese cuisine encompasses a family of alliums far wider than the Western term 'green onion' suggests: Tokyo negi (東京ネギ, futo-negi, 'fat negi') is a thick-blanched variety prized for grilling — the white shank is used for yakitori negima, the soft green parts for miso soup; Kyoto's Kujō negi (九条ねぎ) is a slender, deeply green variety with exceptional sweetness, used raw as a garnish (yakumi) and in Kyoto negi-yaki; Hakata's Hakata Mannenegi (博多万能ねぎ, 'all-purpose negi') is a thin spring onion used extensively in Kyushu cuisine as a ubiquitous garnish; asatsuki (浅葱) is a fine, chive-like wild allium used in spring as a delicate garnish for sashimi and sunomono; Wakegi (分葱) is a divided scallion (part of the Allium fistulosum × cepa hybrid) used for nuta-ae with white miso and vinegar in spring. Each variety has specific culinary applications: the principle that Japanese cooks do not use 'negi' generically but specifically, choosing the variety for the application. Blanching and serving temperature also matter: fatty varieties (Tokyo negi) benefit from grilling which caramelises sugars; thin varieties (Kujō) are often used raw to preserve their bright, fresh character and vivid green colour.

Variable by variety: Tokyo negi is pungent, starchy-sweet when cooked; Kujō negi is bright, fresh, grassy-sweet; asatsuki is mild, delicate, and slightly chive-like; all share a clean, sharp allium freshness