Japan-wide — winter vegetable; introduced from China during Tang Dynasty period
Shungiku (春菊, chrysanthemum greens, Glebionis coronaria) are the edible leaves and stems of a chrysanthemum variety grown specifically for food rather than ornament — with a distinctive bitter-herbal, slightly anise-adjacent flavour that is uniquely Japanese among widely-used vegetables. Shungiku is the defining leafy green of Japanese winter hotpot (nabe) culture — its bitter, aromatic character cuts through the richness of heavy winter broths. It is used in: sukiyaki (where its bitterness balances the sweet warishita); miso soup (briefly blanched shungiku with tofu); ohitashi (blanched and dressed with dashi-soy); and as a raw herb for decorating sashimi and nimono presentations. Shungiku cannot be eaten raw in significant quantity (too bitter) but brief blanching transforms it into a fresh, lightly bitter vegetable with a faint floral quality.
Distinct bitter-herbal with a faint floral chrysanthemum note; briefly blanched loses most bitterness while retaining the herbal character; in nabe the bitterness is the counterpoint to sweet warishita or rich broths
Add shungiku to nabe at the very end of cooking (30 seconds to 1 minute maximum — it wilts rapidly and over-cooking destroys its texture and makes it slimy); use only the tender upper leaves and soft stems — older, thicker stems are too fibrous; the bitterness is a feature, not a flaw — it provides the crucial bitter note in the five-flavour balance of Japanese cooking.
Shungiku ohitashi: blanch in salted boiling water for 45 seconds, transfer to ice water immediately, squeeze firmly, cut into 3cm pieces, dress with dashi + light soy + mirin — the bitterness is substantially reduced by blanching and the natural herbal flavour shines; shungiku and egg (shungiku no tamago-toji): briefly sauté shungiku in dashi + soy, add beaten egg at the end, cover for 30 seconds until egg is just set — a simple but satisfying 5-minute side dish; young shungiku leaves are less bitter and can be used in salads dressed with sesame.
Adding shungiku too early to nabe (it disintegrates with extended heat — always add in the final minute of cooking); using only the stems while discarding leaves (the leaves are the most valuable part — full of aromatic oils); expecting shungiku to taste like spinach (it has a completely different flavour profile — more bitter, more herbal, distinctly chrysanthemum-adjacent).
Japanese Cooking: A Simple Art — Shizuo Tsuji