Mitsuba is Japanese parsley

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Mitsuba is a plant that grows wild all over Japan, from Hokkaido to Okinawa, and is used as an herb in Japan.Mitsuba means 'three leaves' in Japanese, and as the name suggests, it has three leaves.
There are only about 20 vegetables that are native to Japan, such as wasabi and sansho, and mitsuba is one of them.

Chawan mushi(steamed egg custard)

 Mitsuba is a flavorful vegetable with a refreshing aroma,
it is used in a wide range of dishes, including Osuimono (clear soup), Chawan mushi(steamed egg custard), ozoni (soup with rice cakes) and rice bowls.

It has been cultivated since the Edo period, but it also grows wild.
The best time to eat wild mitsuba is from March to June.
You can find wild mitsuba growing along streams and rivers where there is clean water.
After mitsuba has been planted in a home garden, it sometimes grows wild without anyone noticing
despite its delicate image, it is a wild plant with a strong vitality that can be found growing in many places.

On the other hand, it is also a vegetable that does not keep for long, as its quality starts to deteriorate soon after harvesting.
If left too long, it will lose its flavor and crunchiness, so it is best to eat fresh mitsuba that has been picked as close to home as possible.


If you are particular about flavor, you can grow it in a planter or in a garden in partial shade, and you can harvest it many times.
Mitsuba likes cool temperatures, so spring and autumn are the best times to sow the seeds. When the temperature reaches around 20 degrees, the buds will start to sprout, but it can be a little difficult to get them to germinate, and it can take up to 10 days after planting.

There is also a method of growing it from commercially-sold Mitsuba. If you leave the base of the Mitsuba you are buying about 5 to 7 centimeters above the ground and soak it in water, it will regrow and grow.

Natural mitsuba is at its tastiest in spring. Spring mitsuba has a strong flavor and a pleasant texture.


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