What Is Hoshiimo?

How it's made

The typical process is simple: steam the sweet potatoes, peel them, shape them, and dry them. Because it's so simple, each maker's skill and experience — choosing varieties, judging the steaming, reading the weather and drying time — shows up as differences in taste.

It's also common to store the harvested potatoes for a while to build sweetness before drying, rather than processing them right away.

Ibaraki and hoshiimo

Ibaraki Prefecture is known as one of Japan's leading hoshiimo producing areas. The stretch covering Hitachinaka, Tokai, and Naka in particular is considered well suited to the craft, with dry winter winds and well-drained soil. In winter, drying racks lined with sweet potatoes are part of the local scenery.

Today, sweeter varieties like 'Beniharuka' are widely used, and more products are being chosen as gifts.

If you're new to it

Shapes include hira-boshi (flat-dried, sliced before drying), maru-boshi (whole-dried), and stick-cut kaku-giri. Texture and sweetness come across differently in each, so starting with small amounts and finding your favorite is part of the fun.