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This is one of the Noto vegetables. Burdock cultivation started about 350 years ago, when the priest of Sawanobatan Shrine brought burdock seeds from Kyoto and planted them. The burdock was presented by the Kaga Clan to the Tokugawa Shoguns in the feudal days. It is 3cm thick, three times thicker than usual and has a good smell. The Sawano area in the hilly northeastern part of Nanao City is not an ideal environment for burdock cultivation, since its clay ground of the raised ocean bed is not well drained; however, the farmers’ careful care makes burdock strong against the adverse conditions. Hence, this burdock is cultivated in this area only, and its annual production is about 4 tons. Its scarcity makes it a precious traditional vegetable.
In 2011, Sawano burdock was registered as a regional collective trademark to promote cultivation and prevent low quality products from entering the market.