TOKYO, Jan. 11 –Japan’s top producer of hoshi imo (a specialty snack made of steamed, dried sweet potatoes)-Ibaraki Prefecture-named January 10th “the day of dried sweet potatoes,” or “Hoshi Imo no Hi” in Japanese. On January 10 this year, the prefecture held a press conference in Tokyo to celebrate the newly-established anniversary. Ibaraki Prefectural Governor Kazuhiko Oigawa explained to the press how the prefecture created the anniversary. The conference was attended by Maria Tani, a Japanese model and actress who became an ambassador for dried sweet potatoes from Ibaraki Prefecture in December last year, and she described the allure of hoshi imo.
There are three reasons to call January 10th, the day of Hoshi imo. Firstly, kanji (Chinese characters) for one (一) and ten (十) look like a kanji character for dry (干) when combined. Secondly, the pronunciations of “10th” and “saccharifying” in Japanese are the same. (Saccharifying is one of the essential processes in producing hoshi imo.) Thirdly, January 10th is in the highest season for the product. “We hope this will help us build a larger following,” the governor said.
The conference attendees were invited to compare and enjoy several sorts of hoshi imo. “They are good, both chilled and heated,” Tani stressed.
Approximately 90% of hoshi-imo in Japan are produced in Ibaraki Prefecture.
Tani publicizing “Hoshi Imo no Hi (the day of dried sweet potatoes)” (on January 10, 2024, in Meguro Ward, Tokyo)