【Reading】すだち

【English Name】Sudachi

Sudachi is a type of acidic citrus classified in the Rutaceae family, and is a specialty fruit representative of Tokushima Prefecture. The fruit measures roughly 3 to 4 cm in diameter and weighs about 30 to 40 g, making it slightly smaller and thinner-skinned than kabosu, another acidic citrus of the same kind. DNA research indicates that one parent is yuzu, but the other parent species has not yet been identified.

In its connection to sushi, sudachi is known for being squeezed over sashimi of white-fleshed fish, and for having rounds of its peel placed atop whole-fish sushi (sugata-zushi) of horse mackerel (aji) or Japanese butterfish (ibodai). It is also widely enjoyed for pairing well with salt-grilled Pacific saury (sanma) and grilled matsutake mushrooms, and it has been reported that there is a correlation between sudachi sales and the volume of sanma catches.

The peak season for open-field sudachi is mainly August to October, the period when its fragrance and flavor are at their fullest. Refrigerated open-field fruit circulates from November to February, and greenhouse-grown fruit from March to August, so it is available year-round. Tokushima Prefecture accounts for nearly all domestic production, with Kamiyama Town, Sanagochi Village, and Anan City known as the main growing areas.

The name derives from "su no tachibana" (vinegar citrus), reflecting its history of being used as a food vinegar. It appears under the name "riman" in the Yamato Honzo published in 1706, attesting to its long history of cultivation. In 1974, the sudachi blossom was designated the official flower of Tokushima Prefecture.