Do you know the sweet potato variety called Naruto Kintoki?
Just as you might imagine after hearing the name (Kintoki; Kin = gold), the potato’s flesh is a vivid golden color.
Cultivated mainly in the northern part of Tokushima prefecture in an area of sandy soil near the Naruto Strait, Naruto Kintoki is a top sweet potato brand. With origins said to be within Oogeshima Island, it is an improved variety of a sweet potato called Koukei 14. The island’s warm climate, minimal rain and sandy, mineral rich soil from the ocean contribute to growing sweet potatoes with a high sugar content.

Let’s go and harvest some of those sweeeeet, golden Naruto Kintoki with our own hands! Renaissance Naruto Resort, a resort hotel facing the Naruto Strait in Naruto city is holding tours until the end of November for people to experience digging for gold! The tours are held twice a day, the first from 11.00 AM and the second 15.30 PM. (Also open to people who are not guests of the hotel.)
After about a 3-minute walk from the gathering point at the hotel’s beachside terrace, you can see a large potato field in soft sandy soil.

As the soil is sandy, digging is easy for women and children, too!
Every participant can dig up a pototo, so everyone can look forward to what kind of Naruto Kintoki will appear from the soil.

If you’re lucky, you might even find a monster-sized one!

All the potatoes you dig up can be taken home as ‘souvenirs’.
They make great baked potatoes, of course, and can be even be made into delicious tempura.
However, this writer’s recommends steaming them and eating them with a slab of butter on top!
It’s so good, I can’t stop eating…

Try harvesting these golden potatoes with your own hands, and have a taste!

Naruto Kintoki Sweet Potato Digging Experience Tour

Place : Renaissance Naruto Resort, 16-45 Aza-Ohge, Tosadomariura, Naruto-cho, Naruto city, Tokushima Prefecture
Dates : 30th November 2014 (Sun) 11:00 or 15:30 (Canceled in case of rain)
*Must be reserved 30 minutes in advance, at the latest.

Tel : 088-687-2580
Cost : JPY1200 per person
Parking : Available
Website : http://www.renaissance-naruto.com/ (English)

Setouchi Finder Photo-writer: Daisuke Chiba