Food · Fermented foods

Azuki (Adzuki Beans)

あずき (Azuki)

Also known as: Azuki, Adzuki, Red beans, Vigna angularis, 小豆, Dainagon (大納言, premium large-grain cultivar), Ohtsubu (大粒, large-grain)

Looking for a Japanese supplier of Azuki (Adzuki Beans)? Tell us

At a glance

Category	Food
Japanese labeling name	あずき
Common Japanese notations	あずき, 小豆, アズキ, 大納言, 大粒
Origin	Adzuki beans (Vigna angularis); cultivated in Japan since prehistoric times (Yayoi period archaeological evidence); principal modern domestic production region Hokkaido (over 90% of domestic supply, with Tokachi area as the volume heartland), with Kyoto Tamba Tamba-dainagon as premium specialty origin; significant Chinese imports for cost-positioned applications, but premium Japanese wagashi industry strongly prefers domestic origin
Typical functions	Anko (red bean paste) — the foundation of nearly all traditional Japanese confectionery (manju, dorayaki, daifuku, monaka, taiyaki, etc.), Sekihan (red bean rice) — ceremonial rice for celebrations (childbirth, school graduation, weddings), Oshiruko / zenzai — traditional sweet bean soup, Yokan — traditional Japanese bean-paste cake (mizu-yokan, mushi-yokan, neri-yokan formats), Premium wagashi gift retail — Tamba-dainagon and Tokachi-shozu are major regional brands
Regulatory status in Japan	Azuki follows standard agricultural product labeling. Domestic Hokkaido Tokachi origin and Kyoto Tamba-dainagon GI-protected origin are key premium positioning. Major branded cultivars include Erimo-shozu, Kitano-otome, and Tamba-dainagon. Chinese-imported azuki is widely used in volume confectionery but premium wagashi industry strongly prefers domestic origin. Azuki is not a designated allergen, though oral allergy syndrome reactions are documented in rare cases.

Azuki (あずき / 小豆) — adzuki beans (Vigna angularis) — is one of the most economically and culturally important Japanese ingredients, serving as the foundation of nearly all traditional Japanese confectionery (wagashi). The OEM landscape is substantial and multi-faceted: as the raw material for anko (red bean paste — the defining filling of manju, dorayaki, daifuku, monaka, taiyaki, and countless other wagashi), as the basis of yokan (traditional Japanese bean-paste cake) in mizu-yokan, mushi-yokan, and neri-yokan formats, as the central ingredient of sekihan (ceremonial red bean rice for celebrations), as the foundation of oshiruko and zenzai (traditional sweet bean soups), and as a major retail premium gift category (Hokkaido Tokachi-shozu and Kyoto Tamba-dainagon). Hokkaido Prefecture overwhelmingly dominates domestic production (over 90% of supply, with the Tokachi region as the production heartland — major branded cultivars include Erimo-shozu, Kitano-otome, and the premium Shumari and Toyomi varieties). Tamba-dainagon (Kyoto Tamba region) is the most prestigious premium cultivar, GI-protected, and commanding 3-5× standard azuki pricing. Chinese imports supply cost-positioned volume applications, but premium wagashi industry strongly prefers domestic origin and is increasingly transparent about origin disclosure.

Classification

Tags below link to other ingredients sharing the same attribute, so you can pivot from one ingredient to its peers.

Product applications

Functions

Flavoring

Regulatory tags

Culinary ingredient

Origin

Plant-derived

Used in (typical product categories)

Finished-product categories that commonly include this ingredient in Japanese-market formulations.

Whole dry azuki retail (Hokkaido Tokachi origin or Tamba-dainagon premium)
Pre-cooked azuki cans / pouches (gomame retail format)
Anko ready-to-use retail (tsubu-an, koshi-an varieties)
Yude-azuki (boiled azuki canned, sweetened or unsweetened)
Anko-based wagashi finished retail (manju, dorayaki, daifuku, taiyaki, etc.)
Yokan retail (mizu-yokan, neri-yokan, mushi-yokan)
Sekihan ready-meal retail
Premium gift retail (Tamba-dainagon, Tokachi-shozu specialty)

What it is

Azuki is Vigna angularis, a legume native to East Asia and cultivated in Japan since prehistoric times (Yayoi period archaeological evidence). The dried beans are typically deep red-burgundy color (some specialty cultivars are off-white, brown, or speckled), 4-7mm in size, and oval-shaped. Cultivar diversity is significant: Erimo-shozu (Hokkaido volume cultivar, balanced for general anko production), Kitano-otome (Hokkaido large-grain cultivar), Shumari (Hokkaido premium with deep color and strong flavor), Toyomi (Hokkaido modern cultivar), and Tamba-dainagon (Kyoto Tamba GI-protected premium with distinctive elongated grain and rich flavor).

Nutritionally, dry azuki per 100g provides 304 kcal, 20.8g protein, 2.0g fat, 59.6g carbohydrates with 17.8g dietary fiber (notably very high). Mineral content includes K 1300mg (very high), Mg 130mg, P 350mg, Fe 5.5mg, Zn 2.4mg. Saponin and polyphenol content (notably proanthocyanidins) provide functional positioning options. Boiled azuki retains most nutrients with reduced calorie density.

Production: Hokkaido Tokachi region accounts for over 90% of domestic supply. The Tokachi cooperative (Tokachi Norin Branch) coordinates major branded cultivar production. Tamba-dainagon production is small but premium-positioned in Kyoto Tamba region. Chinese imports supply cost-positioned applications — clear domestic vs imported origin disclosure is increasingly important consumer expectation.

Anko production: cooked azuki is processed to anko (red bean paste) in three principal forms: (1) Tsubu-an (粒あん) — beans retained whole or partially mashed, with chunky texture; (2) Koshi-an (こしあん) — fully mashed and sieved to remove bean skins, smooth texture; (3) Tsubushi-an (つぶしあん) — partially mashed but skins retained, intermediate texture. Each form is suited to specific wagashi applications.

Typical uses in Japanese products

Anko production — the dominant volume application. Tsubu-an, koshi-an, and tsubushi-an are the foundational fillings for manju (steamed buns), dorayaki (pancake sandwich with anko), daifuku (mochi with anko filling), monaka (wafer sandwich with anko), taiyaki (fish-shaped pancake with anko), kashiwa-mochi, sakura-mochi, and many other wagashi categories.

Yokan — traditional Japanese bean-paste cake produced from cooked azuki, sugar, and agar (kanten). Mizu-yokan (water yokan, soft texture, summer presentation), mushi-yokan (steamed yokan, denser), and neri-yokan (kneaded yokan, the classic firm format) are the principal subtypes. Major branded yokan retail (Toraya, Yoraku-mura, others) is an established premium gift category.

Sekihan (赤飯) — red bean rice for ceremonial occasions (childbirth celebration, school graduation, weddings, New Year, Coming-of-Age Day). Substantial seasonal retail volume.

Oshiruko and zenzai — traditional sweet bean soups, served warm with mochi. Winter retail and foodservice category.

Modern dessert applications — anko-based contemporary desserts (anko parfait, anko cheesecake, anko macarons, anko ice cream) are growing in patisserie and fine-dining contexts.

Premium gift retail — Hokkaido Tokachi-shozu and Kyoto Tamba-dainagon dry azuki gift retail, plus high-end wagashi (Toraya yokan, Sukeroku no Yado dorayaki, etc.) constitute major gift categories.

Functional food positioning — azuki is rich in dietary fiber, polyphenols (proanthocyanidins), and saponins. Some products carry FFC registrations.

For OEM: dry azuki retail packs (Hokkaido or Tamba origin verifiable), pre-cooked azuki canned/pouch retail, anko production OEM for wagashi makers (tsubu-an, koshi-an, tsubushi-an, with sugar level customization), yokan production OEM (mizu-yokan, neri-yokan retail), sekihan ready-meal retail, dorayaki and manju production OEM, premium gift retail with Tamba-dainagon or Tokachi specialty positioning, and FFC functional food formulations.

Regulatory classification in Japan

Standard agricultural product labeling. Origin region claims (Hokkaido Tokachi, Kyoto Tamba) require verifiable production documentation.

GI 'Tamba-dainagon' (京都丹波大納言): Kyoto Tamba region protected designation requiring verifiable Tamba-area cultivation of the Dainagon cultivar.

Cultivar disclosure: Erimo-shozu, Kitano-otome, Shumari, Toyomi (Hokkaido) and Tamba-dainagon (Kyoto) — disclosure is consumer-expected for premium positioning.

Domestic vs imported origin: clearly disclose Japan-origin vs Chinese-imported. Many premium wagashi makers explicitly market 'Japanese-origin' or 'Hokkaido-origin' azuki on labels.

Azuki is not a designated allergen, though oral allergy syndrome reactions to legumes are documented. Some products include voluntary disclosure.

Functional health claims (dietary fiber, polyphenol, saponin) require Foods with Function Claims (FFC) registration for explicit functional claims.

Regulatory classification in other markets

EU	Imported as adzuki beans. Established health-food and Asian-cuisine retail category. Japanese-origin premium azuki positioned as specialty.
USA	Imported under FDA standard food procedures. Adzuki has established US retail position in natural-food and Asian-cuisine channels. Japanese-origin Hokkaido or Tamba premium positioned at substantial premium.
China	China is itself a major adzuki producer. Japanese-origin Hokkaido Tokachi and Tamba-dainagon positioned as premium specialty in gourmet and Japanese-imports retail.
Korea	Korea has its own adzuki (팥 / pat) culture, including patbingsu (shaved ice with red bean) and pat-jjuk (red bean porridge). Japanese-origin premium azuki positioned as specialty.

Example products

Example finished products will be added after verification of cultivar (Erimo-shozu / Kitano-otome / Shumari / Tamba-dainagon / other), origin (Hokkaido Tokachi / Kyoto Tamba / imported), product format (dry retail / pre-cooked / anko / yokan / wagashi), and target market.

All brand names and product names referenced anywhere on this site are the property of their respective owners. Example entries are provided for informational purposes only and do not imply endorsement.

Related ingredients

Used in similar product applications

Other ingredients commonly used in the same finished-product families.

Sharing similar functions

Ingredients that overlap on functional benefit tags.

From the same origin

Other ingredients that share an origin classification.

FAQ for OEM buyers

Q. What are the major azuki cultivars and how do they differ for OEM positioning?

Japanese azuki has a sophisticated cultivar landscape with distinct OEM positioning: (1) Erimo-shozu (エリモ小豆) — the Hokkaido volume cultivar, balanced size and flavor, the workhorse for general anko production. Cost-effective and supply-stable. (2) Kitano-otome (きたのおとめ) — large-grain Hokkaido cultivar, holds shape well in tsubu-an applications. Good for visible-grain wagashi (tsubu-an manju, sekihan). (3) Shumari (しゅまり) — Hokkaido premium with deep color and pronounced flavor. Used by premium wagashi makers for flagship products. (4) Toyomi (とよみ) — modern Hokkaido cultivar with high-yield, balanced flavor. Growing share in commercial production. (5) Tamba-dainagon (丹波大納言, Kyoto Tamba GI) — the most prestigious premium cultivar, distinctively elongated grain (vs. typical round shape), rich aromatic flavor, deep color. Used in highest-end Kyoto wagashi (top-tier Toraya yokan, Tora-ya monaka, Demachi-Futaba mame-mochi). Pricing 3-5× standard azuki. Annual production is small (premium specialty). For OEM positioning: Erimo-shozu for cost-effective volume anko and standard wagashi; Kitano-otome for tsubu-an and visible-grain applications; Shumari for premium-positioned products with deep flavor character; Toyomi for modern commercial; Tamba-dainagon exclusively for ultra-premium wagashi and gift retail. Cultivar disclosure on retail labels is increasingly consumer expectation in premium category. Substituting Erimo-shozu for Tamba-dainagon while marketing as Tamba-dainagon would be a serious consumer protection violation.

Sources · Last reviewed: 2026-04-28

Editorial — Japan azuki cultivar landscape reference
Tamba-dainagon GI specification documentation

Q. What's the practical difference between tsubu-an, koshi-an, and tsubushi-an for OEM anko production?

These three anko forms are distinct products serving specific wagashi applications: (1) Tsubu-an (粒あん, whole-bean paste) — beans cooked and lightly mashed, retaining individual bean integrity. Chunky texture with visible bean shapes. Suited to: dorayaki, ohagi, sekihan-style applications, premium tsubu-an manju where bean visibility is desired. (2) Koshi-an (こしあん, smooth bean paste) — beans cooked, fully mashed, then passed through a sieve to remove bean skins. Smooth, fine texture. Suited to: classic manju (steamed buns), monaka filling, mizu-yokan, daifuku where smooth texture is desired. Production requires sieving step that creates more 'okara' waste, contributing to higher cost. (3) Tsubushi-an (つぶしあん, mashed bean paste) — beans cooked and mashed but skins retained (no sieving). Intermediate texture between tsubu and koshi. Suited to: kashiwa-mochi, sakura-mochi, casual dorayaki, products where some texture is desired without full chunkiness. For OEM positioning: clearly specify the anko form to match the wagashi application. Sugar level (typical 50-65% sugar to bean weight) should be specified. Domestic vs imported azuki origin should be disclosed. Premium positioning (Tamba-dainagon, Tokachi-Shumari) commands substantial pricing premium. Industrial anko production uses standardized recipes but customization for specific OEM wagashi applications is common.