Food · Fermented foods

Kabu (Japanese Turnip)

かぶ (Kabu)

Also known as: Kabu, Japanese turnip, Brassica rapa var. rapa, 蕪, Komatsu-kabu (Tokyo), Senmai-kabu (Kyoto)

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At a glance

CategoryFood
Japanese labeling nameかぶ
Common Japanese notationsかぶ, 蕪, カブ
OriginJapanese turnip (Brassica rapa var. rapa); principal modern domestic production regions Chiba (volume leader), Saitama, Shiga; multiple regional cultivars beyond standard kabu — Senmai-kabu (Kyoto thousand-layer pickle), Akari-kabu (premium small kabu)
Typical functionsUniversal Japanese household cooking — nimono, soup, salad, pickle, Senmai-kabura-zuke Kyoto traditional pickle, Premium gift retail (regional cultivar-branded)
Regulatory status in JapanStandard agricultural product labeling. Origin and cultivar disclosure (Senmai-kabu Kyoto, regional cultivars) for premium positioning. Not a designated allergen.

Kabu (かぶ / 蕪) is Japanese turnip — volume household ingredient and the basis for the famous Kyoto Senmai-kabura-zuke (thousand-layer pickle). Chiba is the volume domestic producer.

Classification

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

Functions

Regulatory tags

Used in (typical product categories)

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

  • Fresh whole kabu retail (year-round, autumn-winter peak)
  • Senmai-kabura-zuke premium Kyoto gift retail

What it is

Brassica rapa var. rapa Japanese turnip.

Typical uses in Japanese products

Universal household cooking (nimono, soup, salad, pickle).

Senmai-kabura-zuke Kyoto traditional pickle.

For OEM: fresh retail, Kyoto regional pickle production OEM.

Regulatory classification in Japan

Standard food labeling. Origin and cultivar disclosure. Not a designated allergen.

Regulatory classification in other markets

EUEstablished global turnip market.
USAEstablished US turnip market.
ChinaMajor Chinese turnip cuisine.
KoreaEstablished Korean trade.

Example products

Example finished products will be added after verification.

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Related ingredients

References

  1. MEXT Standard Tables of Food Composition — かぶ 各形態

Last updated: 2026-04-28. Ingredient entries are reviewed at least annually against current regulatory listings.

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