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

Category	Food
Japanese labeling name	かぶ
Common Japanese notations	かぶ, 蕪, カブ
Origin	Japanese 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 functions	Universal Japanese household cooking — nimono, soup, salad, pickle, Senmai-kabura-zuke Kyoto traditional pickle, Premium gift retail (regional cultivar-branded)
Regulatory status in Japan	Standard 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.

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Classification

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

Product applications

Functions

Flavoring486

Regulatory tags

Culinary ingredient512

Origin

Plant-derived319

Common OEM product categories

Finished-product categories where Japanese OEM manufacturers commonly formulate with this ingredient.

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

Ingredient profile

Brassica rapa var. rapa Japanese turnip.

OEM applications

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

EU	Established global turnip market.
USA	Established US turnip market.
China	Major Chinese turnip cuisine.
Korea	Established Korean trade.

Market reference formulations

Example finished products will be added after verification.

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Seasonality & supply calendar

Harvest months: Spring: April – May; autumn-winter: October – February
Peak supply: November – December
Off-season: Continuous (early / late kabu varieties)

Source: 農林水産省野菜生産出荷統計. Chiba (聖護院 / 千枚漬 traditions in Kyoto for premium varieties) and Saitama lead production.

Storage requirements

How the receiving OEM facility needs to handle inbound raw material.

Temperature: Chilled 0–4°C, ~95% RH
Conditions: Leaves removed; root in MA package
Shelf life: 10–14 days at 0°C

Supply concentration

Where this ingredient comes from — useful for single-source-risk planning.

Primary regions: Chiba (approximately 27% per 野菜生産出荷統計, 2019), Saitama (~14%), Tokyo, Kyoto (聖護院)
Import dependence: 100% domestic

農林水産省野菜生産出荷統計

Certifications commonly available

Certification schemes commonly obtainable for this raw material. Always confirm the specific supplier's current certificate before contracting.

Scheme	Availability
Organic JAS	Common
Halal	Inherent
Vegan	Inherent

Alternative ingredients

Related ingredients commonly evaluated as substitutes.

Quick answers

What is Kabu (Japanese Turnip)?: 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.
What is the regulatory status of Kabu (Japanese Turnip) in Japan?: Standard agricultural product labeling. Origin and cultivar disclosure (Senmai-kabu Kyoto, regional cultivars) for premium positioning. Not a designated allergen.
What products typically use Kabu (Japanese Turnip)?: Fresh whole kabu retail (year-round, autumn-winter peak) / Senmai-kabura-zuke premium Kyoto gift retail
Where does Kabu (Japanese Turnip) come from?: Japanese 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)
What is the INCI / JSCI labeling name for Kabu (Japanese Turnip)?: JSCI: かぶ

Often used with

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Same category

Other ingredients in the same sub-category.

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.

Japanese OEM factories whose published profile references this ingredient. Auto-detected from manufacturer descriptions; verify capabilities directly.

中川食品株式会社
福岡県

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Official regulatory databases

External links to public Japanese / international regulatory authorities. We are not affiliated.

MEXT 食品成分DB（検索） ↗

References

文部科学省 (Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology) 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.