Sudachi: The Tart Green Citrus That Defines Tokushima Cooking

Sudachi is a small, round, intensely tart green citrus about the size of a golf ball, and it's easy to confuse with yuzu or kabosu if you don't know the difference. Unlike yuzu, which is yellow, fragrant, and sometimes used whole in baths or simmered dishes, sudachi is almost always used for its juice and zest, never eaten on its own. Tokushima grows the large majority of Japan's sudachi supply, and the fruit is closely enough tied to the prefecture that it appears on local signage, packaging, and even manhole covers.

In practice, sudachi is a finishing touch, not a main ingredient: a few drops squeezed over grilled fish, sanma, or tempura right before eating, mixed into soba or udon dipping sauce, or added to shochu and highballs at local izakaya. Fresh sudachi peaks roughly from late summer into autumn, though exact timing shifts year to year, so check what's in season if you're visiting. Bottled and frozen juice are sold year-round and travel well as a souvenir if fresh fruit isn't practical to bring home.