The eggplant is originally a tropical plant that came from the eastern part of India, to Japan via China. It is said that eggplants were already cultivated in the Nara Period, meaning they have a history of 1200 years in Japan. Its classy taste without harshness suited Japanese preference well. During the Edo Period, Tokugawa Shogunate built an eggplant garden in Sunpu and had the eggplants sent to Edo in early summer.

Tochigi's eggplants are cultivated on fertile soil. Abundant sunlight grows tasty eggplants. You'll surely enjoy them.

Over 95% of an eggplant is water, and its tissues are sponge-like. Therefore, an eggplant well absorbs oil, stock, or the like during cooking, even making dishes less oily. As such, oil can be taken naturally even when you don't have much of an appetite in the summer. Also having an effect of cooling the body, the eggplant is a perfect vegetable for summer weariness.

When the cut of a stem is fresh and the thorns are sharp and pricking, the eggplant is fresh. Good eggplant is firm, with a strong purple color and nice luster.