Daikon Radish
The Sakurajima Giant Radish is a Japanese heirloom that has captivated gardeners for over two centuries with its sheer audacity, some specimens swell to 100 pounds, though 15-pound roots are more typical in cultivation. Grown on the island of Sakurajima since around 1800, this daikon earned its nickname 'King of Daikons' for its mammoth size paired with remarkably fine texture and flavor. You'll plant it in early September and harvest about 90 days later, just as winter arrives, yielding a radish that's as much a talking point as it is a kitchen workhorse.
Full Sun
Moderate
?-?
?in H x ?in W
Annual
Moderate
Hover over chart points for details
What sets the Sakurajima Giant apart is its combination of sheer scale and refined eating quality. Unlike many oversized vegetables that become fibrous or bland, this variety maintains a tender texture and excellent flavor even at enormous proportions. Its legendary status in southern Japan wasn't built on size alone, generations of growers have valued it for its culinary excellence. This is a radish that genuinely tastes as impressive as it looks.
This radish excels in any preparation where you want substantial quantity and refined flavor. Its fine texture makes it ideal for raw preparations like salads and slaws, where its size means you can serve many people from a single root. It's equally at home braised, roasted, or pickled, preparations that benefit from its substantial mass and ability to hold its texture through cooking. In Japanese cuisine, it's traditionally used in winter preparations, soups, and as a showcase vegetable where its impressive size is part of the dish's drama.
Sow seeds directly into the garden around the first of September in most climates, or time your planting to allow 90 days of growth before the first hard frost. Plant seeds where you want them to grow, as this variety doesn't transplant well.
The Sakurajima Giant is typically ready to harvest around midwinter, approximately 90 days after sowing. Harvest when the root reaches your desired size, remember that 15-pound roots are common, so be prepared for substantial specimens. You can begin harvesting smaller roots earlier if needed, but allow adequate time for the radish to develop its characteristic size and fine texture. Loosen the soil around the root with a garden fork before pulling to avoid breaking the root or straining your back.
Enter your ZIP code to see a personalized growing calendar for this plant.
“The Sakurajima Giant's story is inseparable from the volcanic island that gives it its name. Since around 1800, farmers on Sakurajima in southern Japan have selected and grown this remarkable variety, refining it through generations until it became famous across the region. The variety represents nearly 225 years of agricultural tradition and patient selection by Japanese gardeners who understood that a truly giant radish needed to earn its size through flavor and texture, not just blind bulk. It arrived in Western seed catalogs through the dedication of seed savers like Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds, who recognized its historical and culinary importance.”