In 1859 Yokohama was the first port to open to international trade in Japan after 250+ years of isolation. It therefore became the birthplace of Japan’s modernisation as it gradually adopted cultural innovations and trends from overseas before spreading it to the rest of Japan.

Western vegetables that are now taken for granted, such as cabbages, tomatoes, celery, cauliflower, radish and asparagus were introduced to Japan around this time. Some foreign residents began farming in the Yamate area of Yokohama and this trend eventually spread to neighbouring villages including Koyasu in Kanagawa Prefecture which was conveniently located between Tokyo and Yokohama.

Japan’s second biggest city was the origin for various soap, cider, beer and curry products but did you know that a certain table condiment originated in the city too? The title of this post gives away what it was of course but around 1900 (if I can be so vague!), a Koyasu local farmer called Kosuke Shimizu began to develop tomato ketchup which marked the beginning of the domestic product in Japan. It was called Shimizuya tomato catsup (ketchup).

A modern reproduction! Never seen it anywhere before!!

The mushroom ketchup variant started off in the UK and the tomato-based one was created in the USA in the early 19th century but this was the beginning in Japan, and there’s a landmark to commemorate it not that too many people notice though! It is casually placed on the side of Koyasu-dori street which is naturally bypassed by the majority of people without any realisation.

I can’t even remember how I found out about this historical landmark but presumably it was found just by scouring Google Maps as I do from time to time. I didn’t even realise it at the time but the colour of the post is supposedly ketchup-coloured.

On the other side of the path is a signboard detailing information about the history of western vegetable cultivation and tomato ketchup in Japan. It all seems to be a reliable “sauce” of information!

• Birthplace of Tomato Ketchup is located at 3 Koyasudori, Kanagawa-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa-ken. It is a three minute walk from either JR Shin-Koyasu or Keikyu-Shinkoyasu stations.

Bonus: Since visiting that place, I have found out about similar landmarks for a few vegetables. All of them are in Nerima-ku which is the neighbouring ward to where my wife and I live. First up is a well-preserved park (it closes at night) which has a golden radish statue to signify the birthplace of Nerima Radish (at 2-36-28 Kitamachi, Nerima-ku). It is located just a few minutes on foot from Tobu Nerima station on the Tobu Tojo Line. Legend has it that Shogun Tsunayoshi Tokugawa ordered monks to cultivate daikon radish via seeds from Aichi Prefecture.

Just over three kilometres south-west of there is another radish monument (4-16 Kasugacho, Nerima-ku) which was erected by a local pickle dealer. The alternative theory to the aforementioned monk one is that it was just simply created by a farmer called Mataroku who lived in Kami Nerima.

The cabbage monument above (1-1-31 Shakujiidai, Nerima-ku) is a further five kilometres south-west of the white radish one. This is another speciality of Nerima Ward which became one of the leading production areas in the country and a staple of Tokyo residents’ diet to this day.

Click here to read ‘Dining Out: Trying Vegetarian Ramen For The First Time!’

Click here to read ‘Foxed In The Head: Cycling To All Inari Shrines In Tokyo’s 23 Wards – #8 Nerima’

Click here to read ‘Oki The Vegetable God’s Sushi Restaurant In Osaka’

Click here to read ‘Trying Vegetarian Ramen For The First Time!’