How to Make Yaki Imo (Baked Japanese Sweet Potato)

Yaki imo has long been a favorite of all ages in Japan due to the easy accessibility of satsumaimo across the country. This simple yet satisfying food can be enjoyed as a meal or a snack.

You can find "yaki imo trucks" selling freshly baked satsumaimo in front of local train stations or in residential areas. Some supermarkets also sell ready-to-eat yaki imo in the vegetable section.

It is also a standard practice to wrap satsumaimo in aluminum foil and place them in the coals during a barbecue, then slowly heat the sweet potatoes for a few hours until they become yaki imo!

Recently, yaki imo specialty stores focusing on making delicious yaki imo from various high-quality Japanese sweet potatoes have emerged across Japan. These shops are especially popular in the fall and winter months.

Of course, you can make yaki imo at home, too. To make the most delicious yaki imo, you just have to know how to pick the correct sweet potato. Choose sweet potatoes that feel heavy when you hold them and have few whiskers or roots. If you find a brown liquid like honey on the surface of the sweet potato, it is a sign that the sweet potato itself will be very sweet.

The sweetness and texture of sweet potatoes vary depending on the variety. Some typical varieties found in Japan include Kintoki, often easily found at supermarkets, with a flaky and light texture similar to chestnuts; Anno imo, with reddish-purple skin and golden-brown flesh, offering a moist, sticky texture and very sweet flavor; and Beniharuka, a newer variety with a smooth texture and sweet taste.

Yaki imo is delicious on its own, but it is also good with some butter or salt.

Now, take your favorite sweet potato and turn it into yaki imo!