About Dioscorea japonica Thunb.
Dioscorea japonica Thunb., commonly called East Asian mountain yam, yamaimo, or Japanese mountain yam, is a species of yam in the genus Dioscorea. It is native to Japan (including the Ryukyu and Bonin Islands), Korea, China, Taiwan, and Assam. This plant is used as food. Jinenjo, also called wild yam, is a related variety of Japanese yam that serves as an ingredient in soba noodles. In Japanese cuisine, Dioscorea japonica and the introduced Chinese yam are used interchangeably in many dishes and recipes. The plant's aerial tubercles, called bulbils, are known as mukago, and these are also eaten. Mukago are often cooked and served alongside white rice.
