What is Mikan?

A popular treat during the wintertime for its high amount of vitamin C, mikan are a beloved citrus fruit in Japan. Ehime is the main producer of mikan, though you can find them in supermarkets and farmer’s markets across Japan during the late fall and winter months. 

But for those not familiar with mikan, how are mikan different from regular oranges and where can you try them? That’s what we’re here to answer today as we peel away at the mystery of the mikan fruit.

Officially known as a Citrus unshiu or unshiu mikan, mikan is a type of mandarin orange and citrus fruit that originated in southern Japan approximately 400 years ago. 

Although widely popular across both Kyushu and Shikoku, mikan are predominantly grown in Wakayama and Ehime Prefectures.

Find out more: The Top 10 Best Things to Do in Wakayama

Mikan is a type of mandarin orange, though its flavor profile and physical characteristics differ from what you might find in North America or Europe. 

To give you an idea of taste, here are some taste and texture comparisons with more well-known fruit:

• Mikan are the same size as mandarins, but bolder in flavor. 

• Tangerines are distant cousins of mikan and similar in flavor, but their skin is much thicker than that of mikan. 

• Unlike clementines, mikan are bigger in size and less fragrant. 

You might have seen dekopon oranges before in Japan, especially if you’ve visited Kumamoto, where they’re grown. These are a premium citrus fruit and make an impressive gift for someone during the winter. 

You can tell dekopon apart from mikan by their larger size and telltale bump protruding at the top. The flavor is very sweet and juicy, comparable to the mikan picked during mid-season. 

Although mikan is typically written in hiragana, the kanji for mikan contains the characters for 蜜 (‘mi’), meaning “honey,” and 柑 (‘kan’), meaning citrus. Put together, it symbolizes a citrus fruit that is as sweet as honey on the inside. 

Mikan season runs from September to March, but the flavors vary depending on when they are picked. 

Early on in the season during the month of September, the mikan are juicy and tart. From October to December, the pickings are a perfect balance of sweet and sour. 

As they are packed with Vitamin C, wintertime is the most popular time to consume mikan in Japanese households, both to ward off sickness and to enjoy what’s widely considered to be the best flavors of mikan season. 

Late-season mikan in January-March are the sweetest, making them the best option if you have a sweet tooth.

If you want to go all out with your mikan-tasting experience, why not try a mikan-picking or mikan-sweet-making class? Luckily, we have a few in mind for you to choose from: 

There’s no better place to try mikan than Ehime, which grows over 40 varieties of this beloved citrus fruit. In fact, Yawatahama, the town where this experience takes place, produces the most unshiu mikan in the entire prefecture! 

Arrive at the unique, terrace-like mikan farming town to pick mikan with the women who run it. You’ll learn how to pick the best mikan, noting which are ripe and sweet. Spend time out in the fresh mountain air before making fresh mikan juice to refresh yourself. 

Enjoy a bento lunch box full of dishes made spectacular with the addition of mikan.

Then, you’ll be transported to a marmalade-making facility before making your own mikan marmalade and even trying the locals’ own creations. Finish off the day shopping for souvenirs at the nearby michi-no-eki (roadside station). 

If you want an action-packed day full of awesome food and views of Mt. Fuji, look no further than this flavors of Mt. Fuji food tour. 

With a customizable starting point in Tokyo, Osaka or Kyoto, you’ll take the bullet train to Shizuoka — a place that’s also famous for its sweet, juicy mikan fruit — enjoying train fare like ekiben (train lunch box) along the way. 

Upon arrival, you’ll begin a tasting of all of Shizuoka’s specialties, including green tea with wagashi Japanese sweets, high-quality soba noodles made with mountain spring water, local-style oden, and a few drinks in the famous watering hole, Omiya Yokocho. 

Although this tour is centered on food, you’ll also get to see famous sightseeing spots, like Fujisan Sengen Shrine, the starting point for hiking Mt. Fuji.

Find out more: 17 Best Things To Do in Shizuoka: Izu Peninsula, Mt. Fuji & More

For those planning a journey to the northern prefecture of Yamagata, perhaps to hike the holy trinity of mountains, Dewa Sanzan, consider adding this hinagashi sweets-making course to your itinerary.

Find out more: Hiking & Dining at Yamadera Temple: The Most Scenic Spot In Yamagata Prefecture

What’s hinagashi, you ask? Hinagashi is the pride of Tsuruoka City, hailed as a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy. Like most wagashi, hinagashi are unbaked sweets with sweetened bean paste inside, and these colorful morsels are made to look like other foods, including but not limited to pies, makidai (seabream) and, you guessed it, mikan. 

Travel back to the Edo Period with your tastebuds via this traditional sweet, originally hailing from Kyoto and brought over via the Kitamae-bune, merchant ships running from Osaka to Hokkaido during this time. 

In this class, you’ll learn how to make everything by hand — no molds or presses used here! — from a master confectioner. Enjoy the fruits of your labor with a cup of hot green tea. 

Interested in learning more about popular fruits in Japan? Get to know yuzu, another seasonal citrus, bite into the best fruit sandwiches in Tokyo, and save some money for the most delicious Japanese peaches.