Last update October 19, 2025
Japanese Food - Shun Giku -
Shun Giku
[shuh-n-ghi-kuh]
しゅんぎく, 春菊
Edible Chrysanthemum
As a small child, I hated it whenever this food was put on the dinner table because its strong, refreshing aroma was not agreeable. But after growing up, I understood why my mother said, “This distinctive aroma is the reason people love this food”. Literally meaning “spring chrysanthemum”, Shun Giku refers to several species of crown daisy (Glebionis coronaria), originating in the Mediterranean, whose leaves are consumed as a green vegetable. It’s also called “Kiku Na” (chrysanthemum leaf vegetable) in the Kansai region. It’s eaten as an ingredient of Nabe Ryōri (pot cuisine), such as Sukiyaki (beef pot cuisine) and Yudōfu (Tōfu pot cuisine), or even Ohitashi or Tempura.
Shun Giku before cooking.
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Yudōfu with Shun Giku.
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Shun Giku before cooking.
Yudōfu with Shun Giku.
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