Nagasaki Kogane potatoes are small size and are elongated, oblong, and spherical in shape.The smooth golden-brown skin contains shallow eyes and there are bumps and indentations across the surface creating a lopsided texture. The flesh is deep yellow and firm, dense, viscous, and moist. Nagasaki Kogane potatoes offer a nutty, sweet, and creamy taste similar to that of chestnuts and sweet potatoes. Botanically classified as Solanum tuberosum Mezame are a comparatively new variety from the Japanese market. Also known as the Inca No Mezame, the Mezame potato is a hybrid variety bred specifically to thrive in the cold climate of Japan and is traded at a high price because of its unique sweet and nutty taste. Today, as a result of their short dormancy, their small size, and low productivity, their production has been limited to Japan and are harvested mainly in Hokkaido, an island off the coast of Japan that produces over 80% of the country potatoes. The name Mezame pays homage to the origin of its parent potato hailing from the southern Andes, the name translating to the awakening of Inca. potatoes are popularly used in the Japanese dish known as Nikujaga, which literally translates to meat and potato.
