Eden Dried Daikon Radish is traditionally made in Miyazaki prefecture of southern Japan. Fresh daikon radishes are harvested from winter to early spring, cleaned, sliced into delicate strips and sun-dried on rice straw mats. Cool evening temperatures and bright sun drying during the day cause the flavor to mellow, concentrate, and become sweet while preserving nutritional value. Dried and shredded daikon is called 'sengiri' or 'kiriboshi' daikon, in Japan. Daikon Raphanus sativus longipinnatus literally means 'great root' and is considered the king of Oriental vegetables. This long white radish originated in China and was introduced to Japan over 1,000 years ago. It is a staple vegetable in Asian cooking. Before refrigeration daikon and other vegetables were dried or pickled to ensure availability year round. Eden Dried Daikon Radish is naturally made and sun dried in the ancient, traditional manner without the use of chemicals, artificial colorings or artificial drying techniques. Most commercial shredded daikon in Japan today is bleached to a white color. Traditionally processed Eden Dried Daikon is a natural light cream to tan color. Eden Dried Daikon can be used in making soups, soup stock, noodle broth (dashi), stews, teas, and vegetable side dishes. It is often cooked with sea vegetables such as kombu, arame and hijiki.