iyokan; Citrus iyo
A Japanese citrus fruit, similar to a mandarin orange, with a distinctive sweet-tart flavor and a slightly thick peel. Commonly eaten fresh or used in juices and desserts.
When winter comes, iyokan start appearing in stores.
This iyokan is sweet and very juicy.
Kanji spelling; encountered on packaging and in formal contexts.
Katakana spelling; often used in product names or for emphasis.
The fruit was discovered in Yamaguchi Prefecture and was initially called 穴門蜜柑. It was renamed 伊予柑 after becoming widely cultivated in Ehime, the former Iyo Province.