Nozawana Coloring Pages

A winter treat born in Nagano: Nozawana!

Nozawana is a vegetable that was born in a place called Nozawa Onsen Village in Nagano Prefecture. It belongs to the mustard family. It has big leaves and thick, crunchy stems! It handles the cold very well. To make it through the harsh winters in Nagano, people have loved eating it as a pickle called "Nozawana-zuke" since a long time ago.

The history and origin of Nozawana

People say Nozawana was born in the Edo period, more than 250 years ago. It started when a chief priest at a temple in Nozawa Onsen Village brought turnip seeds back from Kyoto and planted them in his field. Long ago, people believed that "Kyoto turnips grew bigger leaves because of the cold in Shinshu." But recent studies show that it was actually a vegetable brought from abroad that was already strong against the cold!

How to eat Nozawana and its types

Making pickles is the most famous way to eat Nozawana. Depending on how long you pickle it and how you make it, the look and taste change a lot!

• Asazuke (lightly pickled): Pickled in salt for a short time, it stays a bright, pretty green. You can enjoy its crunchy texture and fresh flavor!
• Furuzuke (aged pickles): Pickled slowly for a long time during winter, the color turns amber or brown. It tastes a little sour and has a deep, rich flavor.
• Stir-fries and Oyaki: Chopping up the pickles to stir-fry in oil, or using them as a filling for "Oyaki" (Nagano's traditional stuffed snack), is super yummy too!

How to Choose Colors

When you color the Nozawana coloring page, try to show the fresh leaves or how it looks as a yummy pickle!

• Leaves and stems: If it is freshly picked Nozawana or light pickles, color them with bright green or yellow-green to make them look delicious.
• For long-pickled Nozawana: If you want to show pickles that have been aged for a long time, mix in dull green, ochre, and brown to give it a rich look.

Let's Show the Crunchy Texture!

Here are tips to color the fresh, juicy look and shape of Nozawana really well.

• Leaf veins: Color the lines on the leaves with a light green or leave a little white. That will make them look real!
• Shine and shape: Match the curve of the stem by using light colors in the middle and darker colors on the edges. That makes the thick stem look crisp and crunchy!

Try Creative Backgrounds

Draw a background like the field where Nozawana grows, the snowy scene of Nozawa Onsen Village, or a tasty meal on the dinner table! It is also fun to draw a hot spring with rising steam.

Tips for Having Fun with Your Coloring Page!

You do not have to match real Nozawana! It is also fun to make a colorful "rainbow Nozawana"! Try making your very own special vegetable.

It Gets Sweeter When It Touches Frost and Snow

When Nozawana gets touched by winter cold and snow, it stores up sugar so it does not freeze. That is why Nozawana picked after the frost comes at the start of winter gets super sweet, soft, and yummy!

Washing Vegetables in Hot Spring Water?

In Nozawana Onsen Village, where Nozawana first came from, there is a traditional event called "Nozawana Washing". People wash big piles of picked Nozawana in warm hot spring water! The heat and power of the hot spring water wash away all the dirt, making the Nozawana ready to pickle into something delicious!