Oriental Cabbage 'Tokyo Bekana' Organic

‘Tokyo Bekana’ is a fast-growing Japanese leafy green from the Brassica rapa family, prized for its soft, frilly lime-green leaves and crisp white stems. Though technically a loose-headed type of Chinese cabbage, its mild, sweet flavour and tender texture make it feel more like a buttery lettuce than a typical brassica.
The leaves are juicy and tender with crisp midribs that hold their shape well when lightly cooked. Often likened to lettuce or spinach, it’s equally at home in salads, stir-fries, or simply wilted with a dash of soy or sesame.

‘Tokyo Bekana’ is quick to mature, ready in just three weeks as baby leaf, or six weeks for full heads, and can be harvested leaf by leaf or as a whole plant. In the garden, it’s as well-behaved as it is delicious: cold-hardy, bolt-resistant, it grows reliably and is ideal for sowing from early spring through to late autumn. With a little protection, it can even overwinter under cover for fresh greens right through the darker months.

Originally developed in Japan, ‘Tokyo Bekana’ traces its lineage back to Chinese cabbage types brought to Japan in the early 20th century. By the mid-20th century, Tokyo Bekana had become a favourite in home gardens and rural markets across Japan. Its speed, versatility, and visual appeal made it especially popular for early-season planting. In recent years, it’s gained international attention, praised by chefs, market growers, and even scientists. In 2014, NASA selected Tokyo Bekana as one of the leafy greens for growth aboard the International Space Station, due to its compact size, quick maturity, and high nutritional value.

• Organic Seed.
  This seed has been organically produced. The seed has been harvested from plants that have themselves been grown to recognised organic standards, without the use of chemicals. No treatments have been used, either before or after harvest and the seed is supplied in its natural state. It has been certified and is labelled with the Organic symbol.

Position:
Oriental Cabbage grows best in a sunny position in a fertile soil. It can be sown directly into open ground or can be planted into grow bags. If grown for babyleaf it can be sown into small containers or even windowboxes.

Sowing: Can be grown all year, Hardy, but protect from frost in winter.
Seeds will germinate at temperatures between 13 to 24°C (55 to 70°F).
Sow from late February to September for outdoor crops. For overwintering under cover, sow in October or early November. Colour and sweetness improve in cooler temps.
Successional sowings every few weeks ensure a steady supply. Some protection is required for winter harvesting.

Sow thinly, direct into finely raked, moist, weed free soil 6mm (0.25in) deep in rows in rows 15 to 20cm (6 to 8in) apart.
Thin seedlings to 15cm (6in) spacing for baby leaf, or 20 to 25cm (8 to 10in) for full heads. Keep soil moist to encourage rapid growth and prevent bolting.

Cultivation:
Tokyo Bekana prefers fertile, well-drained soil and a sunny or lightly shaded position. It is important to water regularly especially in dry weather. Mulch if conditions are dry and keep well weeded. Provide a weak liquid feed once a week.
Checks to growth, brought on by overcrowding or drought, will cause plants to bolt. They are snail magnets, so plants need protection in the open garden.

Harvesting:
Plants reach a stage for ’baby leaf’ harvest in 21 to 30 days and mature plants take around 40 to 50 days.
Harvest outer leaves as needed, or cut the whole head once mature.

Storage:
Pak choi generally keeps well and will stay fresh for more than a week, but should be used in four to five days for best flavour.

Culinary Use:
‘Tokyo Bekana’ is wonderfully versatile in the kitchen. Its tender, frilly leaves and crisp white stems are perfect for use raw in salads, where their mild, slightly sweet flavour adds a delicate note without overpowering other ingredients. Lightly sautéed or stir-fried, it softens quickly while retaining a pleasant bite, making it an excellent choice for Asian-style dishes. It can also be wilted like spinach, added to noodle soups, or used as a wrap for dumplings or rice. Harvested young, it’s ideal for baby leaf mixes; grown to full size, it serves as a tender, fast-cooking green, equally at home in everyday meals or refined vegetarian dishes.

Origin:
The leafy green we now call Tokyo Bekana belongs to the Brassica rapa family—an ancient group of plants that includes turnips, pak choi, and Chinese cabbage. Its deeper roots lie in China, where generations of farmers cultivated diverse forms of Brassica rapa for both leaves and stems. One such type was a loose-headed, mild-tasting green used for quick harvest and tender eating.
In the early 20th century, following the Russo-Japanese War (1904–1905), Japanese soldiers returning from Manchuria and northern China brought home not just military experience but seeds of unfamiliar Chinese vegetables. Japanese growers and plant breeders, especially in and around Tokyo, began selecting from these introductions to suit local tastes and climate.
From these efforts emerged Tokyo Bekana, a refined, fast-growing leafy cabbage with frilly, lime-green leaves and a milder flavour than traditional pak choi.
By the mid-20th century, Tokyo Bekana had become a favourite in home gardens and rural markets across Japan. Its speed, versatility, and visual appeal made it especially popular for early-season planting. In recent years, it’s gained international attention—praised by chefs, market growers, and even scientists. In 2014, NASA selected Tokyo Bekana as one of the leafy greens for growth aboard the International Space Station, due to its compact size, quick maturity, and high nutritional value.

Nomenclature:
The botanical name is Brassica rapa subsp. chinensis ‘Tokyo Bekana’. The name reflects both its regional origin (Tokyo) and its likely derivation from 'bekana', a Japanese term thought to come from beta-na, meaning 'soft leaf vegetable.'

This subspecies chinensis includes a range of non-heading Asian greens, such as pak choi, tat soi, choy sum, and of course Tokyo Bekana. These are distinct from heading types like Brassica rapa subsp. pekinensis (napa cabbage) or root crops like Brassica rapa subsp. rapa (turnip).
Pekinensis cabbages, usually called Napa cabbages have broad green leaves with white petioles, tightly wrapped in a cylindrical formation and usually forming a compact head. As the group name indicates, this is particularly popular in northern China around Beijing (Peking).
Chinensis varieties do not form heads; instead, they have smooth, dark green leaf blades forming a cluster reminiscent of mustard or celery. Chinensis varieties are popular in southern China and Southeast Asia. Being winter-hardy, they are increasingly grown in Northern Europe. This group was originally classified as its own species under the name B. chinensis by Linnaeus.