Kitazawa Seed

Kitazawa Seed is a specialty seed brand that has supplied Asian vegetable, herb, and flower seeds to American gardeners, retailers, and commercial growers since 1917. Founded by Gijiu Kitazawa in California, the company built its reputation on introducing and maintaining Japanese and other Asian vegetable varieties — such as daikon, mizuna, shiso, and Asian eggplant — for a market that mainstream American seed houses largely ignored. Over more than a century the brand became a trusted source for heirloom and open-pollinated Asian seed lines, and its catalog is still used by home gardeners and market farmers seeking authentic ingredients for Asian cuisine. The brand is now owned by True Leaf Market, a Utah-based seed and growing-supply company. Kitazawa Brand Seeds are sold exclusively through True Leaf Market, both online and by phone, and the company continues to publish a Kitazawa catalog. True Leaf Market describes Kitazawa as the leading supplier of Asian herb, vegetable, and flower seeds in the USA, a position the brand has held for decades. The product range includes Asian seed assortments, individual packets, and bulk sizes for commercial growers, along with retail paper packets available through a wholesale catalog. Kitazawa Seed's identity is closely tied to its heritage: it is one of the oldest continuously operating Asian-American seed businesses in the United States. Its catalog emphasizes non-GMO, open-pollinated, and heirloom varieties, and it serves a diverse customer base that includes home gardeners, small farms, and restaurants. The brand's longevity and specialized focus distinguish it from mass-market seed companies, and its acquisition by True Leaf Market has allowed it to continue operating under its original name while benefiting from a larger distribution platform.

Kitazawa Seed was founded in 1917 by Gijiu Kitazawa, a Japanese immigrant who began selling seeds in California. The company specialized in Asian vegetable varieties that were difficult to find from mainstream American seed suppliers, and it became a vital resource for Japanese-American farmers and gardeners. Over the decades, Kitazawa expanded its catalog to include seeds from across Asia, including Japan, China, Korea, and Southeast Asia, and it developed a reputation for reliable germination and authentic varieties. The company remained family-owned for much of the 20th century and operated from California. It published an annual catalog that became a staple for market growers and home gardeners interested in Asian cuisine. In the 1990s and 2000s, as interest in Asian vegetables grew in the United States, Kitazawa Seed's offerings became more widely known outside the Japanese-American community. At some point in the 2010s, the brand was acquired by True Leaf Market, a seed and growing-supply company based in Salt Lake City, Utah. Under True Leaf Market's ownership, Kitazawa Brand Seeds continue to be sold under the original name, exclusively through True Leaf Market's online store and by phone. The company still produces a Kitazawa catalog, and it offers wholesale paper packets for retailers. True Leaf Market describes Kitazawa as the leading supplier of Asian herb, vegetable, and flower seeds in the USA, a claim that reflects the brand's long history and specialized focus. Today, Kitazawa Seed remains an active brand within True Leaf Market's portfolio, which also includes Handy Pantry, Mountain Valley Seed, Trellis & Co., and Bloommaster. The brand's catalog includes hundreds of varieties, from agastache and akatade to water pepper and other Asian greens, and it continues to serve home gardeners, retailers, and commercial growers across the United States.

• 2010

  Brand acquired by True Leaf Market (approximate decade).

• 1917

  Kitazawa Seed founded by Gijiu Kitazawa in California.

Leading supplier of Asian herb, vegetable, and flower seeds in the USA since 1917, with a focus on heirloom and open-pollinated varieties for home gardeners, retailers, and commercial growers.

• Asian vegetable seeds

• Asian herb seeds

• Asian flower seeds

• Heirloom seeds

• Open-pollinated seeds

• Seed assortments

• Bulk seeds

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