Among the many things that I've seen or had or experience for the first time since coming to Japan, potatoes, yes, potatoes are up there. Along with mushrooms, they seem to be the thing that makes you go, "holy crap, Japan has a crapton of different potatoes WHY ARE THERE SO MANY." Like seriously. So. Many. Types. And not the same ones that the states have. I've yet to see a russet or yukon or small red potato here. Though, apparently, they do exist (according to the blog thing below, linked). The red ones anyways.
In addition to your regular, small brown dirty potato, there are four families of potatoes, or -imo (Satoimo, satsuimo, jyagaimo, etc) in Japanese. Within each of these families, there are a billion different potatoes. Yes, a billion. A lot anyways. Japanese classifies taro as a type, yams as another, sweet potatoes as another, and potatoes as the final family. I suppose yams are similar to potatoes. They're a root too. but yeah. Potato heaven.
Side note, in the winter, the purple sweet potatoes (satsuimo) are super popular. People bake them or heat them in aluminum foil and then they double as handwarmers. You eat them plain, and there's even a truck that sells them that will come around occasionally. I blame this for my gradual acceptance of sweet potatoes in non-french-fry form.
Your guide to Japanese Potatoes since it's all written here, I'm going to redirect you to this site to learn more about fabulous Japanese potatoes. No sense in rewriting something so well written (with pictures!).
Mmm, this is making me hungry. I don't know why I do this to myself.
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