Japanese eggplants have long, slender fruit, with thin skins and few seeds.
The mild, delicately flavored flesh is less bitter than some of the varieties you would typically find in the grocery store.
Some like to distinguish “Japanese eggplant” as a separate category of “Asian eggplant,” but quite often the two terms are used interchangeably to refer to the long, slender, thin-skinned varieties.
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Many growers refer simply to “Asian type” eggplants when describing these – and I’m going to follow their example throughout this article.
Eggplants are members of the nightshade family, which includes tomatoes, peppers, and potatoes.
Along with their distinctive shape and flavor, many of these varieties are early-maturing, bearing fruit just two months after transplanting.
And in general, these plants tend to be vigorous, growing up to four feet tall, and high-yielding – making them very attractive for the home gardener.
Our guide to growing eggplant has all you need to get started if you haven’t cultivated them before.
In this article I’ll be looking at 21 different Asian eggplant varieties – some of which are Japanese, some of which are Chinese, some Indian, and some bred in the US.
Before we get started on our world tour, here’s an overview of what I’ll cover:
21 of the Best Asian Eggplant Varieties
Asian eggplant with dark purple to black skin colors tend to originate primarily in Japan.
Typically from China, the bright purple varieties are just as tender and tasty as the dark purple ones.
The pastel, pink and lavender cultivars of Asian-type eggplants are worth trying – if for nothing other than their enchanting colors.
Green eggplants are popular throughout Asia, where they seem to be just as widespread as purple varieties.
1. Bangladeshi Long
‘Bangladeshi Long’ is a prolific heirloom that is native to Bangladesh.
Its eight-inch-long, slightly curved fruits are striking – they have a grayish green color with purple streaks.
These thin-skinned veggies are never bitter and have a delicious, mild flavor.
They are perfect for use in Indian-inspired cuisine, such as this spicy eggplant curry recipe that you can find on our sister site, Foodal.
The large, sturdy plants of ‘Bangladeshi Long’ reach 48 inches tall, and bear fruit 75 to 80 days after transplanting.
2. Black Egg
This Japanese heirloom variety produces round, egg-shaped fruits that are dark purple, almost black in color, with a black calyx.
Tender, four- to five-inch-long fruit with a mild, sweet flavor grow on compact, vigorous plants that mature to just three feet tall.
Ideal for container growing, ‘Black Egg’ matures in 60 to 65 days.
You can find seeds for ‘Black Egg’ in a variety of packet sizes at Eden Brothers.
3. Choryoku
‘Choryoku’ is a Japanese hybrid. The 12-inch-long fruit have bright green skins and a green calyx.
The fruits grow long and straight with a firm texture, and they are sweet and tasty – perfect for broiling or grilling.
Growing on vigorous, prolific plants, ‘Choryoku’ will mature in 80 days.
‘Choryoku’ seeds are available from True Leaf Market.
4. Fengyuan Purple
An heirloom open-pollinated variety from Taiwan, ‘Fengyuan Purple’ is a rare cultivar.
The long, slender, cylindrical fruits can grow up to 12 inches long, and are bright purple with a purple calyx.
The flesh is creamy white, free from bitter compounds, and the skin is thin and delicate.
An early maturing variety, ‘Fengyuan Purple’ can be harvested after just 65 days.
5. Finger Fruit
‘Finger Fruit,’ also known as ‘Little Finger,’ is an heirloom cultivar that produces petite, dark purple eggplants that grow on green stems.
The glossy purple fruits of this open-pollinated variety grow in clusters and have blunt ends.
They can be harvested when they are just three to six inches long – starting 60 days after transplanting.
These tiny, slim eggplants are tender, with thin skin and few seeds. The flesh has a mildly sweet flavor.
‘Finger Fruit’ seeds are available in packets of various sizes from High Mowing Organic Seeds.
6. Green Knight
A hybrid variety, ‘Green Knight’ bears green-skinned fruit that reach seven to 10 inches long. They are mild in flavor, with few seeds and a meaty texture.
An early-maturing variety, you’ll be harvesting the succulent fruit from these 34- to 36-inch plants in just 55 to 60 days.
You can find packets of 30 seeds, or bundles of three ‘Green Knight’ plants, available at Burpee.
7. Hari
An Indian hybrid, ‘Hari’ has waxy green, thin skin and grows from green stems.
Fruits reach seven to 10 inches long, and have tender flesh with a mild flavor and no hint of bitterness.
An ultra-early maturing variety, ‘Hari’ will be ready to harvest in just 50 days.
8. Ichiban
‘Ichiban’ is a Japanese hybrid that loves hot weather, but will also thrive in cooler climates – and it bears fruit all the way through to the first autumn frost.
Its name means “best” in Japanese, and many gardeners agree that this is at the top of their Asian eggplant list!
‘Ichiban’ produces slim, purplish-black, 10-inch-long fruits on purple stems.
The fruits have thin skins with a delicate, sweet, and mild flavor, and a succulent texture.
Plants grow in an upright form, reaching three to four feet tall, and two to three feet wide at maturity.
They perform well in containers, and they are prolific and very early, bearing fruit just 50 to 60 days after transplanting – with 12 fruits per plant, on average.
You can find ‘Ichiban’ plants in four-inch pots from Bonnie Plants via Home Depot.
9. Japanese Pickling
The longest Asian eggplant among my selection, the fruits of ‘Japanese Pickling’ can reach an astonishing 22 to 26 inches in length!
Bright to dark purple in color, these are long, thin, and slightly curved – measuring just 2 inches in diameter.
‘Japanese Pickling’ eggplant are sweet and mellow tasting with creamy, meaty flesh – and as their name suggests, they lend themselves perfectly to pickling.
A mid-season cultivar, ‘Japanese Pickling’ has a good germination rate, and comes to maturity 75 to 85 days from transplanting.
You can find seeds in a variety of packet sizes available from True Leaf Market.
10. Kurume Long
Hailing from the city of Kurume in Japan’s Fukuoka Prefecture, ‘Kurume Long’ is an open-pollinated cultivar that bears shiny, nine- to 10-inch-long black fruit on black stems.
The mild, delicate fruits of ‘Kurume Long’ are excellent for making tempura or for pickling.
This cultivar is vigorous and matures very early – just 60 days from transplanting.
‘Kurume Long’ seeds are available in a variety of packet sizes from True Leaf Market.
11. Long Asian
With long purple fruits that have a sweet, succulent taste with no hint of bitterness, ‘Long Asian’ is an open-pollinated variety.
‘Long Asian’ bears tender and delicious fruit that grow to eight to 10 inches long.
‘Long Asian’ fruits will be ready to harvest – and throw on the grill – about 60 days after transplanting.
You can find seeds in a variety of packet sizes available from Eden Brothers.
12. Machiaw
‘Machiaw’ is a hybrid variety that bears pale purple to deep pink fruit.
‘Machiaw’ was one of the winners for best Asian type eggplant in Purdue University’s 2008 Eggplant Variety Trial in central Missouri.
