Dioscorea japonica, known as East Asian mountain yam,[1] yamaimo, or Japanese mountain yam, is a type of yam (Dioscorea) native to Japan (including Ryukyu and Bonin Islands), Korea, China, Taiwan, and Assam.

[4] Jinenjo (自然薯, "wild yam") is another kind of Dioscorea japonica, which is native to fields and mountains in Japan.

In Chinese, Dioscorea japonica is known as yě shānyào (野山藥) which translates to English as "wild Chinese yam" or simply "wild yam".

[citation needed] Another name is Rìběn shǔyù (日本薯蕷; literally "Japanese yam").

[citation needed] Dioscorea japonica contains the antimutagenic compounds eudesmol and paeonol.