azuki

Azuki is a term with several uses in different contexts. In cooking, azuki describes a small, reddish bean widely used in East Asian cuisine. The word is often spelled azuki or adzuki, and in Japanese is read as azuki.

Azuki beans belong to the species Vigna angularis (formerly classified as Phaseolus angularis) and are native to East Asia. Dried beans are typically simmered or boiled, and they are processed into red bean paste (anko) used in desserts such as mochi, dorayaki, and taiyaki. The beans are noted for their sweet flavor and provide protein, dietary fiber, and minerals; they are available dried, canned, or puréed.

Azuki is also the name of a digital art project and NFT collection launched in 2021 on the Ethereum blockchain. Created by a team known as Chiru Labs, the collection comprises 10,000 anime-inspired avatars and positioned itself as a lifestyle brand with emphasis on community and licensing of the IP associated with the artwork. The project has been influential in the NFT space, achieving high trading activity and spawning community-driven initiatives, while also attracting discussion about the scope of licensing rights granted to NFT holders and the brand's governance.