From China

Chinese Yam/Yamaimo/Nagaimo/Mountain Yam Dióscorea opposita (syn. D. batatas, D. japonica) Native to China, these yams grow up to 3 feet/1 meter long and are quite different from other cultivated yams. They have hairy, pale beige skin dotted with dark spots. Their unusual flesh is slimy on the surface, yet crisp. When grated, they have a milky and slithery consistency like egg whites. Unlike other yams that must always be cooked before consumption, these can be eaten raw, as they often are in Japan and China.