With a reddish-brown skin, white flesh and a satisfying crisp bite, renkon lotus root is an excellent source of vitamin C, with just 100 grams of the vegetable providing the daily recommended amount. Sliced renkon has a distinctive pinwheel shape, with a number of holes in it. These holes are seen as representing a bright future ahead, and renkon therefore features in the special o-sechi ryori eaten at New Year in Japan. Renkon is enjoyed in Japan in winter and early spring.