It refers to a cultivated variety of edible rapeseed flower. The variety grown for eating its flower stalks and buds is called "Nanohana" (菜の花), while the variety used for its leaves and stems is called "Nabana" (なばな). In Japan, flower buds are more commonly used in cooking than leaves and stems.

Nanohana is often prepared as Ohitashi (Japanese-style boiled greens) or mixed with mustard dressing. It can also be stir-fried, and Nanohana Peperoncino (oil-based pasta) is a popular dish. It has the characteristic nutty and slightly bitter taste of the Brassicaceae family. Since the bitterness intensifies once the flowers bloom, it is used before flowering. It is considered a seasonal ingredient that signals the arrival of spring.