Shishigatani pumpkin has long been called 'okabo' in Kyoto; during the Bunka era (1804 - 1818), a farmer in Higashiyama (in Kyoto Prefecture) made a trip to Tsugaru (name of a region in eastern Aomori Prefecture) and brought back pumpkins with him and gave them to other farmers in Shishigatani; the farmers planted the pumpkins in their fields right away and this is said to be the start of their cultivation.
鹿ヶ谷南瓜は、昔から京都では、「おかぼ」と呼ばれていて、文化(元号)年間（1804～1818)の頃、東山(京都府)の百姓が、津軽に旅をした時、南瓜を持ち帰り、鹿ケ谷に住む他の百姓にその南瓜をやった所、百姓達は早速、自分の畑に植えて、栽培したのが始まりと云われる。