The following is a list of ingredients used in

Japanese cuisine Japanese cuisine encompasses the regional and traditional foods of Japan, which have developed through centuries of political, economic, and social changes. The traditional cuisine of Japan (Japanese language, Japanese: ) is based on rice with m ...

Plant sources

Cereal grain

Rice Rice is a cereal grain and in its Domestication, domesticated form is the staple food of over half of the world's population, particularly in Asia and Africa. Rice is the seed of the grass species ''Oryza sativa'' (Asian rice)—or, much l ...

**Short or medium grain white

rice Rice is a cereal grain and in its Domestication, domesticated form is the staple food of over half of the world's population, particularly in Asia and Africa. Rice is the seed of the grass species ''Oryza sativa'' (Asian rice)—or, much l ...

. Regular (non-sticky) rice is called . **

Mochi A mochi ( ; Japanese ) is a Japanese rice cake made of , a short-grain Japonica rice, japonica glutinous rice, and sometimes other ingredients such as water, sugar, and cornstarch. The steamed rice is pounded into paste and molded into the ...

rice (

glutinous rice Domestication syndrome refers to two sets of phenotypic traits that are common to either domesticated plants or domesticated animals. Domesticated animals tend to be smaller and less aggressive than their wild counterparts; they may also hav ...

)-sticky rice, sweet rice ** (brown rice) **

Rice bran Bran, also known as miller's bran, is the component of a cereal grain consisting of the hard layersthe combined aleurone and pericarpsurrounding the endosperm. Corn (maize) bran also includes the pedicel (tip cap). Along with the germ, it is ...

() – not usually eaten itself, but used for pickling, and also added to boiling water to parboil tart vegetables ** – toasted brown rice grains in and ** – ''

Aspergillus ' () is a genus consisting of several hundred mold species found in various climates worldwide. ''Aspergillus'' was first catalogued in 1729 by the Italian priest and biologist Pier Antonio Micheli. Viewing the fungi under a microscope, Miche ...

'' cultures ** ** * () * (

barley Barley (), a member of the grass family, is a major cereal grain grown in temperate climates globally. It was one of the first cultivated grains; it was domesticated in the Fertile Crescent around 9000 BC, giving it nonshattering spikele ...

)

Flour

* starch – an alternative ingredient for

potato starch Potato starch is starch extracted from potatoes. The cells of the root tubers of the potato plant contain leucoplasts (starch grains). To extract the starch, the potatoes are crushed, and the starch grains are released from the destroyed cells. Th ...

* – soybean flour/meal * – (millet) flour * – starch powder * starch *

Rice flour Rice flour (also rice powder) is a form of flour made from finely milled rice. It is distinct from rice starch, which is usually produced by steeping rice in lye. Rice flour is a common substitute for wheat flour. It is also used as a thickening ...

() ** ** ** ** – semi-cooked rice dried and coarsely pulverized; used as alternate breading in deep-fried dish, also used in Kansai-style confection. Medium fine ground types are called and used as breaded crust or for confection. Fine ground are **, – powdery starch made from sticky rice. ** flour *

Soba Soba ( or , "buckwheat") are Japanese noodles made primarily from buckwheat flour, with a small amount of wheat flour mixed in. It has an ashen brown color, and a slightly grainy texture. The noodles are served either chilled with a dipping sau ...

flour * starch – substitutes are sold under this name, though authentic starch derives from fern roots. See *

Wheat Wheat is a group of wild and crop domestication, domesticated Poaceae, grasses of the genus ''Triticum'' (). They are Agriculture, cultivated for their cereal grains, which are staple foods around the world. Well-known Taxonomy of wheat, whe ...

flour **Tempura flour **, , – descending grades of protein content; all purpose, udon flour, cake flour ** – name for the starch of rice or wheat. Apparently used for to some extent. In Chinese cuisine, it is used to make the translucent skin of the shrimp .

Noodles

* *

Ramen is a Chinese noodle dish popularized in Japan. It includes served in several flavors of broth. Common flavors are soy sauce and miso, with typical toppings including , nori (dried seaweed), menma (bamboo shoots), and scallions. Ramen h ...

Udon Udon ( or ) is a thick noodle made from wheat flour, used in Japanese cuisine. There are a variety of ways it is prepared and served. Its simplest form is in a soup as with a mild broth called made from dashi, soy sauce, and mirin. It is usual ...

* noodles

Vegetables

Botanic fruits as vegetables

Cucumber The cucumber (''Cucumis sativus'') is a widely-cultivated creeping vine plant in the family Cucurbitaceae that bears cylindrical to spherical fruits, which are used as culinary vegetables.Eggplant Eggplant (American English, US, Canadian English, CA, Australian English, AU, Philippine English, PH), aubergine (British English, UK, Hiberno English, IE, New Zealand English, NZ), brinjal (Indian English, IN, Singapore English, SG, Malays ...

() * – mild peppers ** ** – The leaves of the made into are . * – pumpkins, squash * – type of squash/melon.

Cabbage family

* – (''B. rapa''

var. In botanical nomenclature, variety (abbreviated var.; in ) is a taxonomic rank below that of species and subspecies, but above that of Form (botany), form. As such, it gets a three-part Infraspecific name (botany), infraspecific name. It is s ...

''perviridis'') * - (''B. rapa'' var. ''nipposinica'') * Napa cabbage () – (''B. rapa'' var. ''glabra'') * – (

Brassica juncea ''Brassica juncea'', commonly mustard greens, brown mustard, Chinese mustard, Indian mustard, Korean green mustard, leaf mustard, Oriental mustard and vegetable mustard, is a species of mustard plant. Cultivar ''Brassica juncea'' cultivars c ...

var. ''integrifolia'' or var. of mustard) * – (cultivar of ''B. rapa'' var. ) * (

rapeseed Rapeseed (''Brassica napus'' subsp. ''napus''), also known as rape and oilseed rape and canola, is a bright-yellow flowering member of the family Brassicaceae (mustard or cabbage family), cultivated mainly for its oil-rich seed, which naturall ...

or coleseed flowering-stalks, used like broccoli rabe)

Other leafy vegetables

Spinach Spinach (''Spinacia oleracea'') is a leafy green flowering plant native to Central Asia, Central and Western Asia. It is of the order Caryophyllales, family Amaranthaceae, subfamily Chenopodioideae. Its leaves are a common vegetable consumed eit ...

()

Onion family

Vegetables in the onion family are called in Japanese. * – type of

chives Chives, scientific name ''Allium schoenoprasum'', is a species of flowering plant in the family Amaryllidaceae. A perennial plant, ''A. schoenoprasum'' is widespread in nature across much of Eurasia and North America. It is the only spe ...

* – Chinese chives or garlic chive * * – formerly thought a variety of scallion, but geneticists discover it to be a cross with the bulb onion (''A. × wakegi''). * Green onions or scallions ** – Often used to denote the types as thick as leeks used in

Kantō region The is a geography, geographical region of Honshu, the largest island of Japan. In a common definition, the region includes the Greater Tokyo Area and encompasses seven prefectures of Japan, prefectures: Chiba Prefecture, Chiba, Gunma Prefe ...

, but is not a proper name of a cultivar, and merely taken from the production area of

Fukaya, Saitama is a city located in Saitama Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 229,517 in 142,803 households in 60804 households and a population density of 1023 persons per km2. The total area of the city is . It is famous for a ...

. In the east, the white part of the onion near the base like to be used. ** ("multipurpose scallion") – young plants. ** – Kyoto cultivar of green onion. ** – Cultivar named after Shimonita, Gunma. ** Other varieties with articles are (

Hiroshima is the capital of Hiroshima Prefecture in Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 1,199,391. The gross domestic product (GDP) in Greater Hiroshima, Hiroshima Urban Employment Area, was US$61.3 billion as of 2010. Kazumi Matsui has b ...

), ( Fukui), (

Gifu is a Cities of Japan, city located in the south-central portion of Gifu Prefecture, Japan, and serves as the prefectural capital. The city has played an important role in Japan's history because of its location in the middle of the country. Durin ...

) * – ''Allium macrostemon'', collected from the wild much like field garlic. * – ''Allium victorialis'', much like ramps.

Root vegetables

* – Chinese artichoke, '' Stachys affinis'' * – Japanese radish * – '' Arctium lappa'' *

Lotus root ''Nelumbo nucifera'', also known as the pink lotus, sacred lotus, Indian lotus, or simply lotus, is one of two extant species of aquatic plant in the family Nelumbonaceae. It is sometimes colloquially called a water lily, though this more of ...

() *

Potato The potato () is a starchy tuberous vegetable native to the Americas that is consumed as a staple food in many parts of the world. Potatoes are underground stem tubers of the plant ''Solanum tuberosum'', a perennial in the nightshade famil ...

() *

Sweet potato The sweet potato or sweetpotato (''Ipomoea batatas'') is a dicotyledonous plant in the morning glory family, Convolvulaceae. Its sizeable, starchy, sweet-tasting tuberous roots are used as a root vegetable, which is a staple food in parts of ...

() *

Taro Taro (; ''Colocasia esculenta'') is a root vegetable. It is the most widely cultivated species of several plants in the family Araceae that are used as vegetables for their corms, leaves, stems and Petiole (botany), petioles. Taro corms are a ...

() and stalk () ** – Kyoto variety ** – stems available fresh or dried; their tartness must be boiled off before use. * – bamboo shoots ** , , – Slender bamboo shoots of ('' Sasa kurilensis''), so-called "baby bamboo shoots". ** – vital condiment to

ramen is a Chinese noodle dish popularized in Japan. It includes served in several flavors of broth. Common flavors are soy sauce and miso, with typical toppings including , nori (dried seaweed), menma (bamboo shoots), and scallions. Ramen h ...

, made from the Taiwanese giant bamboo (''Dendrocalamus latiflorus'') and not from the typical bamboo shoot. * – vague name that can denote either Dioscorea spp. (Japanese yam or Chinese yam) below. The root is often grated into a sort of starchy puree. The correct way is to grate the yam against the grains of the . Also the

tubercle In anatomy, a tubercle (literally 'small tuber', Latin for 'lump') is any round nodule, small eminence, or warty outgrowth found on external or internal organs of a plant or an animal. In plants A tubercle is generally a wart-like projectio ...

() used whole. ** or (''

Dioscorea japonica ''Dioscorea japonica'', known as East Asian mountain yam, yamaimo, or Japanese mountain yam, is a type of yam (vegetable), yam (''Dioscorea'') native to Japan (including Ryukyu Islands, Ryukyu and Bonin Islands), Korea, China, Taiwan, and Assam. ...

'') – considered the true Japanese yam. The name refers to roots dug from the wild. ** (''D. opposita'') – In a strict sense, refers to the long truncheon-like form. ** (''D. opposita'') – A fan-shaped (ginkgo leaf shaped) variety, more viscous than the long form. ** ('' D. polystachya'' var.) – A round variety even more viscous and highly prized. ** – edible

s * –

lily ''Lilium'' ( ) is a genus of herbaceous flowering plants growing from bulbs, all with large and often prominent flowers. Lilies are a group of flowering plants which are important in culture and literature in much of the world. Most species are ...

bulbs

Sprouts

* –

radish The radish (''Raphanus sativus'') is a flowering plant in the mustard family, Brassicaceae. Its large taproot is commonly used as a root vegetable, although the entire plant is edible and its leaves are sometimes used as a leaf vegetable. Origina ...

sprouts * – mung sprouts *

Soybean The soybean, soy bean, or soya bean (''Glycine max'') is a species of legume native to East Asia, widely grown for its edible bean. Soy is a staple crop, the world's most grown legume, and an important animal feed. Soy is a key source o ...

sprouts ()

Specialty vegetables

*'' Aralia cordata'' – "Japanese spikenard" * –a type of butterbur, both stalk and young flower shoots * – dried gourd strips * – * – a term for wild-picked vegetables in general, including fernbrake, bamboo shoots, tree shoots

Pickled vegetables

* – term for Japanese pickles. * *

Nuts

Ginkgo ''Ginkgo'' is a genus of non-flowering seed plants, assigned to the gymnosperms. The scientific name is also used as the English common name. The order to which the genus belongs, Ginkgoales, first appeared in the Permian, , and ''Ginkgo'' is n ...

nuts * Azuki bean * –

chestnut The chestnuts are the deciduous trees and shrubs in the genus ''Castanea'', in the beech family Fagaceae. The name also refers to the edible nuts they produce. They are native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. Description ...

s * – Japanese walnut (

Juglans ailantifolia ''Juglans ailantifolia'' (synonyms ''J. cordiformis'' and ''J. sieboldiana'' and '' J. mandshurica'' var. ''sachalinensis''), the Japanese walnut (), is a species of walnut native to Japan and Sakhalin. Description It is a deciduous tree growi ...

) * – a type of buckeye or horse chestnut (''

Aesculus The genus ''Aesculus'' ( or ), with notable species including buckeye and horse chestnut, comprises 13–19 species of flowering plants in the family Sapindaceae. They are trees and shrubs native plant, native to the temperateness, temperat ...

turbinata'') * – acorns of ''

Castanopsis ''Castanopsis'', commonly called chinquapin or chinkapin, is a genus of evergreen trees belonging to the beech family, Fagaceae. The genus contains about 140 species, which are today restricted to tropical and subtropical eastern Asia. The Engli ...

'' spp.

Seeds

Sesame Sesame (; ''Sesamum indicum'') is a plant in the genus '' Sesamum'', also called benne. Numerous wild relatives occur in Africa and a smaller number in India. It is widely naturalized in tropical regions around the world and is cultivated for ...

seeds ** Black sesame seeds ** White sesame seeds * seeds * Wild sesame seeds () *

Hemp seed Hemp, or industrial hemp, is a plant in the botanical class of '' Cannabis sativa'' cultivars grown specifically for industrial and consumable use. It can be used to make a wide range of products. Along with bamboo, hemp is among the fastest ...

s () – mixed in with * – usually powdered mustard, or in paste tubes * – ''

Zanthoxylum piperitum ''Zanthoxylum piperitum'', also known as Japanese pepper or Japanese prickly-ash, is a deciduous aromatic spiny shrub or small tree of the citrus and rue family Rutaceae, native to Japan and Korea. It is called () in Japan and () in Korea. Bo ...

Mushrooms

* * * * * * *

Shiitake The shiitake (; ''Chinese/black mushroom'' or ''Lentinula edodes'') is a macrofungus native to East Asia, which is cultivated and consumed around the globe. Taxonomy The fungus was first described scientifically as '' Agaricus edodes'' by ...

* *

Wood ear Wood is a structural tissue/material found as xylem in the stems and roots of trees and other woody plants. It is an organic materiala natural composite of cellulosic fibers that are strong in tension and embedded in a matrix of lignin tha ...

() * '' Rhizopogon roseolus'' ()

Seaweed

* – ''Campylaephora hypnaeoides'' * – ''Petalonia binghamiae'' * * – kombu, kelp ** or – thin shavings of kelp ** – a thin sheet of kelp created as a byproduct ** – the thick, pleated portion near the attached base of the seaweed * *

Nori Nori is a dried edible seaweed used in Japanese cuisine, usually made from species of the red algae genus ''Pyropia'', including ''P. yezoensis'' and ''Pyropia tenera, P. tenera''. It has a strong and distinctive flavor, and is generally made in ...

** – refers to seaweed harvested from sea-rock. * * * – ''Aphanothece sacrum'', a

Kyushu is the third-largest island of Japan's Japanese archipelago, four main islands and the most southerly of the four largest islands (i.e. excluding Okinawa Island, Okinawa and the other Ryukyu Islands, Ryukyu (''Nansei'') Ryukyu Islands, Islands ...

specialty * – also known as and ;

agar Agar ( or ), or agar-agar, is a jelly-like substance consisting of polysaccharides obtained from the cell walls of some species of red algae, primarily from " ogonori" and " tengusa". As found in nature, agar is a mixture of two components, t ...

Fruits

Citrus

* * * – a new hybrid * * * *

Yuzu Yuzu (''Citrus'' × ''junos'', from Japanese language, Japanese or ; ) is a citrus fruit and plant in the family Rutaceae of China, Chinese origin. Yuzu has been cultivated mainly in East Asia, though it has also recently been grown in New Z ...

Other

* Akebia (sausage fruit) * *

Loquat The loquat (''Eriobotrya japonica'', Chinese: 枇杷; Pinyin: pípá) is a large evergreen shrub or tree grown commercially for its orange fruit. It is also cultivated as an ornamental plant. The loquat is in the family Rosaceae, subfamily Spi ...

* – a traditional type of

melon A melon is any of various plants of the family Cucurbitaceae with sweet, edible, and fleshy fruit. It can also specifically refer to ''Cucumis melo'', commonly known as the "true melon" or simply "melon". The term "melon" can apply to both the p ...

* Nashi pear *

Persimmon The persimmon () is the edible fruit of a number of species of trees in the genus '' Diospyros''. The most widely cultivated of these is the Chinese and Japanese kaki persimmon, ''Diospyros kaki''. In 2022, China produced 77% of the world's p ...

* – ''

Myrica rubra ''Myrica rubra'', also called yangmei (; Cantonese: yeung4 mui4; Shanghainese: ), , Chinese bayberry, red bayberry, yumberry, waxberry, or Chinese strawberry (and often mistranslated from Chinese as arbutus) is a subtropical tree grown for its ...

Soy products

* * *

Soy sauce Soy sauce (sometimes called soya sauce in British English) is a liquid condiment of China, Chinese origin, traditionally made from a fermentation (food), fermented paste of soybeans, roasted cereal, grain, brine, and ''Aspergillus oryzae'' or ''A ...

(light, dark, ) * * * – soy sprouts * – soy meal * – dry-roasted soy beans and black soy beans (used in , etc.)

Vegetable proteins

* – wheat gluten ** – fresh usually sold in sticks (long bars) ** Dry – variously shaped and colored. is one variety ** – somewhat more doughy (still has starches left) *

Tofu or bean curd is a food prepared by Coagulation (milk), coagulating soy milk and then pressing the resulting curds into solid white blocks of varying softness: ''silken'', ''soft'', ''firm'', and ''extra (or super) firm''. It originated in Chin ...

**Soft: (silken), , **Firm: (cotton) **Freeze-dried: **Fried: , , , **Residue: **

Soy milk Soy milk (or soymilk), also known as soya milk, is a plant-based milk produced by soaking and grinding soybeans, boiling the mixture, and filtering out remaining particulates. It is a stable emulsion of oil, water, and protein. Its original ...

Animal sources

Eggs

Chicken The chicken (''Gallus gallus domesticus'') is a domesticated subspecies of the red junglefowl (''Gallus gallus''), originally native to Southeast Asia. It was first domesticated around 8,000 years ago and is now one of the most common and w ...

* Quail egg * Terrapin eggs, sea-turtle eggs

Meats

Beef Beef is the culinary name for meat from cattle (''Bos taurus''). Beef can be prepared in various ways; Cut of beef, cuts are often used for steak, which can be cooked to varying degrees of doneness, while trimmings are often Ground beef, grou ...

Kobe beef Kobe ( ; , ), officially , is the capital city of Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. With a population of around 1.5 million, Kobe is Japan's seventh-largest city and the third-largest port city after Tokyo and Yokohama. It is located in the Kansai re ...

** Matsusaka beef ** Mishima beef ** Beef tongue, heart, liver, tripe, rumen (), omasum (), abomasum () *

– called in Western parts (Kansai). There are various heritage breeds called ** Nagoya

cochin Kochi ( , ), formerly known as Cochin ( ), is a major port city along the Malabar Coast of India bordering the Laccadive Sea. It is part of the district of Ernakulam in the state of Kerala. The city is also commonly referred to as Ernaku ...

** Shamo – fighting cock ** – × Rhode Island red ** Unlaid egg yolk () *

Pork Pork is the culinary name for the meat of the pig (''Sus domesticus''). It is the most commonly consumed meat worldwide, with evidence of pig animal husbandry, husbandry dating back to 8000–9000 BCE. Pork is eaten both freshly cooke ...

** ( Berkshire (pig)) ** or , extinct but reconstructed heritage hog of

Okinawa most commonly refers to: * Okinawa Prefecture, Japan's southernmost prefecture * Okinawa Island, the largest island of Okinawa Prefecture * Okinawa Islands, an island group including Okinawa itself * Okinawa (city), the second largest city in th ...

** – a domestic pig × wild boar crossbreed **

Boar The wild boar (''Sus scrofa''), also known as the wild swine, common wild pig, Eurasian wild pig, or simply wild pig, is a Suidae, suid native to much of Eurasia and North Africa, and has been introduced to the Americas and Oceania. The speci ...

meat – the (hotpot) dish is called ("peony") ** Whey – marketed by *

Horse meat Horse meat forms a significant part of the culinary traditions of many countries, particularly in Europe and Asia. The eight countries that consume the most horse meat consume about 4.3million horses a year. For the majority of humanity's early ...

, sometimes called – a delicacy. Raw sliced horsemeat is called ; the fatty neck portion from where the mane grows is known as .

Finned fish

Marine fishes

* (red-fleshed fish or '' akami zakana'') *

skipjack tuna The skipjack tuna (''Katsuwonus pelamis'') is a perciform fish in the tuna family, Scombridae, and is the only member of the genus ''Katsuwonus''. It is also known as katsuo, arctic bonito, mushmouth, oceanic bonito, striped tuna or victor fish. ...

(''katsuo'') - made into

tataki Two methods of preparing fish or meat in Japanese cuisine are called or . In Japanese language, Japanese, means "pounded" or "hit into pieces". Cooked food In the first method, the meat or fish is seared very briefly over a hot flame or i ...

, namaribushi, and processed into

katsuobushi is simmered, smoked and fermented skipjack tuna (''Katsuwonus pelamis'', sometimes referred to as bonito). It is also known as bonito flakes or broadly as . Shaved ''katsuobushi'' and dried kelp—''kombu''—are the main ingredients of ...

** *

tuna A tuna (: tunas or tuna) is a saltwater fish that belongs to the tribe Thunnini, a subgrouping of the Scombridae ( mackerel) family. The Thunnini comprise 15 species across five genera, the sizes of which vary greatly, ranging from the bul ...

(''maguro'') *

Japanese amberjack The Japanese amberjack or yellowtail, ''Seriola quinqueradiata'', is a species of Amberjack, jack bony fish, fish in the family Carangidae, native to the northwest Pacific Ocean. It is known as ''shiyu'' () in China, ''bang'eo'' () in Korea, and ...

(''buri'' / ''hamachi'') *

Spanish mackerel Scomberomorini is a tribe of ray-finned, saltwater, bony fishes that is commonly known as Spanish mackerels, seerfishes, or seer fish. This tribe is a subset of the mackerel family (Scombridae), which it shares with four sister tribes, the tu ...

(''sawara'')

Blue-backed fish

These fish are collectively called ''ao zakana'' in Japanese. *Japanese

jack mackerel Jack mackerels or saurels are marine ray-finned fish in the genus ''Trachurus'' of the family Carangidae. The name of the genus derives from the Greek (language), Greek words ''trachys'' ("rough") and ''oura'' ("tail"). Some species, such as ''T ...

(''aji'') *

pacific saury The Pacific saury (''Cololabis saira'') is species of fish in the family Scomberesocidae. Saury is a seafood in several East Asian cuisines and is also known by the name mackerel pike. Biology Saury is a fish with a small mouth, an elongat ...

(''sanma'') *

sardine Sardine and pilchard are common names for various species of small, oily forage fish in the herring suborder Clupeoidei. The term "sardine" was first used in English during the early 15th century; a somewhat dubious etymology says it com ...

(''iwashi'') **

Niboshi Niboshi (煮干し), often called iriko (炒り子) in Western Japan, are small dried fish used in Japanese cuisine for making ''dashi'' ( soup stock). They can also be eaten as snacks, or as a side dish. The types of fish used include anchovi ...

or ''iriko'' is dried sardine, important for fish stock and other uses. *

mackerel Mackerel is a common name applied to a number of different species of pelagic fish, mostly from the family Scombridae. They are found in both temperate and tropical seas, mostly living along the coast or offshore in the oceanic environment. ...

(''saba'') * or ''kohada'' ('' Konosirus punctatus'') *

herring Herring are various species of forage fish, belonging to the Order (biology), order Clupeiformes. Herring often move in large Shoaling and schooling, schools around fishing banks and near the coast, found particularly in shallow, temperate wate ...

(''nishin'') * ''aji'' (

Japanese horse mackerel The Japanese jack mackerel (''Trachurus japonicus''), also known as the Japanese horse mackerel or Japanese scad, is a species named after its resemblance to mackerel but which is in the Family (biology), family Carangidae, the jacks, pompanos, t ...

and similar fish) - typical fish for ''hiraki'', or fish that is gutted, butterflied, and half-dried in shade.

White-fleshed fish

These fish are collectively called ''shiromi zakana'' in Japanese. *

flatfish A flatfish is a member of the Ray-finned fish, ray-finned demersal fish Order (biology), suborder Pleuronectoidei, also called the Heterosomata. In many species, both eyes lie on one side of the head, one or the other migrating through or around ...

(''karei'' / ''hirame'') - ribbons of flesh around the fins called ''engawa'' are also used. Roe is often stewed. * pike conger (''

hamo The daggertooth pike conger (''Muraenesox cinereus'') also known as the darkfin pike eel in Australia, to distinguish it from the related pike-eel (''Muraenesox bagio''), is a species of eel in the pike conger family, Muraenesocidae. They pri ...

'') - in Kyoto-style cuisine, also as high-end surimi. *

pufferfish Tetraodontidae is a family of marine and freshwater fish in the order Tetraodontiformes. The family includes many familiar species variously called pufferfish, puffers, balloonfish, blowfish, blowers, blowies, bubblefish, globefish, swellfis ...

(''

fugu Fugu (; ; ) in Japanese language, Japanese, ''bogeo'' (; 鰒魚) or ''bok'' () in Korean language, Korean, and ''hétún'' () in Standard Modern Chinese refers to tetraodontidae, pufferfish, normally of the genus ''Takifugu'', ''Lagocephalus'', o ...

'') - flesh, skin, soft roe eaten as sashimi and hot pot (''tecchiri''); organs, etc. poisonous; roe also contain

tetrodotoxin Tetrodotoxin (TTX) is a potent neurotoxin. Its name derives from Tetraodontiformes, an Order (biology), order that includes Tetraodontidae, pufferfish, porcupinefish, ocean sunfish, and triggerfish; several of these species carry the toxin. Alt ...

but a regional specialty food cures it in nuka until safe to eat. *

tilefish file:Malacanthus latovittatus.jpg, 250px, Blue blanquillo, ''Malacanthus latovittatus'' Tilefishes are mostly small perciform marine fish comprising the family (biology), family Malacanthidae. They are usually found in sandy areas, especially n ...

(''amadai'') - in a Kyoto-style preparation, it is roasted to be eaten scales and all; used in high-end

surimi is a paste made from Fish as food, fish or other meat. It can also be any of a number of East Asian cuisine, East Asian foods that use that paste as their primary ingredient. It is available in many shapes, forms, and textures, and is often ...

. *

red sea bream Red seabream is a name given to at least two species of fish of the family Sparidae Sparidae is a family of ray-finned fishes belonging to the order Spariformes, the seabreams and porgies, although they were traditionally classified in the or ...

(''madai'') - used widely. the head stewed as ''kabuto-ni''.

Freshwater fish

* ayu - the shiokara made from this fish is called . * Japanese eel ('' unagi'') * - refers regionally to different fish, but often the

goby The Gobioidei are a suborder of percomorph fish. Many of these fishes are called gobies. It is by far the largest and most diverse order within the order Gobiiformes, and one of the most diverse groups of ray-finned fish in general. The subord ...

type, some are high-end fish. *

salmon Salmon (; : salmon) are any of several list of commercially important fish species, commercially important species of euryhaline ray-finned fish from the genera ''Salmo'' and ''Oncorhynchus'' of the family (biology), family Salmonidae, native ...

(''sake'') - ''shiojake'' or ''salted salmon'' are often very salty fillets, so lighter salted ''amajio'' types may be sought. is salt-cured whole fish. uses snout cartilage. *

suzuki is a Japanese multinational mobility manufacturer headquartered in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture, Shizuoka. It manufactures automobiles, motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), outboard motor, outboard marine engines, wheelchairs and a va ...

* (Family

Salangidae Salangidae, the icefishes or noodlefishes, are a family of small osmeriform fish, related to the smelts. They are found in Eastern Asia, ranging from the Russian Far East in the north to Vietnam in the south, with the highest species richness ...

) * ''nigoro buna'' ('' Carassius auratus grandoculis'') - vital source of funazushi for Shiga-kennians

Marine mammal Marine mammals are mammals that rely on marine ecosystems for their existence. They include animals such as cetaceans, pinnipeds, sirenians, sea otters and polar bears. They are an informal group, unified only by their reliance on marine enviro ...
s

baleen whale Baleen whales (), also known as whalebone whales, are marine mammals of the order (biology), parvorder Mysticeti in the infraorder Cetacea (whales, dolphins and porpoises), which use baleen plates (or "whalebone") in their mouths to sieve plankt ...

(''kujira'') *

dolphin A dolphin is an aquatic mammal in the cetacean clade Odontoceti (toothed whale). Dolphins belong to the families Delphinidae (the oceanic dolphins), Platanistidae (the Indian river dolphins), Iniidae (the New World river dolphins), Pontopori ...

(''iruka'')

Mollusks Mollusca is a phylum of protostomic invertebrate animals, whose members are known as molluscs or mollusks (). Around 76,000 extant species of molluscs are recognized, making it the second-largest animal phylum after Arthropoda. The num ...

Squid A squid (: squid) is a mollusc with an elongated soft body, large eyes, eight cephalopod limb, arms, and two tentacles in the orders Myopsida, Oegopsida, and Bathyteuthida (though many other molluscs within the broader Neocoleoidea are also ...
and
cuttlefish Cuttlefish, or cuttles, are Marine (ocean), marine Mollusca, molluscs of the order (biology), suborder Sepiina. They belong to the class (biology), class Cephalopoda which also includes squid, octopuses, and nautiluses. Cuttlefish have a unique ...

These fish are collectively called ''ika'' in Japanese. * (''aori ika'') * (''surume ika'') * (''kensaki ika'') * (''yari ika'') * (''hotaru ika'') * (''kō ika'')

Octopus An octopus (: octopuses or octopodes) is a soft-bodied, eight-limbed mollusc of the order Octopoda (, ). The order consists of some 300 species and is grouped within the class Cephalopoda with squids, cuttlefish, and nautiloids. Like oth ...

Octopus is called ''tako'' in Japanese. *

Common octopus The common octopus (''Octopus vulgaris'') is a Mollusca, mollusk belonging to the class Cephalopoda. ''Octopus vulgaris'' is one of the most studied of all octopus species, and also one of the most intelligent. It ranges from the eastern Atlanti ...

(''madako'') * Giant Pacific octopus (''mizudako'') *

Amphioctopus fangsiao ''Amphioctopus fangsiao'', called webfoot octopus, is a species of octopus, a cephalopod belonging to the genus '' Amphioctopus''. It is found in the Pacific Ocean, including off the coasts of New Zealand as well as in the Yellow Sea and surro ...

(''iidako'')

Bivalves

scallop Scallop () is a common name that encompasses various species of marine bivalve molluscs in the taxonomic family Pectinidae, the scallops. However, the common name "scallop" is also sometimes applied to species in other closely related famili ...

(''hotate-gai'') *littleneck clam (''asari'') *freshwater clam (''shijimi'') *

oyster Oyster is the common name for a number of different families of salt-water bivalve molluscs that live in marine or brackish habitats. In some species, the valves are highly calcified, and many are somewhat irregular in shape. Many, but no ...

(''kaki'') ** ''iwagaki'' ('' Crassostrea nippona''), available during summer months. *

clam Clam is a common name for several kinds of bivalve mollusc. The word is often applied only to those that are deemed edible and live as infauna, spending most of their lives halfway buried in the sand of the sea floor or riverbeds. Clams h ...

(''hamaguri'') * (''akagai'') * (''aoyagi'') * Geoduck (''mirugai'') * (''torigai'')

Single shelled gastropods and conches

* horned turban (''sazae'') * abalone

Crustaceans Crustaceans (from Latin meaning: "those with shells" or "crusted ones") are invertebrate animals that constitute one group of Arthropod, arthropods that are traditionally a part of the subphylum Crustacea (), a large, diverse group of mainly aquat ...

These foods are collectively called ''ebikani-rui'' or ''kokaku rui'' in Japanese.

Crab Crabs are decapod crustaceans of the infraorder Brachyura (meaning "short tailed" in Greek language, Greek), which typically have a very short projecting tail-like abdomen#Arthropoda, abdomen, usually hidden entirely under the Thorax (arthropo ...

Crab is called ''kani'' in Japanese. * snow crab (''zuwaigani'') * horsehair crab (''kegani'') * king crab (''tarabagani''; ''hanasaki gani''=''Paralithodes brevipes'') * horse crab (''gazami'') * Kona crab (''asahi-gani'')

Lobsters, shrimps, and prawns

These shellfish are collectively called ''ebi'' in Japanese. * spiny lobster (''ise-ebi'') *

Kuruma prawn ''Marsupenaeus'' is a monotypic genus of prawn. It contains a single species, ''Marsupenaeus japonicus'', known as the kuruma shrimp, kuruma prawn, or Japanese tiger prawn. It occurs naturally in bays and seas of the Indo-West Pacific, but has a ...

(''kuruma ebi'') * humpback shrimp (''botan ebi''; '' Pandalus hypsinotus'') *

mantis shrimp Mantis shrimp are carnivorous marine crustaceans of the order Stomatopoda (). Stomatopods branched off from other members of the class Malacostraca around 400 million years ago, with more than 520 extant species of mantis shrimp known. All li ...

- (''shako'') *

barnacle Barnacles are arthropods of the subclass (taxonomy), subclass Cirripedia in the subphylum Crustacean, Crustacea. They are related to crabs and lobsters, with similar Nauplius (larva), nauplius larvae. Barnacles are exclusively marine invertebra ...

* (''Palaemon paucidens'') - freshwater

Echinoderms An echinoderm () is any animal of the phylum Echinodermata (), which includes starfish, brittle stars, sea urchins, sand dollars and sea cucumbers, as well as the sessile sea lilies or "stone lilies". While bilaterally symmetrical as larv ...

* Sea cucumbers (''namako'') - body, intestines (''konowata''), ovaries (''kuchiko, konoko'') *

Sea urchin Sea urchins or urchins () are echinoderms in the class (biology), class Echinoidea. About 950 species live on the seabed, inhabiting all oceans and depth zones from the intertidal zone to deep seas of . They typically have a globular body cove ...

(''uni''), ovaries

Tunicates

* Sea pineapple (''hoya'')

Roe Roe, ( ) or hard roe, is the fully ripe internal egg masses in the ovaries, or the released external egg masses, of fish and certain marine animals such as shrimp, scallop, sea urchins and squid. As a seafood, roe is used both as a cooking, c ...

roe ('' ikura'') *

roe (''kazunoko'') * mullet roe ('' karasumi'') - similar to

botargo Bottarga is salted, cured fish roe pouch, typically of the grey mullet or the bluefin tuna (). The best-known version is produced around the Mediterranean; similar foods are the Japanese and Taiwanese , which is softer, and Korean , from mu ...

pollock Pollock or pollack (pronounced ) is the common name used for either of the two species of North Atlantic ocean, marine fish in the genus ''Pollachius''. ''Pollachius pollachius'' is referred to as "pollock" in North America, Ireland and the Unit ...

roe ('' tarako (food)'') * capelin roe (''masago'') *

flying fish The Exocoetidae are a family (biology), family of Saltwater fish, marine Actinopterygii, ray-finned fish in the order (biology), order Beloniformes, known colloquially as flying fish or flying cod. About 64 species are grouped in seven genus, ge ...

roe (''

tobiko is flying fish roe in Japanese cuisine, known for its use in ''sushi''. Description The eggs are small, ranging from 0.5 to 0.8 mm. For comparison, ''tobiko'' is larger than '' masago'' ( capelin roe), but smaller than '' ikura'' (salmon ro ...

'') * crustacean eggs

Liver

* ankimo, or

monkfish Members of the genus ''Lophius'', also sometimes called monkfish, fishing-frogs, frog-fish, and sea-devils, are various species of lophiid anglerfishes found in the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. ''Lophius'' is known as the "monk" or "monkfish" to ...

liver. * (Thread-sail filefish) and abalone livers are used as is, or as ''kimo-ae'', i.e., blended with the fish flesh or other ingredients as a type of aemono. * squid and ''katsuo'' (skipjack) livers and guts, used to make shiokara.

Processed seafood

anchovy An anchovy is a small, common forage fish of the Family (biology), family Engraulidae. Most species are found in marine waters, but several will enter brackish water, and some in South America are restricted to fresh water. More than 140 speci ...

(''katakuchi-iwashi''), dried to make

. The larvae are shirasu and made into Tatami iwashi * chikuwa * ''himono'' (non-salted dried fish) - some products are bone dry and stiff, incl. ''ei-hire'' (skate fins), ''surume'' (dried squid), but often refer to fish still supple and succulent. *

kamaboko is a type of Curing (chemistry), cured , a processed seafood product common in Japanese cuisine. It was initially made in the year 1115. Production and uses is made by forming various Purée, pureed deboned whitefish (fisheries term), whit ...

, satsuma age, etc., comprise a class of food called ''nerimono'', and are listed under

products. *

niboshi Niboshi (煮干し), often called iriko (炒り子) in Western Japan, are small dried fish used in Japanese cuisine for making ''dashi'' ( soup stock). They can also be eaten as snacks, or as a side dish. The types of fish used include anchovi ...

* shiokara of various kinds, made from the guts and other portions.

Insects

Some insects have been considered regional delicacies, though often categorized as or bizarre food. *, larvae and pupae of ''kurosuzumebachi'' or

yellowjacket Yellowjacket or yellowjacket is the common name in North America for predatory social wasps of the genus, genera ''Vespula'' and ''Dolichovespula''. Members of these genera are known simply as "wasps" in other English-speaking countries. Most of ...

spp. *, tsukudani made from

locusts Locusts (derived from the Latin ''locusta'', locust or lobster) are various species of short-horned grasshoppers in the family Acrididae that have a Swarm behaviour, swarming phase. These insects are usually solitary, but under certain circu ...

that infest rice fields. It used to be pretty common wherever rice was grown. *, tsukudani made from stonefly and

caddisfly The caddisflies (order Trichoptera) are a group of insects with aquatic larvae and terrestrial adults. There are approximately 14,500 described species, most of which can be divided into the suborders Integripalpia and Annulipalpia on the basis ...

larvae in streams (specialty of Ina, Nagano area).

Plant sources

Cereal grain

Flour

Noodles

Vegetables

Botanic fruits as vegetables

Cabbage family

Other leafy vegetables

Onion family

Root vegetables

Sprouts

Specialty vegetables

Pickled vegetables

Nuts

Seeds

Mushrooms

Seaweed

Fruits

Citrus

Other

Soy products

Vegetable proteins

Animal sources

Eggs

Meats

Finned fish

Marine fishes

Blue-backed fish

White-fleshed fish

Freshwater fish

Marine mammal Marine mammals are mammals that rely on marine ecosystems for their existence. They include animals such as cetaceans, pinnipeds, sirenians, sea otters and polar bears. They are an informal group, unified only by their reliance on marine enviro ...s

Mollusks Mollusca is a phylum of protostomic invertebrate animals, whose members are known as molluscs or mollusks (). Around 76,000 extant species of molluscs are recognized, making it the second-largest animal phylum after Arthropoda. The num ...

Octopus An octopus (: octopuses or octopodes) is a soft-bodied, eight-limbed mollusc of the order Octopoda (, ). The order consists of some 300 species and is grouped within the class Cephalopoda with squids, cuttlefish, and nautiloids. Like oth ...

Bivalves

Single shelled gastropods and conches

Crustaceans Crustaceans (from Latin meaning: "those with shells" or "crusted ones") are invertebrate animals that constitute one group of Arthropod, arthropods that are traditionally a part of the subphylum Crustacea (), a large, diverse group of mainly aquat ...

Crab Crabs are decapod crustaceans of the infraorder Brachyura (meaning "short tailed" in Greek language, Greek), which typically have a very short projecting tail-like abdomen#Arthropoda, abdomen, usually hidden entirely under the Thorax (arthropo ...

Lobsters, shrimps, and prawns

Echinoderms An echinoderm () is any animal of the phylum Echinodermata (), which includes starfish, brittle stars, sea urchins, sand dollars and sea cucumbers, as well as the sessile sea lilies or "stone lilies". While bilaterally symmetrical as larv ...

Tunicates

Roe Roe, ( ) or hard roe, is the fully ripe internal egg masses in the ovaries, or the released external egg masses, of fish and certain marine animals such as shrimp, scallop, sea urchins and squid. As a seafood, roe is used both as a cooking, c ...

Liver

Processed seafood

Insects

See also

Marine mammal Marine mammals are mammals that rely on marine ecosystems for their existence. They include animals such as cetaceans, pinnipeds, sirenians, sea otters and polar bears. They are an informal group, unified only by their reliance on marine enviro ...
s