The staple food in Japan is rice (white rice), and furikake is a standard accompaniment to rice. Furikake is basically sprinkled over rice. It can also be used as an accent to salads, pasta, meat or fish dishes, etc. It is interesting to buy furikake as a souvenir and try to match it with dishes from your own country. This article introduces eight recommended furikake that can be purchased at supermarkets, convenience stores, drugstores, and discount stores.
Marumiya | Noritama (seaweed seaweed egg) 25g
Noritama” is a combination of the names “nori” (seaweed) and “tamago” (egg). However, this furikake contains not only seaweed and egg, but also sesame seeds, shavings of mackerel, and matcha salt. The crispy nori, the gentle sweetness of the egg, and the savory flavor of the mackerel shavings will definitely make you want to eat more and more rice.
<Basic Information＞
Name: Noritama New Pack
Selling company: Marumiya Food Industry Co.
Suggested Retail Price: 130 yen (tax included)/25g
Marumiya | Sukiyaki 34g
Sukiyaki is a Japanese dish of beef and vegetables simmered in a sweet and spicy sauce. Marumiya’s “Sukiyaki” furikake reproduces this flavor. The delicious flavor of beef and the sweet and spicy taste of sukiyaki go perfectly with rice. The crunchy texture makes it a satisfying meal.
<Basic Information＞
Name: Sukiyaki New Pack
Selling company: Marumiya Food Industries Co.
Suggested retail price: 130 yen (including tax)/34g
Marumiya|Ajidoraku 25g
Marumiya’s Aji-Doraku is a furikake (a type of seasoning) made from a blend of bonito shavings, dried laver, egg, and sesame seeds. All of the ingredients are richly aromatic, and when sprinkled over warm rice, the aroma spreads out in a fluffy way. The first one, Noritama, contains shavings of mackerel, so be sure to try the difference in taste and texture from Aji-Doraku’s bonito shavings.
<Basic Information＞
Name: Aji-Doraku New Pack
Distributor: Marumiya Shokuhin Kogyo Co.
Suggested retail price: 130 yen (tax included) / 25g
Nagatanien | adult furikake series
Until now, furikake has had the image of being used mostly by children, but the Adult Furikake Series was created as a furikake that both children and adults can enjoy. The lineup features flavors that make the most of the ingredients, such as honkatsuo (bonito), sockeye salmon, wasabi, and ume shiso (plum and perilla). The individually wrapped packages make it easy to give as souvenirs to friends, family, and co-workers.
<Basic Information＞
Name: Adult Furikake
Distributor: Nagatanien Co.
Suggested Retail Price: 148 yen (excluding tax) for the entire series, 5 bags
Marumiya | Mixed-in wakame series
The “Mix-in Wakame” series is a type of furikake that is mixed in with cooked white rice. There is a wide variety of flavors, including wakame alone, wakame and salmon, wakame and daikon wakame, wakame and shirasu seaweed, and more. Some people make onigiri (rice balls) with rice seasoned with mixed wakame and take them with them as lunch boxes. It is also a good idea to make onigiri to take with you on picnics or trips.
<Basic Information＞
Name: Mixed wakame seaweed series
Sales company: Marumiya Food Industries Co.
Suggested Retail Price: Series common price 151 yen (tax included)/29g
Mishima Shokuhin | Yukari 22g
Yukari is a furikake made from red shiso seaweed with a rich aroma. Yukari is made with Mishima Shokuhin’s original seasoning and dried. The key points are the tartness of the red shiso and the moderate saltiness, and once you try it, you will become addicted to it. It can be used over salads and pasta as well as rice. Yukari with ume plum and ginger is also available, so be sure to compare them.
<Basic Information＞
Name: Yukari
Sales company: Mishima Shokuhin Co.
Suggested retail price: 130 yen (excluding tax)
Mishima Shokuhin | Shigeki 12g
Shigeki, marketed by the same company as Yukari, is a wasabi-flavored furikake made from three types of greens: daikon leaves, kyogaena (Japanese radish) leaves, and wasabi leaves. It has a unique pungent taste unique to wasabi, and can be used to accent meat and fish dishes. Recommended for those who want to experience the taste of Wasabi easily.
<Basic Information＞
Name: Shigeki
Selling company: Mishima Shokuhin Co.
Suggested retail price: 130 yen (excluding tax)
Riken | Furikake Zakuzaku Wakame (sprinkled wakame) 50g
As the name suggests, this furikake allows you to enjoy the zaku-zaku texture of wakame. The Korean-style sesame oil flavor has an appetizing aroma of sesame oil. It is also delicious on salads and tofu, so please buy a set of furikake with the hotel and give it a try. It is also rich in dietary fiber, iron, and calcium. In addition to the Korean-style sesame oil flavor, there is also an edible raayu flavor and a ginger-scented green onion salt flavor.
<Basic Information＞
Name: Furikakeru Zakusaku Wakame® Korean-style sesame oil flavor
Distributor: Riken Vitamin Co.
Suggested Retail Price: 330 yen (excluding tax)/50g
Summary
There are many furikake in Japan other than those introduced here. If you find one that interests you, please buy it and try different furikake. Also, most of them come in zipper bags or in small portions, so you can eat them in Japan and bring them back to your own country. Buy a few for souvenirs and enjoy them with your family and friends.
