Just Sprinkle on Rice! Top 8 Furikakes in Japan

1. Noritama New Pack by Marumiya

The Noritama furikake is an exquisite kind of furikake with a great balance of nori (dried edible seaweed) and egg. The highlight of this furikake is how it lets you enjoy the deep flavors of two different types of egg – large, plump egg slices and small, crunchy egg granules. It is also fused with flaked mackerel, nori and many other ingredients, making you feel like you are eating breakfast at a Japanese inn.

2. Gomashio New Pack by Marumiya

The Gomashio furikake has appeared in a nursery rhyme song and dance on how to make bento (boxed lunches). It is made out of a combination of roasted salt and sesame seeds. It is a common seasoning in Japan, so you might see it on bought bentos or other dishes. Marumiya’s Gomashio furikake is made with simple ingredients – sesame seeds and salt from the Seto Inland Sea – so it does not interfere with the main flavors of the dish. You can sprinkle it into omelets, as well as use it as seasoning for hash browns and meat.

3. Yukari by Mishima Foods

The Yukari furikake is a powder made from red perilla leaves, which is also used as coloring for umeboshi (pickled plums). As Mishima Foods’ best-selling furikake, it tastes delicious, has just the right amount of acidity and saltiness, and boasts of a wonderful aroma of quality shiso (perilla leaves). Aside from sprinkling it on top of rice, you might also want to try mixing it with butter and boiled pasta to create “Yukari Pasta”.

4. Ika Kombu by Sawada Foods

The Ika Kombu (squid and kelp) furikake is a “raw” type of furikake. Though it is called “raw”, it is not actually the same kind of raw as sashimi, but rather, refers to something that was created using moist, soft, and flavorful ingredients. This furikake is characterized by its mild sweetness, which is achieved when the squid – sliced using Sawada Food’s proprietary method – is combined with a generous amount of kelp from Hokkaido. It is famous in Japan, having won the gold prize in the Nationwide Furikake Grand Prix.

5. Otona no Furikake by Nagatanien

Otona no Furikake is Nagatanien’s hit product that was developed under the theme “furikake that will satisfy not only children, but adults as well”. It gives off a sense of luxury with the intrinsic, vivid color of nori and its unique flavors. Filled with delicious nori, it is definitely a highly satisfying furikake. There are several varieties of this furikake, including salmon and wasabi.

6. Nori Wasabi Furikake New Pack by Marumiya

This furikake has that distinct spiciness of wasabi, as well as the flavor of nori. Made by combining ocean-scented nori and flaked bonito bits, Nori Wasabi Furikake is a product that uses wasabi – an ingredient that always draws out the flavors of other main ingredients – as its core ingredient. The stem of the wasabi plant is also used in this furikake, so you can also enjoy the strong aroma of wasabi.

7. CoCo Ichibanya Kanshu Curry Furikake by Mishima Foods

This is a curry-flavored furikake that was inspired by CoCo Ichibanya’s (largest curry chain in Japan) vegetable curry. Its crunchy texture will give your bowl of rice the right amount of curry flavor. The curry taste is quite thin if you put in only a small amount, so it is recommended to sprinkle in a good amount while occasionally tasting the rice until you get the intensity you want.

8. Hakata Karashi Mentaiko by Inokuchi Shokuhin

As its name suggests, this furikake is the powdered form of Fukuoka’s famous mentaiko (salted cod roe). Aside from rice, you can also mix it with salads, pasta, mayonnaise and butter to make mentaiko-flavored dishes. Raw karashi-mentaiko (spicy salted cod roe) cannot be transported at normal temperatures, but with this furikake, you can keep it and use it at any time. It would also make a great replacement souvenir for karashi-mentaiko.

The furikakes showcased in this article are available in supermarkets, 100-yen shops and convenience stores. All you have to do is sprinkle some on top of some ready-made rice, meaning they are extremely convenient. Furthermore, they are recommended as souvenirs because they are light and not bulky, so you can savor them as soon as you get home!