Food · Fermented foods

Bora (Flathead Grey Mullet)

ぼら (Bora)

Also known as: Bora, Flathead grey mullet, Mugil cephalus, 鯔, Karasumi (mullet roe — separate paired product)

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At a glance

CategoryFood
Japanese labeling nameぼら
Common Japanese notationsぼら, 鯔, ボラ, Karasumi
OriginFlathead grey mullet (Mugil cephalus); Pacific coastal harvest; principal Japanese landing region Nagasaki (Karasumi production heartland), Kagawa, Wakayama; the salt-cured roe (karasumi) is one of Japan's three great chinmi delicacies
Typical functionsKarasumi (salt-cured mullet roe) — one of Japan's three great chinmi premium delicacies, Foodservice sashimi and grilled (less common in modern Japan)
Regulatory status in JapanStandard food labeling. Nagasaki Karasumi heritage brand. Fish allergen recommended.

Bora (ぼら / 鯔) — flathead grey mullet — is principally relevant for OEM as the source fish for karasumi (salt-cured mullet roe — one of Japan's three great chinmi delicacies, with Nagasaki Karasumi as iconic heritage area).

Classification

Tags below link to other ingredients sharing the same attribute, so you can pivot from one ingredient to its peers.

Used in (typical product categories)

Finished-product categories that commonly include this ingredient in Japanese-market formulations.

  • Karasumi premium retail (Nagasaki gift retail)

What it is

Mugil cephalus flathead grey mullet.

Typical uses in Japanese products

Karasumi roe production (defining premium application).

For OEM: karasumi production OEM with Nagasaki regional positioning.

Regulatory classification in Japan

Standard food labeling. Nagasaki Karasumi regional brand. Fish allergen recommended.

Regulatory classification in other markets

EUKarasumi-style products (bottarga) established in Italy and Mediterranean.
USANiche specialty positioning.
ChinaEstablished Chinese mullet roe (烏魚子) market.
KoreaNiche specialty positioning.

Example products

Example finished products will be added after verification of Nagasaki origin.

All brand names and product names referenced anywhere on this site are the property of their respective owners. Example entries are provided for informational purposes only and do not imply endorsement.

References

  1. MEXT Standard Tables of Food Composition — ぼら

Last updated: 2026-04-28. Ingredient entries are reviewed at least annually against current regulatory listings.

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