Food · Staple foods

Hatomugi (Job's Tears / Adlay)

はとむぎ (Hatomugi)

Also known as: Job's Tears, Adlay, Coix Seed, Yokuinin (薏苡仁)

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At a glance

Category	Food
Japanese labeling name	はとむぎ
Common Japanese notations	はとむぎ, ハトムギ, 鳩麦, ヨクイニン, 薏苡仁
Origin	Polished grain of Coix lacryma-jobi var. ma-yuen; principal Japanese cultivation regions Tochigi, Toyama, Iwate, Hokkaido
Typical functions	Hatomugi tea (健康茶) — daily wellness beverage, Beauty supplement ingredient (skin-clarity positioning), Kampo ingredient (Yokuinin), Blended grain rice (雑穀米) component
Regulatory status in Japan	Hatomugi is recognized both as a culinary ingredient (under standard food labeling) and as the Kampo crude drug 'Yokuinin' (薏苡仁) under MHLW pharmacopoeia. Yokuinin claims for warts and skin conditions require Kampo regulatory pathway, while general food/tea/supplement use follows standard food rules.

Hatomugi (はとむぎ) — Job's tears or adlay — is the polished grain of Coix lacryma-jobi var. ma-yuen, a Japanese functional grain with a 1,500-year cultivation history. It serves a unique dual identity: as the everyday 'beauty grain' brewed into hatomugi tea (健康茶) and consumed for traditional skin-clarity benefits, and as 'Yokuinin' (薏苡仁), a recognized Kampo crude drug for warts and inflammatory skin conditions. The ingredient is the foundation of one of Japan's most established beauty-positioning food categories, with major retail beverage brands and supplement OEM volume.

Classification

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

Product applications

Functions

Regulatory tags

Origin

Plant-derived

Used in (typical product categories)

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

Hatomugi tea bags and loose grain (retail and foodservice)
Hatomugi-based skin supplements (powder, capsule, drink)
Hatomugi extract for skincare cosmetics
Blended grain rice mix products
Yokuinin Kampo formulations (skin warts, joint pain)

What it is

Hatomugi is the polished, dehulled grain of Coix lacryma-jobi var. ma-yuen — a tropical-origin grass that was domesticated in Japan as a Kampo medicine and became a culinary functional grain. Polished hatomugi (精白粒, 42–45% milling yield) is creamy-white, oval-shaped, and roughly the size of a barley grain. The unpolished form (玄穀) is also used in some Kampo and supplement applications.

The grain has a notably high carbohydrate content (~72%) and moderate protein (~13%) per 100g, with characteristic nutritional features: high manganese, potassium, and copper relative to staple grains, and meaningful folate (16μg/100g). Active compounds include coixenolide and various polysaccharides linked to the traditional skin and anti-inflammatory positioning.

Industrial production focuses on Tochigi (the largest Japanese hatomugi producing region), Toyama, Iwate, and Hokkaido. Major formats include (a) loose roasted grain for at-home tea brewing, (b) hatomugi tea bags and granular blends, (c) extract powder for supplement OEM, (d) ground hatomugi for cosmetic OEM (skincare positioning), and (e) Yokuinin pharmaceutical-grade material for Kampo formulations.

Typical uses in Japanese products

Hatomugi tea (はとむぎ茶) — the most common consumer-facing application. Roasted hatomugi grains are brewed alone or in blended teas (hatomugi-genmaicha, hatomugi-blend). Major bottled RTD brands (Itoen, Pokka Sapporo, etc.) offer hatomugi-based teas positioned for beauty and skin clarity.

Beauty and skin-clarity supplements — hatomugi powder or extract is a standard ingredient in skin-positioning supplement products (capsule, tablet, drink), often combined with collagen, vitamin C, hyaluronic acid, or pearl powder.

Cosmetic ingredient — hatomugi extract is used in toners, lotions, and creams marketed for skin clarity and texture, with the Japanese cosmetic industry positioning it as a traditional beauty botanical.

Blended grain rice (雑穀米) — hatomugi as one of the standard 5-grain or 16-grain blend components added to white rice for nutritional fortification.

Yokuinin Kampo applications — pharmaceutical-grade hatomugi (薏苡仁) is used in Yokuinin-tō and Yokuinin extract preparations for warts, acne, and inflammatory skin conditions under Kampo regulatory pathway.

For OEM: hatomugi tea bag products and bottled RTD beverages, hatomugi-based skin/beauty supplements, hatomugi extract supply for cosmetic OEM, and pharmaceutical Yokuinin material for Kampo formulators.

Regulatory classification in Japan

As food: hatomugi follows standard food labeling rules. 'はとむぎ' or 'ハトムギ' is the standard JSCI labeling name.

As Kampo crude drug: 'Yokuinin' (薏苡仁) is listed in the Japanese Pharmacopoeia. Pharmaceutical use for skin warts, acne, and inflammatory claims requires Kampo regulatory pathway and Yakkihō compliance.

FFC (Foods with Function Claims): some hatomugi products have FFC notifications for skin moisture or related claims.

Allergens: hatomugi contains no major declared allergens. It is naturally gluten-free.

Regulatory classification in other markets

EU	Imported as Job's tears / adlay grain. EU recognizes it as a food ingredient but pharmaceutical claims require local Kampo / TCM regulatory pathways. Recognized in TCM-aware markets.
USA	Imported under FDA standard food procedures. 'Job's tears' or 'Coix seed' wording on labels. Marketed in Asian-import grocery and natural-food channels.
China	China is a major Coix producer. Japanese hatomugi positioned as premium domestic-cultivated specialty (Tochigi, Toyama). TCM-recognized ingredient (薏苡仁) with extensive precedent.
Korea	Imported as 율무 (yulmu). Korean hatomugi tradition exists; Japanese hatomugi positioned as premium import.

Example products

Example finished products will be added after verification of cultivation region (Tochigi / Toyama / other), grade (food-grade vs. pharmaceutical), and product format (tea / supplement / cosmetic).

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.

Related ingredients

Used in similar product applications

Other ingredients commonly used in the same finished-product families.

Sharing similar functions

Ingredients that overlap on functional benefit tags.

From the same origin

Other ingredients that share an origin classification.

FAQ for OEM buyers

Q. What's the difference between 'hatomugi' as a food and 'Yokuinin' as a Kampo medicine?

Both refer to the same plant (Coix lacryma-jobi var. ma-yuen), but the regulatory framing differs. As a food, hatomugi (はとむぎ) is sold as tea, grain, supplement ingredient, and cosmetic ingredient under standard food and cosmetic labeling rules — efficacy claims must follow FFC or general health-food rules. As a Kampo crude drug, Yokuinin (薏苡仁) is listed in the Japanese Pharmacopoeia and can be used in Kampo formulations for warts, acne, and inflammatory skin conditions with proper Yakkihō (drug law) compliance. The grain itself is the same; the labeling, claims permitted, and regulatory pathway differ.

Sources · Last reviewed: 2026-04-28

Japanese Pharmacopoeia Yokuinin monograph
Editorial — hatomugi food vs. Kampo dual-use reference

Q. Why is hatomugi positioned as a 'beauty grain' in the Japanese market?

Hatomugi has been used in Japanese traditional medicine for centuries for skin clarity, warts, and inflammatory skin conditions. The Yokuinin Kampo tradition codified its association with skin health, and modern marketing extended this into the food and supplement category — hatomugi tea and supplements are positioned around 'transparent skin', 'skin texture', and 'wart-clearing' benefits. While the FFC (Foods with Function Claims) regime requires evidence-backed claims for specific functions, the broader cultural association with beauty and skin clarity drives consumer demand without requiring formal medical claims. This positioning is unique to the Japanese market — international markets (EU, US) typically position the same ingredient as a general 'ancient grain' or TCM ingredient.