Food · Fermented foods

Hirame (Olive Flounder / Bastard Halibut)

ひらめ (Hirame)

Also known as: Hirame, Olive flounder, Bastard halibut, Paralichthys olivaceus, 鮃

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At a glance

CategoryFood
Japanese labeling nameひらめ
Common Japanese notationsひらめ, 鮃, ヒラメ
OriginOlive flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus); both wild and farmed; principal modern domestic farming regions Kagoshima, Oita, Ehime, Mie; significant Korean imported supply for volume sushi-grade
Typical functionsPremium Edomae sushi white-flesh fish — defining sushi staple, Sashimi engawa (fin-side fatty cut) — premium delicacy, Kobu-jime (kelp-cured) traditional preparation
Regulatory status in JapanStandard food labeling. Wild vs farmed disclosure essential. Domestic vs Korean imported origin disclosure. Fish allergen recommended.

Hirame (ひらめ / 鮃) — olive flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus) — is a defining premium Edomae sushi white-flesh fish. Both wild and farmed (Kagoshima, Oita, Ehime, Mie domestic farms; significant Korean imports for volume). Engawa (fin-side fatty cut) is the premium delicacy.

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.

  • Fresh whole hirame (premium foodservice)
  • Sushi-grade hirame fillet supply

What it is

Paralichthys olivaceus olive flounder. Wild and farmed.

Typical uses in Japanese products

Premium Edomae sushi white-flesh.

Engawa premium delicacy.

Kobu-jime kelp-cured.

For OEM: sushi-grade fillet supply, foodservice supply.

Regulatory classification in Japan

Standard food labeling. Wild/farmed disclosure. Korean imported disclosure. Fish allergen recommended.

Regulatory classification in other markets

EUNiche specialty in Japanese-cuisine channels.
USAEstablished US Japanese-cuisine specialty.
ChinaEstablished global trade.
KoreaKorea is major hirame producer (gwangeo / 광어).

Example products

Example finished products will be added after verification of 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 — ひらめ 各形態

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

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