Food · Fermented foods

Hotaru-ika (Firefly Squid)

ほたるいか (Hotaru-ika)

Also known as: Hotaru-ika, Firefly squid, Watasenia scintillans, 蛍烏賊

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At a glance

Category	Food
Japanese labeling name	ほたるいか
Common Japanese notations	ほたるいか, 蛍烏賊, ホタルイカ
Origin	Firefly squid (Watasenia scintillans); small bioluminescent squid; principal harvest region Toyama Bay (heritage area, with seasonal mass spawning event); spring season (March-May)
Typical functions	Sumiso-ae (vinegared miso dressing) — defining spring preparation, Tsukudani-style boiled-down retail, Toyama Bay regional gift specialty
Regulatory status in Japan	Standard food labeling. Toyama Bay regional brand. Mollusc allergen recommended disclosure. Note: raw hotaru-ika carries parasite risk — only properly processed/heated retail products.

Hotaru-ika (ほたるいか / 蛍烏賊) — firefly squid (Watasenia scintillans) — is a small bioluminescent squid with brief spring season (March-May). Toyama Bay is the heritage harvest area. Defining preparation is sumiso-ae (vinegared miso). Critical: parasite risk requires properly processed retail products.

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Classification

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Product applications

Functions

Flavoring486

Regulatory tags

Culinary ingredient512

Origin

Marine-derived163

Common OEM product categories

Finished-product categories where Japanese OEM manufacturers commonly formulate with this ingredient.

Pre-cooked hotaru-ika sumiso-ae retail
Toyama Bay regional gift retail

Ingredient profile

Watasenia scintillans bioluminescent firefly squid.

OEM applications

Sumiso-ae spring signature.

Tsukudani retail.

For OEM: pre-cooked sumiso-ae retail OEM, Toyama gift retail.

Regulatory classification in Japan

Standard food labeling. Mollusc allergen recommended. Parasite risk processing essential.

Regulatory classification in other markets

EU	Niche specialty positioning.
USA	Niche specialty positioning.
China	Niche specialty positioning.
Korea	Niche specialty positioning.

Market reference formulations

Example finished products will be added after verification of Toyama Bay 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.

Seasonality & supply calendar

Harvest months: March – June (peak Toyama Bay spawning run)
Peak supply: April – May
Off-season: Effectively zero outside spring

Source: 富山県 / 兵庫県漁協. Toyama Bay 螢烏賊群遊海面 is a designated 国の特別特別天然記念物 (designated 1952 — 文化庁); tightly seasonal.

Storage requirements

How the receiving OEM facility needs to handle inbound raw material.

Temperature: Chilled 0°C for fresh-boiled; frozen −20°C for raw / pickled
Conditions: Boiled product is the main commercial form (kept in saltwater brine); raw / sashimi grade requires parasite-control freezing per 厚生労働省
Shelf life: Boiled chilled 5 days; raw frozen 3 months

厚生労働省 (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare) ↗

Supply concentration

Where this ingredient comes from — useful for single-source-risk planning.

Primary regions: Toyama Bay (ホタルイカ群遊海面 designated 国の特別天然記念物 since 1952 — initial 天然記念物 designation 1922 per 文化庁), Hyogo, Fukui
Import dependence: 100% domestic — narrow geographic and seasonal supply

富山県 / 兵庫県

Certifications commonly available

Certification schemes commonly obtainable for this raw material. Always confirm the specific supplier's current certificate before contracting.

Scheme	Availability
Halal	On-request
Kosher	Unavailable
Special natural monument designation	Yes (富山湾螢烏賊群遊海面)

Alternative ingredients

Related ingredients commonly evaluated as substitutes.

Surume-ika

Quick answers

What is Hotaru-ika (Firefly Squid)?: Hotaru-ika (ほたるいか / 蛍烏賊) — firefly squid (Watasenia scintillans) — is a small bioluminescent squid with brief spring season (March-May). Toyama Bay is the heritage harvest area. Defining preparation is sumiso-ae (vinegared miso). Critical: parasite risk requires properly processed retail products.
What is the regulatory status of Hotaru-ika (Firefly Squid) in Japan?: Standard food labeling. Toyama Bay regional brand. **Mollusc allergen recommended disclosure.** Note: raw hotaru-ika carries parasite risk — only properly processed/heated retail products.
What products typically use Hotaru-ika (Firefly Squid)?: Pre-cooked hotaru-ika sumiso-ae retail / Toyama Bay regional gift retail
Where does Hotaru-ika (Firefly Squid) come from?: Firefly squid (Watasenia scintillans); small bioluminescent squid; principal harvest region Toyama Bay (heritage area, with seasonal mass spawning event); spring season (March-May)
What is the INCI / JSCI labeling name for Hotaru-ika (Firefly Squid)?: JSCI: ほたるいか

Often used with

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Same category

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Official regulatory databases

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MEXT 食品成分DB（検索） ↗

References

文部科学省 (Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology) Standard Tables of Food Composition — ほたるいか各形態

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