Food · Fermented foods

Ichigo (Japanese Strawberry)

いちご (Ichigo)

Also known as: Ichigo, Strawberry, Fragaria × ananassa, 苺, Japanese strawberry, Amaou, Tochiotome, Beni-hoppe, Sky Berry

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At a glance

CategoryFood
Japanese labeling nameいちご 生 / 乾
Common Japanese notationsいちご, 苺, イチゴ, ストロベリー
OriginStrawberry (Fragaria × ananassa); Japan is a global premium-strawberry powerhouse with branded cultivars; **Amaou** (Fukuoka, registered trademark), **Tochiotome** (Tochigi), **Beni-hoppe** (Shizuoka), **Skyberry** (Tochigi premium), **Yumenoka** (Saga), **Awayuki** (Fukuoka white-strawberry), **Migaki-ichigo** (Miyagi); winter-greenhouse season (December-May, peak season Christmas-spring) is unique global counter-cycle; freeze-dried strawberry is premium Japanese export confection ingredient
Typical functionsPremium fresh strawberry — branded cultivar retail (Amaou, Tochiotome, etc.), Wagashi premium ingredient (ichigo daifuku, ichigo mochi), Confectionery flavor and topping (cake, parfait, ice cream), Freeze-dried strawberry for chocolate confectionery (premium Japanese flavor), Strawberry jam, syrup, juice, liqueur
Regulatory status in JapanStandard agricultural product labeling. **Cultivar names like 'Amaou' are registered trademarks** — restricted use. Not a JAS-mandatory allergen but **strawberry is JAS-recommended-disclosure as it is occasionally allergenic**.

Ichigo (いちご / 苺) is Japanese strawberry — a global premium-fruit category with branded cultivars **Amaou (Fukuoka), Tochiotome (Tochigi), Beni-hoppe (Shizuoka), Skyberry (Tochigi), Awayuki (white)**. Winter-greenhouse counter-cycle is unique. Premium fresh, freeze-dried confection ingredient.

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Classification

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

Common OEM product categories

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

  • Fresh branded-cultivar strawberry retail (premium)
  • Freeze-dried ichigo (B2B confectionery ingredient)
  • Ichigo jam, syrup, sauce retail
  • Ichigo daifuku and Japanese-confectionery retail

Ingredient profile

Fragaria × ananassa premium Japanese branded-cultivar strawberry.

OEM applications

Premium branded-cultivar fresh retail (Amaou Fukuoka, Tochiotome Tochigi).

Wagashi premium (ichigo daifuku, ichigo mochi).

Confectionery flavor and topping.

Freeze-dried strawberry chocolate confection (B2B).

Jam, syrup, juice, liqueur.

For OEM: freeze-dried B2B confection ingredient, jam/syrup, branded-cultivar fresh export.

Regulatory classification in Japan

Standard food labeling. Origin disclosure.

**Cultivar names like Amaou are registered trademarks — restricted use.**

Strawberry is **JAS-recommended-disclosure allergen** (not mandatory).

Regulatory classification in other markets

EUEstablished premium-fruit market. Cultivar trademarks must be respected.
USAEstablished premium-fruit market. Branded Japanese cultivars (Tochiotome, etc.) command premium positioning.
ChinaStrong premium-import market (Hong Kong, Beijing) for branded Japanese strawberries.
KoreaKorea has competing premium varieties; some Japanese cultivars subject to dispute (Seolhyang).

Market reference formulations

Example finished products will be added after verification.

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
Greenhouse-forced: December – May (commercial mass-market); field 露地: April – June
Peak supply
January – March (peak retail / Christmas demand met by greenhouse-forced)
Off-season
July – November (frozen / processed supply continues)

Source: 農林水産省 野菜生産出荷統計. Tochigi (approximately 16% national share for R6/2024 — 25,700t; 57 consecutive years #1; とちおとめ is a 1996 品種登録 cultivar, NOT a 農林水産省 GI registration), Fukuoka (あまおう), Shizuoka (紅ほっぺ), Saga (いちごさん). Greenhouse production has shifted strawberries from a spring fruit to a winter retail fruit.

Alternative ingredients

Related ingredients commonly evaluated as substitutes.

Quick answers

What is Ichigo (Japanese Strawberry)?
Ichigo (いちご / 苺) is Japanese strawberry — a global premium-fruit category with branded cultivars **Amaou (Fukuoka), Tochiotome (Tochigi), Beni-hoppe (Shizuoka), Skyberry (Tochigi), Awayuki (white)**. Winter-greenhouse counter-cycle is unique. Premium fresh, freeze-dried confection ingredient.
What is the regulatory status of Ichigo (Japanese Strawberry) in Japan?
Standard agricultural product labeling. **Cultivar names like 'Amaou' are registered trademarks** — restricted use. Not a JAS-mandatory allergen but **strawberry is JAS-recommended-disclosure as it is occasionally allergenic**.
What products typically use Ichigo (Japanese Strawberry)?
Fresh branded-cultivar strawberry retail (premium) / Freeze-dried ichigo (B2B confectionery ingredient) / Ichigo jam, syrup, sauce retail / Ichigo daifuku and Japanese-confectionery retail
Where does Ichigo (Japanese Strawberry) come from?
Strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa); Japan is a global premium-strawberry powerhouse with branded cultivars; **Amaou** (Fukuoka, registered trademark), **Tochiotome** (Tochigi), **Beni-hoppe** (Shizuoka), **Skyberry** (Tochigi premium), **Yumenoka** (Saga), **Awayuki** (Fukuoka white-strawberry), **Migaki-ichigo** (Miyagi); winter-greenhouse season (December-May, peak season Christmas-spring) is unique global counter-cycle; freeze-dried strawberry is premium Japanese export confection ingredient
What is the INCI / JSCI labeling name for Ichigo (Japanese Strawberry)?
JSCI: いちご 生 / 乾

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References

  1. 文部科学省 (Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology) Standard Tables of Food Composition — いちご 生 / 乾

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

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